My partner and I have traveled all over the world by housesitting. We avoid paying rent and it's changed our lives.

07.12.2024 - 11:41 / insider.com

If you'd told me a year ago that drinking sparkling wine by the pool of a millionaire's mansion would come courtesy of caring for a cockapoo, I'd have never believed you. Yet, for the past year, my partner and I have sustained a full-time traveling lifestyle through housesitting and have been living rent-free in Australia's High Country, England's picturesque Cotswolds, and Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, to name just a few.

Living in a capital city, I struggled to keep up with soaring rents. My landlord's latest increase was about to swallow 65% of my salary — not including bills. Unable to save and worn down by long commutes and an unfulfilling career, I was at a crossroads.

When a friend suggested housesitting , it seemed like a creative solution: I'd care for homes and pets in exchange for free accommodation and travel. Eliminating rent would give me the financial freedom to leave my corporate job and pursue my dream of becoming a full-time writer.

It also offered my partner and me — then in a long-distance relationship — the chance to explore potential places to settle before making any life-altering decisions. We joined the global platform Trusted Housesitters, and within a few months, I was boarding a flight to Australia, where our first housesit awaited us in Melbourne.

Housesitting is a value exchange: free accommodation in return for property and pet care. While some platforms and Facebook groups offer paid opportunities, we prefer the flexibility of handpicking housesits that suit our lifestyle — much like Airbnb , but without the cost.

We created a profile on the housesitting platform, where you can search sits worldwide and filter by home features, length of stay, and pet types. Once you apply, homeowners select their preferred profile (you'll likely be competing with others). Some owners are more formal, arranging video calls or pre-meetings, while others are remarkably relaxed — one homeowner left keys under the mat and flew to India for two weeks without speaking to us at all.

Cutting out rent, utilities, and other housing costs has helped me save thousands this past year. That money has supported my career transition, allowed me to focus on writing my first novel, and given me the breathing space to recover from a decade of corporate burnout.

Living more simply has also given me space to slow down and appreciate life's small joys: walking dogs through autumnal forests or collecting eggs from backyard chickens feels far more meaningful than meeting targets or driving a nice car.

Another unexpected reward has been the sense of community — something I lacked in London, where 1 in 5 people in the UK have never spoken to their neighbors. Housesitting reminded us of the