Tricks for Saving Money whilst House Sitting
Getting Started
Perhaps you’ve decided to give house sitting a go because it is widely considered a more cost effective way of living, but you are quickly learning that not everything is quite that simple!
If your goal is to save money whilst house sitting, there are a few things you can do to ensure your best chances when it comes to holding onto your pennies!
Accommodation between sits - Some owners are happy for sitters to ‘arrive early’ and ‘leave later’ to reduce these costs, but these are on case by case situations. When arranging a video chat or phone call before confirming the sit, ask the owners if they mind you arriving a day early. Often owners prefer this so you have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with their homes and pets before they depart.
If you have family or friends in the area with whom you can stay in ‘down times’ between sits then it is much easier to save money.
Storage of suitcases - if you have friends or family in the city you are staying in, it can be much more cost effective to buy them a bottle of wine as a ‘thank you’ if they are happy to store your bags, than paying for a storage locker.
Aim to book longer sits - if you are moving around less, then your travel expenses will be reduced. If you are spending $50 a week on train or bus fares to move between sits, but only pay this every 3-4 weeks it costs less. Keep in mind however, when you are sitting in a new location for the first time, some sitters prefer to book shorter sits in the first instance to get to know the home, pets and owners before settling in for a ‘long stay’.
If you know the area you are sitting around, try to book sits that are in close proximity to one another. This reduces your overheads when it comes to transport between locations.
Buy yourself a little cold bag and grocery bag. If you have the hands to carry one, having a little cold bag and grocery bag can help you transport food from one sit to another. This will mean you won’t need to purchase new staple items every sit and also help reduce your dining out expenses by grocery shopping for your sits.
Related to the note above: some owners will purchase basic items for you prior to commencing your sit such as milk, bread, eggs etc. This is not always the case but some owners will allow you access to their open pantry, fridge, freezer etc when you move in. This can help reduce your expenses too if you are able to cook with anything already available within the home.
Rewards systems and memberships - when you take public transport between sits, some cities have caps on expenditure for trains, busses and trams. Be sure to check out what the local transport situation is to ensure you are making the most of it. If you are staying in paid accommodation routinely, be sure to register as a member (ie. Accor for IBIS, Novotel & Mercure hotels) as these memberships may afford you a discount you would miss out on otherwise.
Are you a house sitter, do you have any tips you use to save money?