SEATTLE -- Ike Carter really likes his yard and he likes keeping it good looking. That means, sometimes, needing expensive yard equipment. To save money, Ike came up with a plan.
"Every spring a bunch of us always get together and rent an aerator and split the cost between three, four, maybe even five families," says Ike.
Sociologist Jeff Ferrell says this is an old idea finding new utility in these tough economic times.
"Neighbor sharing has become increasingly popular because it really is a way to save significant amounts of money," says Ferrell. "It taps into older traditions in America like barn raisings.
"We see bicycles being shared, both informally or formally, we even see car sharing, tool sheds, computer software, almost everything you need through your daily life, we're now seeing it being made available through sharing."
It all helps save money, but there are other benefits.
"The benefits are more social than economic," says Ferrell. "Sharing rebuilds communities and gives a sense of America as a place where we look out for each other and learn to survive together as opposed to fighting each other individually."
Says Ike Carter: "We all like to get together and help each other as much as we can, even with the small things. It helps out in the long run for everybody."
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