We have to let you in on a little secret… and this one is for everybody. Whether you’re a digital nomad or just someone who wants to travel more… this is how you can see the world on a budget. You can stay in someone’s home for FREE (while they are away) in places like Hawaii, NYC, London, Rome, and Australia.
How? It’s called Trusted House Sitters, and no… it’s not too good to be true. You can travel to amazing places and stay for free in exchange for pet sitting. We’ve done it as both hosts and sitters and it is the BEST way to travel on a budget.
To give you an idea: we stayed in the UK for 3 months and did 4 different pet sits. We only paid for a few days in hotels in between sits. We saved THOUSANDS of dollars, explored new places, AND cuddled really cute dogs. The photo on the left is from our long stay in London.
Here’s how you get started:
As a “sitter”, you sign up and pay a yearly fee of $169. You’ll need to set up a profile and do a background check. Then, start applying! You can apply as a single sitter or as a couple. It’s really fun to browse the open applications page. You can filter by location, pet type, ability to travel without a car, etc. Once you’ve applied, we recommend setting up a Facetime call before committing. It’ll give you the opportunity to chat and ask questions before hitting the commit button (and to make sure the other person is normal J).
As a “host”, you sign up and pay a yearly fee of $199. I know this sounds like a lot, but it pays for itself after your first weekend away. No more paying for pet sitters! You make a profile, introducing yourself, your pets, and your home/location. Including pictures of your home and animals is ideal for potential sitters to see before applying. Then, you can add dates you’d like to travel and start accepting applications! We recommend a video chat before picking an applicant for the same reasons mentioned earlier. It’s truly that easy to get free and reliable pet care in your home. No more dog boarding or paying the expensive rates for a pet sitter on Rover.
Or, if you are like us and want to be both a host and a sitter, you can select the combination plan and pay $229 per year.
Most hosts like to schedule a bit of overlap with their sitters. It’s nice to meet in person and have the ability to show sitters pet meal routines, where they keep the vacuum, leashes, etc. It may seem a bit awkward at first, but we promise it’s worth it! We have met some really cool people along the way. Plus, you get expert tips on what to do and where to go!
We watched Dolly, an English Mastiff while visiting Niagara Falls.
If you’re interested in hosting, we may be able to ease your mind when it comes to allowing strangers into your home. We’ve had nothing but positive experiences and our two dogs have received the best care while we’ve been away. With the background check, past sit reviews, and a video interview – we feel very secure in the sitters we choose to stay in our home and care for our fur babies.
Here we are in Fairbanks, AK! We XC skied, rode on a dog sled, and cared for pups & chickens while visiting.
Trusted House Sitters is a win for the sitter (they get to stay for free), it’s a win for the host (they get free pet care) AND it’s a win for the pets (they don’t have to be boarded and get to stay in their homes)!
Don’t wait on this, you should sign up and try it for your next trip! Here’s a link for 25% off your membership when you sign up: click here ! Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about Trusted House Sitters.
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