Car sharing. Is this an idea whose time has come, a way to reduce expenses and still get to work on time, or is it the automobiles for socialists? It’s like renting a car for a few hours or a day or with others.

Zipcar… charges $50 a year for a basic membership but makes it easy to make an online reservation for a specific car parked in your neighborhood (Mini Coopers, Mazdas, and Toyota Priuses are popular). You pay an hourly or a daily rate; the price varies depending on the city, car, and day of the week (the daily rate starts at around $60). Insurance and gas are included—up to 180 miles daily—and the car feels as if it belongs to a friend.

It’s Netflix for cars.