As more and more of us search for ways to save money, an old trend known as 'neighbor sharing' is becoming new again.

Ike Carter enjoys his beautiful yard, but to keep it looking lush, he needs access to some pretty expensive equipment that he'd rather not buy, so he's come up with a clever solution.

"Every spring a bunch of us always get together and rent an aerator and split the cost between three, four, maybe even five families," Carter says.

Sharing is the key to savings for him, and apparently a growing number of other people these days, according to sociologist Jeff Ferrell. "Neighbor sharing has become increasingly popular because it really is a way to save significant amounts of money," Ferrell says.

Even though neighbor sharing is gaining popularity, it's not a new trend. "It taps into older traditions in America like barn raisings," Ferrell recalls.

From books to bar-b-q grills to cameras and even cake pans, the stuff being shared runs the gamut.

"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," Ferrell says.

In one particular neighborhood, several neighbors chipped in for a wood chipper, which they all use on specific weekends. Ferrell says yard equipment is ideal for sharing. "We're seeing increasing neighbor networking where people share rototillers or lawnmowers," he explains.

Even though it's the savings that has us searching for sharing buddies, Ferrell sees bigger benefits.

"The benefits are more social than economic. 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," Ferrell insists.

Ike adds, "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."

If you are interested in sharing with your neighbors, the best way to get started is by spreading the word, either with flyers or just talking with the people on your street and beyond.