More and more renting seems like an easier way to “go green” while cutting costs. While not everything should be rented, (toothbrushes, underwear, etc.) most things can be, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you can borrow just about anything without having to leave your home, or office, or coffee shop – basically anywhere you use your computer.

Check these rental outlets and see if they fit your needs:

• There are a number of “Netflix for books” businesses that allow bookworms to read and return books at their own pace. Book Swim prices its plans depending on the number of books taken out at one time (a “devout reader,” with 11 books rented at a time, pays about $60 per month). Books Free, which isn’t actually free, offers similar plans but restricts the type of content you can order based on which plan you sign up for (starting at $10.99 per month for two-at-a-time paperbacks).
  
  
• Gone are the days of going all the way to a rental store to rent a DVD, then having to deal with late fees if you kept it for more than a specifically allotted amount of time. Thanks to Netflix, anyone can rent movies by mail with no late fees or due dates. Plans starting at $8.99/month also come with unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV shows over the web.
  
  
• Your mother may have told you that money won’t buy you friends, but your mama lied. There actually are firms that provide stand-in relatives, friends, boyfriends, and even groomsmen (complete with cheesy speeches about why you’ll always be “bros”). Rent A Friend charges a small fee to browse profiles by zip code. Would-be friends list what they’re up for –- which could everything from being your date to prom, to spending a Sunday afternoon taking a hot air balloon ride (weirdly specific, no?). Rent a Local Friend is another friend rental option that is great for those traveling on their own. The site sets up travelers with locals who either join them for a day as guides, or offer a list of insider tips so you can get the most out of the city.
  
  
• Few women have $3,000 to spend on a dress, so many spend Monday nights coveting the wardrobe on Gossip Girl and wishing they could somehow afford a closet full of designer labels. All that wishing appears to have worked, and thanks to a slew of dress-rental sites, you don’t have choose between paying your Internet bill and investing in a seriously amazing wardrobe.Some sites, like Rent the Runway, which has a wait-list to become a member, and Wear Today, Gone Tomorrow, only allow members to browse and rent. Other sites, like Girl Meets Dress, allow browsing before membership. Snag that Channel clutch you really can’t afford but really want from sites like Bag, Borrow, or Steal — which will also loan you designer sunglasses, jewelry and watches, Rent Me A Handbag, which is more than happy to lend out some Prada pumps, or Hand Bag Club, which has a nice selection of arm candy, as well.
  
  
• Cash-strapped parents will appreciate the rental packages at Rent Baby Toys, or Rent That Toy, a site that lets you rent specific toys, like the Kawasaki Ninja Tough Trike at $20 per month. New parents already dealing with maneuvering a stroller, and want to live as light as possible, may enjoy the Traveling Baby Company or Baby’s Away for temporary baby supplies while traveling. More savings and recycling can be had at Wear and Share, to avoid having to buy new baby clothes as fast as your child outgrows them.
  
  
• Did you have a dog growing up, and miss throwing around a ball with old Fido? Do you live a busy life and don’t know if you can handle the responsibility of a full-time pet? Then maybe Borrow a Pet, is something to try. A growing number of hotels, including select locations of the Ritz Carlton and Fairmont, FlexPetz, in New York, L.A. and London provides members with local access to dogs who were rescued or re-homed, but are fully trained.
  
  
• Non-virtual rental shops are increasingly accessible on the web. Rentcycle makes it easy to find stores and search their inventory. All the rental shops listed are browsable by location and specialty, but if a rental shop nearby has chosen to sign up for Rentcycle, you’ll also be able to browse their inventory and check availability online. lok lists more than 100,000 searchable items from both rental businesses and individuals. Renters set a price per day, week, or month as well as a deposit amount. Browsers can book items online and contact the owner to set-up an exchange. Rent Instead and Rentoid are similar concepts with slight variations. Rent Instead offers a shipping option for out-of-area items, and Rentoid avoids bogus items by charging $4.00 per posting.