It’s becoming more and more difficult for millennials to see the world. In fact, despite the fact that the younger generations are increasingly culturally aware and curious about the world around them, it may seem impossible for them to experience it. This is because millennials face a lot of roadblocks when it comes to saving money, and traveling typically requires something of a saved income.
Thousands of millennials are finishing their degrees with built-up student debt, which makes saving for a house difficult, never mind moving from place to place. In fact, many young couples are being advised to begin their married lives through renting a home rather than buying it. Being able to save money through any means necessary is important when you’re beginning an independent life with your partner. However, it may seem that you’ll never be able to travel if saving is your first priority. Down the road, you may want to buy a house, or even have children. You’ll pursue a career, and one way or another, put down roots that will prevent you from traveling as you might wish. This is why lots of young couples are considering house-sitting, and not just within their own hometowns.
House-sitting isn’t just something that you can do for a friend. It’s expanded more recently, with lots of young couples turning house-sitting into a way for them to see the world. House-sitting allows you to go where you want to go without spending money on hotel rooms. With that being said, there is a certain art to house-sitting on a global scale. Below, we’re looking into a few of ways you can turn house-sitting with your spouse into a way that you can get a low-cost vacation.
1. Search For The Right Assignments
There are a lot of advantages to house-sitting, but certain risks can come with it as well. If you and your spouse take the wrong assignment, you could at best end up with a poorly-paid job that involves more than you asked for and less stylish accommodations than you expected. Fortunately, there are safe websites that have been set up to connect house-sitters with the right assignments. TrustedHouseSitters.com is one well-reviewed site with hundreds of assignments available, and Nomador.com and MindMyHouse.com are also heavily favored among experienced house-sitters. By maintaining social media profiles with professional appearances, you’ll also be able to make a good impression on potential employers that look you up for further research. As you build up your reputation as a house-sitter, you’ll also be able to gain references, as well as repeat assignments. This will make it far easier for you to house-sit for extended periods of time. Some assignments may be as long as months at a time, which means that you can move from one to another without needing a home base.
2. Expect The Unexpected
A house-sitting assignment isn’t necessarily simple. There is usually a reason why homeowners are not comfortable with leaving their house alone while they’re away. This may have to do with the fact that they have pets that need to be cared for or plants that must be tended. They’ll probably expect you to do light housekeeping, and for that matter take care of their mail and ensure that their home is kept safe. There’s a certain level of expectation that comes with being a house-sitter. If something goes awry, you’ll have to take care of it. Of course, if something major happens like a burst pipe, which will involve money spent on repairs, you’ll need to get in touch with the homeowners. But otherwise, homeowners are looking for hypercompetent, responsible house-sitters that don’t need a lot of check-ins. For you, this may be something of a vacation — and that’s okay, especially if you’re traveling with your spouse. After all, 42% of travelers report feeling more romantic on vacation. But while you’re exploring your surroundings, you need to be prepared for something to go wrong. Hopefully, nothing will, but that’s a part of expecting the unexpected.
3. Consider Where You Want To Go
Traveling based on a house-sitting assignment isn’t going to be like traveling for a typical vacation. You can’t just go wherever you want; the assignment will need to line up for the amount of time you have available as well, and it will for that matter need to be in a safe location. Narrow down your search for assignments based on countries and regions, versus specific towns, and be open to some degree of flexibility. Of course, while you won’t be spending on your accommodations, you will have to pay for your plane ticket. Though there are national airports in about 31 states, you may have to drive further for international airports, and it may be worth it to go to a major hub if possible in order to avoid too many expensive and inconvenient connections. You’ll also want to possibly target countries in which you speak the language at first, as this will make it easier for you to care for the home you’re looking after. Try Ireland; 2016 saw it experience an increase of overseas visitors by 10.9%, with 9.6 million compared to the 8.6 million made in 2015. Ireland is different enough for house-sitters to experience a truly unique country, while still remaining familiar enough for them to house-sit without a major challenge.
House-sitting is an amazing opportunity for young couples who want to save while still experiencing the world. However, it doesn’t come without its challenges, and it does require a lot of responsibility. By keeping that in mind and utilizing the right resources, you and your partner can have an amazing, low-cost vacation — and perhaps follow it up with many more in the future!
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