A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our couch surfing experience with Australians Jeff and Gerda. As we chatted over dinner, conversation turned, as it so often does when I’m around, to sharing and yours2share. They explained that they shared a ski chalet in the Snowy Mountains with three other couples/families and had done so for many years.
One aspect of their sharing arrangement was a bit unusual and yet a good idea, so I thought I’d record it. The ski chalet does sleep eight at a push if all the sofabeds are used, so it can sleep all the owners. Their usage is a rotating weekly calendar: so each couple gets the fourth week. However, if any of the others want to ski at the weekend, if the couple whose week it is don’t have all the beds taken, they can stay there just for the weekend.
Jeff explained that it was rare for them all to be there at the same time, but fun when it happens. The arrangement also means that everyone feels like they can take advantage of particularly good weather or snow at short notice if they wish.
The recent worldwide economic shifts have caused many people to reexamine their approach to lifestyle. Many are looking for new ways to enjoy the same things but do so in a more fiscally prudent manner. Fractional ownership of an asset which is not used continually (such as a boat) addresses this new viewpoint and in fact brings additional benefits including convenience and service. While it will take some time for this concept to gain traction, there is not doubt it will…it simply makes too much sense.