Forget Airbnb. These Housesitters Get to Travel and Save Money on Rent :- When Suchot Sunday got her first job after college, her pay wasn’t very good. Then she found housesitting as a way to save money on rent.
Sunday is a Canadian business coach from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who blogs at The Curious Frugal. “I was interested in housesitting as a fun activity to try and as a way to save money on housing,” she says. “It looks like you can house sit almost anywhere.”
Kelly Hayes-Raitt, author of How to Become a Housesitter: Insider Tips from the Housesit Diva and a seasoned full-time housesitter, likes housesitting around the world. Now based in Lisbon, Portugal, Hayes-Raitt has lived in 25 places over the past 20 years.
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Since things like gas and food are very expensive, and home prices are also very high (the average rent in the US is $1,979 and the average monthly mortgage payment is about $2,703).
Lamia Walker is the founder of Housesit Match and does summer house sitting. During the holidays, she does gigs with her family. She can take cheaper trips because she doesn’t have to pay as much for hotel stays.
Most of the time, famous platforms for house sitting don’t pay, but you can save a lot of money by staying for free. Along with taking care of the property, housesitters often take care of pets and/or plants as well. This is an exchange of services that benefits both sides.
That might look like a simple task, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. I talked to some experienced housesitters to get their tips on how to get a job and make the most of it.
Pros and cons of house sitting
House sitting is usually done for free, but like any job, it has pros and cons. Hayes-Raitt says that you’ll have to deal with the homeowner’s quirks and expectations, as well as their pets and their need for contact. Here are some more pros and cons.
How to start watching people’s homes
If you want to try house sitting, here are some tips on how to get your first job, how to tell if it’s a good fit for you, and the best ways to do things:
Pay attention to a smaller house-sitting website.
There is TrustedHouseSitters.com and Nomador. Indeed, Hayes-Raitt says that it costs the most to join the bigger sites. She says that people who are just starting out should focus on smaller sites like MindMyHouse or HouseSit Match.
For a gig with less competition, you might also want to focus on a site that’s only for people in your area, like HouseSitMexico, House Sitters Canada, or Aussie House Sitters.
Word of mouth is very important.
Sunday says to try to get recommended first and let people know you’re interested in housesitting since there are so many people who can do it. She says, “Once you get your first house sitting job, it’s much easier to keep doing it.” People will often tell others about your business if you have good reviews.
Hayes-Raitt also says to reach out to people in your network to find your first few house-sitting jobs. Someone you know, like a friend, family member, or coworker, may need someone to stay at their house and watch their pets.
Start close by
You can housesit all over the world, which is great, but Hayes-Raitt says you should do one in your own town first. She says that’s because going to a new place, especially one that’s not your own, can be stressful and leave you with a lot to figure out.
Hayes-Raitt says, “Housesit in your community to cut down on moving parts and other factors.” “That way, you won’t have to worry about the language or where to get food.”
Plan your house sitting jobs around your money goals.
Walker enjoys house sitting while she is on vacation and thinks it is a good way to make money. Walker saved $1,900 over two weeks to take her daughter to Paris during a busy spring break. She saved $3,900 because she didn’t have to pay for a hotel when she went to another gig with her whole family in Cornwall, UK.
Walker’s son Alex also babysat for six months while he was in London getting his Master’s degree. He saved $11,400 on rent, bills, and transportation costs, so he didn’t have to take out any student loans to get his professional degree.
Think about how housesitting can help you reach your money goals to make the most of your lower living costs. Sunday says that housesitting doesn’t suddenly save you money. “You need to be disciplined to save the money that comes in along with lower costs.”
Sunday planned ahead by giving herself money first. She put money from her monthly paycheck into investments, paying down debt, and retirement funds automatically. She then lived on the rest.
House sitting can help you reach your money goals and lower your living costs by a large amount. You should compare the pros and cons and make sure it fits with your goals, hobbies, and way of life.