How Housesitting Can Cut Vacation Costs

by Mel Bridge

Do you have a vacation dream that you can’t afford? Consider housesitting in your desired locale. The right housesitting job could cut your vacation costs in half.

Everyone has vacation dreams: basking in the sun on a picturesque beach, exploring forests, climbing mountains, roaming the streets of a strange city, tasting exotic cuisine, making new friends, or getting a much-needed break amid new surroundings.

But, in the current financial climate, it’s becoming more challenging to make your dreams come true.

Vacations don’t come cheap.

So, you scrimp, cut corners, and do without a lot of things to save up for that vacation, but the numbers still don’t seem to add up. There are plane tickets or gasoline bills to consider, the cost of hotel rooms or hostel accommodations, food, and touring charges to calculate.

You surf the net for airline discount fares, search for hotel promo packages, and dig into the travel guides to find bargains. Still, the whole package can add up to a pretty penny, especially if the entire family is involved.

Accommodations and food are significant considerations.

Accommodations are one of the most costly expense items in any vacation.

Depending on the type of accommodation you choose and the city you are visiting, you could be looking at anywhere from $50 to $200 to $300 per night. Either way, accommodations can still take a big bite out of your vacation budget.

Food is another considerable vacation expense. Eating in restaurants can be expensive unless you’re satisfied with fast food morning, noon, and night.

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You don’t have to pay for accommodations.

Housesitting is the solution. By taking a housesitting assignment in the place you want to visit, you can save yourself a great deal of money—housesitting wipes out accommodation expenses completely.

You can choose the kind of house you’d like to housesit under terms and conditions that will give you time to move around on days off to enjoy the area. You’ll have an entire house to yourself for free, minus the cost, hustle, and bustle of a hotel or motel.

Think of what you can do with the money you save to make your vacation more enjoyable. You can spend more time in your chosen destination with no accommodation costs.

Cut the food bill.

Housesitting also allows you free use of a kitchen.

You can save a lot on food expenses by shopping in local grocery stores and markets, cooking your own food, and enjoying your meals in the comfort of a home. This lets you reserve your vacation food budget for special nights out, shopping, or other treats you’d like to give yourself on your vacation.

Earn some money, too.

Some homeowners will pay you for housesitting if you also attend to a few other tasks. These could include tending the garden, forwarding mail and messages, taking care of utilities, or supervising minor house repairs.

If you find a housesitting job that entails pet sitting, then you can earn a decent amount while you’re on vacation.

A housesitting job gives you the time to settle down in a place and be comfortable. You’ll learn to move around like a native, meet people, and make new friends.

And these are things that even the most significant vacation budget can’t buy.

Reviewed April 2023

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