Latest news with #housesitting
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Can you house-sit instead of renting? Australians turn to pet-minding to escape the housing crisis
Jacqueline Mifsud remembers the moment in 2023 when she made what she now describes as a 'bold life decision' to step out of the rental market in favour of house- and pet-sitting. Since then she has become a full-time house- and cat-sitter in more than a dozen homes around Melbourne, including several return sits. 'Basically everything I own fits into my 1997 Toyota Starlet,' she says. 'I look for long sits – at least two weeks – so I can keep my routine and not feel as though I'm starting again every sit.' The freelance graphics operator and standup comedian is one of a growing number of people relying on house- and pet-sitting as a means to save money in an increasingly tough property market – often while saving up for their own home deposits. Although house-sitting is often promoted as a way to travel cheaply, the leading pet-sitting platform TrustedHousesitters reports an increase in domestic pet-sitting in Australia, with data showing 75% of Australian house-sits through the platform are being done by sitters within their own cities. A spokesperson from the site Aussie House Sitters confirmed that most are performed in the sitters' local area, usually to save money or out of housing insecurity. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Mifsud's experiences in the Australian real estate market are common. After bouncing between increasingly toxic sharehouses in Melbourne's inner north for two decades, in 2021 she finally landed her own apartment in Preston for $345 a week. But, as the Covid slowdown dissipated, the agent informed her of a 30% rent increase to $450 a week – way outside her budget. Despite arguing that the apartment was in urgent need of repairs and providing a letter from her therapist stating that the situation was affecting her mental health, the agency wouldn't budge. She made the decision to move out – to nowhere – and try relying on house-sitting to start saving towards her own place. 'I'm turning 40 and single and don't want to live in another shared house, and figure it's probably cheaper and better in the long run to buy my own little place rather than pay rent,' she says. 'I work freelance so it's hard to save when I don't have a consistent or guaranteed income.' Relying on house-sitting gigs while touring her one-woman comedy show The Full Mifsud hasn't been easy. 'I never really planned on doing this full-time and it's a hell of a commitment. Having to worry about where I'm going to live next is stressful, even though I am extremely lucky that I have family I can stay with and know that I will always be safe.' For Francesca Cross and Christopher Thrower, a British couple who lived in a flat in south London for a decade, minding people's homes and pets became a way to fulfil their dream of moving to Australia. In mid-2023 they moved out of their apartment and started a six-month period of house- and pet-sitting while saving for the big move. 'There are a lot of logistics when you house-sit full-time, such as trying to line them up nicely, meeting the owners, going through the pet's routine … it definitely takes a lot of planning and commitment,' they say. By December 2023 they had saved up enough to make the move to Melbourne, where they had a house sit set up on their arrival. 'This was really nice to help us settle in and find our feet, without paying an extortionate rate for accommodation,' they say. 'Plus, the doggy, Lexie, was such a sweetheart and helped us with the transition to a new country we'd now be calling home.' Leonie van Eyk, a film-maker and artist living in a small house on the edge of Castlemaine in Victoria with her dog, Scooter, says looking for a pet-sitter is different to simply putting your home on Airbnb, because you need to find someone who will understand your pet's peculiarities. 'Sharing your house and animals is very much a trust exercise,' she says. 'You want the pet-sitter to bond with your animal and feel at home.' For this reason, Van Eyk prefers to source sitters from within her own community. 'That helps to build trust, knowing they are already connected to my community rather than just randoms,' she says. 'Also I'm aware that for some people this can give them some welcome breathing space. A friend of mine has a child and they can't secure rent in this town, as it's become so expensive. So our house becomes like a second home to her and she loves our dog.' Rose Bishop, who has hosted Mifsud multiple times, agrees that she finds it easier to trust a local sitter. 'I've used an online pet-sitting service before but it was exorbitantly expensive and the sitter didn't even stay at my apartment,' she says. When Mifsud isn't available, Bishop will ask 'friends who are trying to get out of their sharehouses for a while, or who are travelling to Melbourne and need accommodation – and so far it's always been comedians!' 'I love my dumb babies so much,' she says of her cats. 'It's so important to me that they're getting love and attention from someone in my community.' Cross and Thrower say they have minded their share of 'characters' including a dog who peed with excitement every time they came home (they learned to not show him any love until they were outside) and a teenage cat called Kevin who had his own room and simply didn't like them. 'So it was less about, 'We need to talk about Kevin' and more, 'We need to leave Kevin alone.'' Mifsud says a conscientious attitude is vital. 'I've heard horror stories of bad pet-sitters – someone who killed someone's fish, another who didn't change the kitty litter for three weeks. 'It's a lot of work and admin, and people need to be doing it for the right reasons,' she says. 'You have to really love animals. 'There's a lot more people out there doing house- and pet-sits now owing to the cost-of-living crisis … I just want people considering this to take the responsibility seriously.'
The Sun
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
We save £2.2k a month on rent in one of the most expensive cities thanks to a hack & put it towards a house deposit
A COUPLE have revealed how they don't pay a penny of rent living in London thanks to a clever hack. The savvy pair behind the @couch2castle account said their trick allows them to save £2,200 each month, which they are putting towards a house deposit. 3 3 The couple are able to save money on rent by house sitting and looking after people's pets while owners are away. This means they can live rent-free and bills-free in London, which is notoriously expensive. In a video which has racked up over 1,000 likes, they wrote: 'If we rented a 1 bed flat in London we'd easily spend £1,800 rent, £400 bills (council tax, energy, WiFi, water). 'What we actually paid to live in London this month: £0. 'So where did that £££ go instead?' House sitting enables them to save the £2,200 from their jobs, and put £1,400 towards their house saving fund. They then save £400 for travel, £200 for driving lessons, £100 for Christmas and gifts, and £100 in their Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). And instead of just seeing it as a money-saving chore, they love the process and get to look after a number of cute pets, including dogs and cats. They also get to stay in a range of homes, from flats to houses. The couple added: 'This is how we are building our future, one Housesit at a time. 'House sitting means we can save thousands while living in lovely places and looking after cute pets.' They shared how they typically make bookings though Trusted Housesitters - a company that has listings all over the world - and they didn't need any experience to start. Now that they have built up some good reviews, they have booked out their stays for the rest of the year. They shared: 'We plan pretty far in advance - we've had our schedule locked until the end of 2025 since like March. 3 'We plan ahead for gaps to go on a trip or stay with friends and in a pinch we book a hotel! 'We go back to lots of the same sits regularly and it's as lovely for us as it is the pets. 'You can housesit for people who don't have pets - but for us pets are our fave part.' They said they keep the majority of their belongings in a small storage unit, but don't have many material items and have downsized since they started their nomadic lifestyle. The couple added: 'It's a bit mad but it's working for us.' Another added: "How cool."
News.com.au
01-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Young couple reveal how they lived rent-free in Australia for three months
A young couple recently revealed their secret to living rent-free for three months while travelling across Australia, and their little-known hack is going viral on TikTok. In the video, the woman, Esmae Lewis, explained how she and her boyfriend managed to avoid paying rent, bills, and even Wi-Fi and air conditioning costs during their travels. 'We didn't spend a single dollar,' she claimed. The pair said knew they wanted to live in Australia, as it's such a 'beautiful country with great weather'. However, she quickly realised it also has a high cost of living, pricey food, drinks, gyms, and hostels, which aren't always ideal for couples. So, they found a platform called Trusted Housesitters, where people can look after homeowners' pets and properties in exchange for free accommodation. 'We landed every sit we applied for,' she said, before sharing tips to help others succeed on the platform. These included creating a detailed profile that showcases personality and experience, asking friends and family for initial reviews, personalising each application by referencing the pets and their quirks, and focusing on care and connection with the pets rather than the location perks. Ms Lewis also recommended offering video calls or meetups to build trust with homeowners. The concept of house sitting is not a new one. Sitters care for pets, maintain gardens, keep homes clean and safe, and sometimes handle mail or deliveries, all in exchange for rent-free living. This benefits both parties as homeowners get peace of mind while away, and sitters enjoy free accommodation. Commenters loved the idea, with one saying, 'Love love loveeee this! I've had my eye on signing up and starting this'. 'This is such a cool idea!' and 'Love house-sitting!!! Such solid tips,' read other comments. 'I want to do this!' admitted a fourth. 'This is so useful,' said a fifth, as someone else mentioned they live in Australia already but are keen to give this a go. 'This is goals,' another TikToker declared. House-sitting platforms like Trusted Housesitters and Aussie House Sitters have grown in popularity in recent years, offering thousands of opportunities across Australia. These services often require a membership fee but provide a trusted community and support to ensure both sitters and homeowners feel secure in the arrangement. Ms Lewis said she made the annual membership fee back in a couple of days just by not having to pay any rent.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
How to stay in the world's most expensive cities for free according to the woman who's visited 90 countries
AN AUSTRALIAN has visited over 90 countries, yet for several of her holidays she didn't spend a penny on accommodation and experienced destinations better than most tourists. Kiera Bourke from Newcastle, Australia, and her partner, Nathan, have experienced some amazing destinations through years of flying, backpacking and exploring the world. 10 10 But the savvy traveller has also managed to find a way of seeing new places, without paying for accommodation - and actually having a better holiday for it. Kiera said: "We've visited like 90 countries and all seven world wonders. "We were looking after people's pets, in their homes, around the world. "We didn't take any payment, but in return we would get these great places to stay, with great animals as company. "It helped us to see more local parts of the world and the local way of experiencing places, that we may not have had access to otherwise." Since, the 33-year-old has told other people about her experiences and how it is a great way to save money "but also experience things more authentically". Over the past years, using Trusted House Sitters, Kiera and Nathan has been to Glasgow with a German Shepherd, stayed with a Rottweiler on Vancouver Island in Canada and mostly carried, a French Bulldog around New York City. But it is not just dogs the couple have sat, they have also stayed with cats including in London. "We did a cat sit in Wimbledon with a lovely lady, whose cat came and go as it pleased. "We almost felt guilty because we had so much free time. The Sun's Travel Editor Lisa Minot shares her favourite destination dupes "We would walk around and see cafes, chat with locals, write and even see how the subway (tube) connected into the area. "It was definitely a more original way of seeing the city, rather than hopping into the very centre of London - which is still a cool experience, but once you have ticked off the typical tourist spots they are done. "We even wet to a Millwall FC game." As for her favourite place, that was also in the UK. "I think my favourite sit was probably in Scotland, in Glasgow. 10 10 "We had a car and we were looking after a German Shepherd named Lola and she was a gorgeous dog. "So we were really lucky that because she was so athletic, we could drive two hours into the countryside and go for mountain hikes with her during the day." Lola went with the couple everywhere, even down to a creek on the hottest day of the year. "We would keep the owners updated and it was funny, because we sent pictures of Lola when we were hiking, and her owners said she'd now seen more of Scotland than they had. "I'd been to Scotland before, but not to Glasgow and being able to explore the regions, hike and see nature was absolutely beautiful." 10 10 10 Replacing hotels with peoples homes meant that Nathan and Keira could cook their own food and have space to spread out - as well as save thousands. Keira added how in a lot of the destinations she pet sat, owners would leave a basket of goodies, or perhaps bake a cake or stock the fridge up. In return, her and Nathan would try and leave some Australian goodies. "Slowing down and experiencing the local way of life around the world was something that was a novelty to us when we travelled before [pet sitting]." And when it comes to perhaps weird or hard situations, the couple have been fortunate enough to not experience any. Keira admitted: "Sometimes an animals' quirkiness is quite funny." The duo were so inspired by travelling locally, that when they returned to Australia they set up their own tour company, Newy Tours. 10 "We found that the days we got the most out of a travel experiences, were not when we were at the middle of tourist hotspots but actually when we were experiencing the local way of life." By fostering good relationships with locals, Keira and Nathan have created tours that allow visitors from the people who live there. People get to meet the creators and hear stories straight from owners - offering a different experience to much of the tourist draws in Sydney, only two hours away. There is also a man who has travelled to every country in the world and claims there are four things the UK does better than anywhere else. Plus, the clever way you can get a holiday abroad for free. 10
Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Telegraph
‘We ditched our countryside cottage to save £45k house-sitting across the world'
Jessica Holmes is enjoying her morning coffee relaxing on the terrace of a villa in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. The crashing waves of the south Atlantic are lapping the nearby white sand beach. It's far from the one-bed cottage in Gloucestershire she owns with husband Tom. This is just the latest in a long line of luxury foreign properties the pair have been living in without spending anything. The only stipulation is that they look after a mild-mannered cat called Kitty. They're part of a growing number of people saving money while travelling the world with international house-sitting – living in beautiful homes for free, while working remotely, in return for looking after the owners' pets while they are on holiday. 'We always loved to travel,' says Holmes. 'But since we bought our home in 2019, it became difficult to find the spare money or time to see the world.' The pair, both 30, had already tried house-sitting as a way to enjoy free weekends away in the UK, but when Tom secured a role working remotely, they seized the opportunity. The couple realised if they rented out their Cotswolds home, the freedom of living without a mortgage or bills meant saving £1,500 a month – a move that meant Holmes could afford to leave her job as a police officer and follow her dreams of becoming a writer. They've now spent more than two years living in properties across seven different countries in Europe and South Africa, from cottages in the Alps to French gîtes – and looking after more than 63 different pets. After they were priced out of the London rental market, Robyn Greaves, 40, and Jeremy Healsmith 39, also decided to house-sit abroad. Greaves and Healsmith moved back to the UK after living in Sydney for 10 years, with the hope they'd be able to travel across Europe in their time off. But after months of struggling to find a suitable London property to rent, their thoughts turned to a one-off house-sit they had done in Italy while travelling. 'We realised there was absolutely nothing stopping us from working from whichever corner of the world we fancied,' says Greaves. 'We've saved around £54,000 in just over two years, just by offloading rental costs. That financial freedom meant we were able to launch our own business, helping charities utilise AI for fundraising.' While both couples can fit their worldly possessions into rucksacks, the lifestyle they're living is far from backpacking. 'We stayed in a gorgeous apartment in the centre of Bangkok over New Year. I really had to pinch myself,' adds Greaves. 'There were panoramic views of the city, and we saw in the New Year watching fireworks from the comfort of the sofa. All we had to do in return was look after a little Jack Russell called Lola. 'We managed a road trip across the US, too, peppered with beautiful house-sits, which was fabulous.' Holmes agrees that one of the main draws of international house-sitting is the ability to travel in luxury. 'You find that the people who are able to go on holiday for extended periods of time tend to be wealthier,' she says. 'They can go away for weeks or even months at a time. We tend to try to stick to sits of a month or longer, to save moving around too much.' As Holmes works for a UK firm, the couple try to restrict their travelling to Europe and South Africa, where they are on a similar time zone. But it certainly isn't the usual nine-to-five. 'Last summer, we stayed in a beautiful Spanish villa for two months,' says Holmes. 'We'd walk the little sausage dog, Rasmus, on the beach in the morning before it got too hot, then log on to work. We could hike in the mountains or take a dip in the pool at lunchtime, and when 5pm rolled around, we'd enjoy gorgeous sunsets on the terrace with a drink. It felt like a more grown up way to travel.' Both couples agree it's not all plain sailing. 'It is more complicated than sitting in the UK,' warns Holmes, who has also written a book, The Housesitter's Guide to the Galaxy. 'You have to check each country's visa requirements carefully, and be prepared for questions from border control.' It's a pitfall that most members websites warn of – with horror stories of some even being deported if a border official decides that house-sitting constitutes 'work'. Trusted Housesitters, which connects more than 200,000 members in 140 countries, said: 'When considering an international sit experience, it's also important to follow the official visa and immigration requirements of the country you intend to visit.' Its website suggests travellers take a printed letter explaining the nature of house-sitting, as well as proof of funds and a return ticket before trying to travel abroad. It's also important to check the country's visa rules if you are planning to work remotely. And while neither couple has ever had difficulty gaining entry to a country, there are plenty of other challenges. 'Language barriers can be a problem too. Often sits aren't in big cities or tourist areas, so not everyone will speak English,' says Holmes. 'We did struggle with one sit in a rural area of Spain. Luckily, the locals were all very friendly and could see we were really trying, so they were very patient with us. 'We've also had some tricky pets to look after. One elderly parrot we cared for took an instant dislike to Tom and snapped at him constantly. He also had perfected recreating the sound of an old landline telephone ringing, and we spent days searching for a handset before we realised it was the bird. You have to really love being around animals.' There is a lot of logistics to a life of house-sitting, such as planning travel and wardrobes – all while working remotely. 'We have a storage unit in London, so we'll usually try and come back to the UK for a day or two while we repack,' says Greaves. 'We can't carry enough clothes to accommodate going from 40 degrees in Thailand to three feet of snow in Boston in the same week.' But when you're able to see the world, forego rent and save thousands in the process, is there anything that might make them reconsider their nomadic lifestyle? 'It's an addictive way of living,' adds Greaves. 'Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a permanent base, but because we are from opposite sides of the world, maybe nowhere would ever really feel like home for us as a couple anyway.' And for the Holmeses, the aim is to keep travelling until they've paid off their mortgage. 'We don't plan to live like this forever, but it definitely has its advantages,' Holmes says. 'We've probably saved more than £45,000 over the two and a half years we've been house-sitting. 'We have a vague idea that it would be nice to keep going until our mortgage has been paid off. But we've always said that if one of us isn't 'feeling it', we'd both agree to stop. 'There's a lot of world to explore, though, so I can't see that happening for a long time.'
