House sitting has become increasingly popular. It's a great way to visit a foreign country without having to pay for expensive accommodation. I have been doing long term house sitting jobs for many years and it has really become a way of living for me. Do you want to know how to turn house sitting into a lifestyle? I will tell you what you need to know!
What is house sitting exactly?
House sitting means looking after the house of someone who will be gone for a period of time, on a holiday or business trip. Usually, the person house sitting is not only responsible for the house, but also for any animals who may live in (or around) that house.
Many homeowners feel a lot better when a house sitter looks after their property and animals. This way, their precious furry children can stay in their own environment instead of a shelter and the house is being lived in and looked after. House sitters can deal with the upkeep of the house and technical issues if they arise.
Why you should consider long term house sitting jobs
There are plenty of reasons to start doing long term house sitting jobs. It can be a cheap way to get a holiday cottage for your next long holiday, but if you turn it into a lifestyle it can mean a lot more.
1) A serious cost reduction
Living in someone else's house means you will have no costs for rent or mortgage, and no costs for electricity, gas, water, etc. Most often, Internet, Netflix/Amazon/Disney prescriptions are included! Depending on your lifestyle and country of residence that could save you at least US$ 25,000 a year. If you fly all over the world to house sit, you obviously have travel costs, but you don't necessarily have to go far to find a house sit.
2) Lots of traveling
Moving from one house sit to the next means you are constantly traveling around and you get to see a lot of the world. House sits can be as short as just one weekend or as long as 1 year or even longer. Opting for long term house sitting jobs will reduce your travel costs considerably. You can stay in your own country, or travel around the world. It's all up to you to decide how often you want to change houses. I have been house sitting for a number of years now and have been able to stay in many different countries. Mainly in Europe (Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Wales) but also in Australia and New Zealand.
3) Furry friends all the time
Most house sits require you to take care of animals. Often you will look after cats and dogs, but sometimes there can be guinea pigs, rats, donkeys, horses, and chickens. It is a great way to surround yourself with animals if your lifestyle does not allow you to have pets of your own.
4) It can be summer forever
You decide where you want to live, so if you dread cold winters you can choose your winter sits in a warm and sunny climate.
How to make a lifestyle out of long term house sitting jobs
Of course, turning your life around and giving up a stable life can be a bit daunting. You need a few things to make it a success. There are 2 things that are essential:
1) The Right Mindset
The right mindset is critical. You have to be able to let go of the notion you need to have your own property and all the stuff that goes with it. You basically have to let go of all your earthly possessions (unless you want to pay for storing it somewhere indefinitely) and just get on the road with some clothes, a few basic necessities, and maybe a laptop.
It may not be possible to do all the things you can do when you have a house full of things, but that is part of the charm. You take everything as it comes, the good and the bad. This lifestyle is for you if you can appreciate the freedom that comes with it.
2) Flexible Income
Unless you are a pensioner or a millionaire and you can just spend money without care for the rest of your days, you will need a way to support yourself. Because you are on the road all the time, an online job will be perfect. Any kind of flexible job will do. Perhaps you can work as an editor, a content writer, or a telemarketer. Of course, this is something you need to look into before you quit your steady job and start traveling the globe.
I am convinced, where do I start?
There are a number of good websites that offer house sits. Most of them require an annual sign up fee for potential house sitters and homeowners. Once you have signed up, you can start applying to house sits that appeal to you. Depending on what you are looking for, one or more of these services can be right for you:
- TrustedHousesitters - Offers a wide variety of house sits around the globe. Mostly in the United Kingdom but there are plenty of options in North America and Australia. You can easily filter the search results. The annual fee is €99 (US$135), which includes a free 24/7 vet advice line. This is the website I use myself for most of my house sits;
- Nomador - A nice website with many house sits to choose from, you can easily filter the results. Most sits are in France but also many options in United Kingdom and North America. You can start with a free trial option, or pay €65 (US$89) for an annual membership;
- MindMyHouse - Has house sits all over Europe, but also in United States and Canada. You can filter results to select type of pet etc. At an annual fee of €15 (US$20) this is one of the cheapest;
- Mindahome - House sits for the United Kingdom only. They have a modest website with no filtering options for search results. The membership fee is also very modest at £15 per year (€16/US$18);
- Housecarers - Website for house sits mainly located in North America, Australia and Europe. The annual fee is US$50.
