A few years ago, I was working a traditional 9-to-5 corporate management job in the San Francisco Bay Area.
After nearly a decade in my field, I had a car, a home, emergency savings, and no debts to pay off. I’d done everything “right” and accomplished things many strive for, but I wasn’t completely satisfied.
Then, in 2022, I left my job, booked a one-way flight to Italy, and began traveling full-time. What I thought would be a short break turned into over two years of seeing new countries while living entirely off my savings.
I kept thinking, “When am I going to get tired of constantly moving around … and how can I extend this lifestyle until that time comes?”
In an effort to stretch my savings further and extend my travels, I started house-sitting.
House- and pet-sitting has helped me keep traveling and stretch my savings
I came across the idea to house-sit while looking for ways to travel more economically. In return for looking after someone’s home while they are away, I get a place to stay.
For me, this felt like an amazing trade and a way to avoid paying for hotels or rentals. Sometimes, I’m also paid for these gigs — especially if pet-sitting is involved.
Once I started, I expanded my network through travel, and I discovered a high demand for house-sitters, not only in the United States but also outside of it.
So far, I’ve watched pets and homes in more than 15 different cities, including some international ones.
I’ve woken up to ocean views in Honolulu; explored the food scene in Santa Fe, New Mexico; biked along Chicago’s Gold Coast; and discovered hidden-gem cafés throughout Greenpoint and Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
I love the freedom that comes with this lifestyle and the connections I’ve made
Many people’s biggest living expense is rent or housing, but I don’t have to worry about budgeting for those. I try to line up my sits so that I don’t often need to pay for hotels or rentals, either.
This has completely changed the way I live. I love the freedom that this life brings, not only financially but also emotionally.
Since I’m staying in actual homes and often for longer periods, I’m better able to explore different cities and neighborhoods the way locals do, rather than as a tourist passing through.
I get to meet homeowners from all over the world who’ve been incredibly generous and welcoming, often going above and beyond to make sure I feel at home in their space.
Building these relationships with the homeowners and their animals has been such an amazing part of this experience. I take it very seriously that people are trusting me to live in their spaces and care for every home and pet as if they were my own.
It’s not always easy to live this way, but I’m enjoying it
This lifestyle is not for everyone. I live out of a suitcase and often don’t know where I’m going next.
I am constantly planning where I will be living and how I’m going to get there. Sometimes I am booked months in advance; other times, I am figuring things out a few days before or dealing with last-minute cancellations.
The uncertainty can be stressful, but the trade-off has been worth it for me in the end.
These days, I work remotely while juggling paid sits and free ones so I can keep traveling. I don’t know when I’ll settle down and stay in one place again.
For now, this lifestyle fulfills my desire to explore, connect with others, and discover new places. And I still have a list of cities that I would love to visit — both in the United States and internationally.
Whether I see them through house-sitting or not, I don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon.
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