Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read When You Have Nowhere to Go, Go Everywhere! An article about how this senior found freedom and stability through housesitting – at home and around the world.
What do you do when you can’t afford rent but you’re not ready to give up? When the world seems to be closing in but your spirit still wants to roam? Become a nomad! That seemed to be a good solution for me. According to many articles I’ve read and YouTube videos I’ve watched, there are many countries with a lower cost of living where a fully furnished apartment in a safe, walkable neighborhood can be found for less than $500/month.
Sounds like a dream to me. My income barely cracks over $1,000/month. Yeah, Canadian dollars, so convert that to about $750 American dollars. Where in Canada – or America – can I find a safe, comfortable place to live? Nowhere! That’s why becoming a nomad seemed to be a good solution. I can stay in Canada and struggle in poverty, or live a better life somewhere else in the world.
Or, just keep moving around, staying the maximum time in a country that I can on a visitor visa. I’m a nomad and I’m gonna see the world!
But then I had another revelation, thinking there could be an even cheaper way to be a nomad. For me, the answer turned out to be surprisingly simple: housesitting.
Unconventional life
At 65, I’ve lived what some would call an unconventional life. I’ve had good years and rough ones. Years with a mortgage and years where I didn’t have a mailing address other than my post office box. I never thought I’d be one of those people that is sometimes described on the news as “no fixed address”.
After I lost my last home, I was housesitting for a developer, but it came with an expiration date. The house I was living in, plus a few others on the same street the developer also owned were scheduled to be demolished to make way for a new neighborhood. And then where would I go? Time was running out.
It was in those harder moments, when my back was against the wall, that I discovered something life-changing. People all over the world need someone to care for their homes and pets while they’re away. And I was someone with time, love for animals, and the willingness to help.
After all, I did some housesitting for family friends when I was younger. This is absolutely something I can do again.
From homeless to housesitter
I didn’t set out to become a nomad. I became one because I needed a roof over my head. Rent was rising faster than my income and affordable housing felt out of reach. At first, I lived in the developer’s house, while keeping an eye on the tenants living in the nearby homes the developer also owned.
Then I joined a couple of house siting websites, thinking house sitting was something I could do before and after I went to Spain for three months at the beginning of my nomad life.
I began by looking after a dog in London, England while the family took a three week vacation. Yeah London! Go big or go home! Yeah! Well, maybe if I actually had a home to go home to…
Then I started booking other house sits. Homeowners left good reviews. One sit turned into another. Suddenly, I wasn’t just crashing. I was contributing.
Housesitting gave me more than shelter. It gave me a sense of purpose. A warm bed. A dog to walk. A neighborhood to explore. A reason to get up in the morning. And eventually, it gave me the world. I’ve now cared for homes in different cities and countries, living richly on very little.
What is housesitting?
Housesitting means temporarily living in someone’s home while they’re away, usually in exchange for taking care of pets, plants, and keeping the house secure. There’s no money exchanged – just mutual benefit. They get peace of mind; you get a place to stay.
It’s not always glamorous and it’s not always a vacation. It’s a responsibility. But for someone who’s reliable, tidy, and loves animals, it can be a lifeline.
And depending on where you are in the world, there can be tourist attractions to explore in between taking care of the animals. In places like England, dogs are allowed on public transit and in restaurants. Maybe even inside some shops and tourist attractions.
In the above photo the Beagle I was taking care of and I took a bus to the main area of Greenwich, a neighborhood in London, England. We are in Greenwich Park where the observatory is located and the Prime Meridian line. So both of us have a foot/paw in each hemisphere.
Afterwards we went to an ice cream shop where my little buddy tried his darnedest to steal my cone.
Why housesitting is perfect for seniors
You don’t have to be young or tech-savvy to be a great sitter. In fact, many homeowners prefer older sitters. We tend to be homebodies. We’re less likely to throw a party. We know how to keep things running. And many of us are naturally nurturing.
Best of all, it’s flexible. You can do it locally within your own city, or you can sit your way across the country or the globe. Housesits come in all kinds of time lengths. For me, it’s not worth my while or the cost in travel to take a housesit for less than one month. There are some exceptions, like England. Generally the British don’t go away for more than two weeks. They’re usually visiting another country in Europe. The public transportation in England is very good and not too expensive. So if I’m already in England I can sit two weeks here and three weeks there.
For me and for most homeless seniors, the longer a housesit, the better for us. The longer we stay in one place, the less money it costs us in travel expenses.
You don’t need much to become a housesitter: a basic smartphone or laptop, a few references, and the ability to take care of a home. If you’re on a fixed income, housesitting can be a huge help. You save on rent and utilities, and often you get to live in lovely neighborhoods you couldn’t afford otherwise.
Here are a few other things we save money on by being a housesitter: cable, Internet, toilet paper, laundry soap, paper towels, and a whole lot more I’m not thinking about. Most homes come with many things available for us homeowners to use during our time there.
Often the homeowners tell us to help ourselves to whatever is in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. I’ve even had homeowners ask what I like to eat and stock up for me.
Booze
I’m not a drinker, so the homeowners don’t have to worry I’ll get into their liquor cabinet.
Even if you are a drinker, don’t wipe out the homeowner’s booze. They will likely leave a bad review for you on the housesitting website where you connected.
I’ve house sat two summers in a row for the same homeowners in London. Yes, obviously they like me! They told me the summer before that they had two women in their twenties who house sat for them. When they returned home, all their liquor was gone. The husband was particularly perturbed about a very expensive bottle of scotch that he’d drank one glass from, and the young ladies had polished off the rest.
The house was left in a mess, and clearly they’d partied the whole time the homeowners were away. All they said was thank God the dog had been looked after.
How to get started
There are several reputable websites that match sitters with homeowners. Some charge a small annual fee, and others like Trusted House Sitters and Nomador charge a much larger fee. Yikes! But the fee is usually worth it when you consider how much it would cost to stay in a hotel or find a rental. Here are a few to explore:
House Sitters Canada / USA / UK / etc.
Most of these websites allow you to create a free account and look around at the ads homeowners have placed. You will need to purchase a paid membership in order to apply for any sits.
There are also some Facebook groups – free! But you get what you pay for. Do a search on Facebook groups for housesitting and a specific country you’re looking for. Or worldwide. If you’re a woman, look for Host a Sister pet sitting.
It’s good to use multiple sites to discover the many housesitting opportunities out there.
I’m amazed at all the advice I see that tells new housesitters to start small and offer to housesit for friends or neighbors. Start housesitting locally.
As homeless seniors, we don’t have that option. We are looking for somewhere to live – now! We need to be open to anywhere in the world with a long term housesit. Like I said go big! Cause you got nowhere to go home!
Build a profile. The reviews will come as you get more housesits. If you are new to this, ask people you know to be references. This can be former coworkers, old landlords, or friends. Anyone who can attest to your honesty and kindness with animals. Keep communication clear and prompt with homeowners. You’d be amazed how many people will welcome you into their homes.
Trusted Housesitters
Trusted Housesitters is the biggest housesitting website out there.
If you’re looking at Trusted HouseSitters you will find no shortage of zealots waving a referral code they want you to use. Here’s a YouTube video I made on that topic!
I do have a free account with Trusted Housesitters and everytime I log on, which isn’t that often, I’ll receive an immediate email from “Laura” who wants to know how she can help me.
I’m not ruling out Trusted Housesitters in the future, but I’m busy enough without them. There are things I don’t like about them. Yeah, more than the zealots – ha ha! First off – the price tag.
Then complaints I read about how there are more housesitters than there are homeowners.
Another complaint is that Trusted Housesitters only allows 6 applicants to respond to a homeowner’s ad and then it’s shut down to more applicants. So that means if you weren’t fast enough to apply and 6 applicants got ahead of you – you’re out of luck. Maybe. Perhaps none of those 6 were what the homeowner was looking for. Then the homeowner can “release” some of those applicants so others can apply.
Let me just share a quick memory of the housesit I mentioned above in London, England. The ad had been up a couple of days before I applied – I was out of town and didn’t have my laptop with me. Spoiler alert: we all know it ended well for me! The homeowner had over 70 applicants. Yeah, some parts of the world are more popular than others for housesitters.
If this homeowner had been on Trusted Housesitters, I’d have been out of luck.
The other complaints housesitters have is about the lack of support from the admin at Trusted Housesitters when something goes wrong.
Wrapping it up – Trusted Housesitters is expensive, it’s hard to find housesits, there’s a limit on applicants, and their admin sucks.
Referral codes
Most housesitting websites allow their members to refer others, and by doing so will receive some kind of benefit. The new member will get a discount or free months and the referring member will receive a similar benefit.
Let me share my referral codes. And just to get membership fees out of the way, all the sites I’m with charge about $50 Canadian dollars a year. Though Canadian currency isn’t necessary the currency being charged. I’m just doing the approximate conversion.
Housesitters Canada – use my referral code TKR9AG. You will get $10 off your membership and I will get a $10 discount when I renew.
Housesitters UK – use my referral code A3K93Y. You will receive a discount of £5 off your membership and I also will receive £5 off my next membership renewal.
These are sister websites. Any reviews I get from one country are set up to transfer to the other country’s site. At the bottom of both these websites, it shows all the other sites they’re associated with like Aussie Housesitters and Housesitters America.
Housecarers – you will have to click the link that will take you to the website. When you buy a 12 month membership, you will receive a bonus 6 months. And so will I.
I’d like to thank all my readers who have used my referral codes to sign up with one of these housesitting websites.
Getting past customs and immigration
Every now and then I read about a house sitter who got denied entry into a country. Every time it seems to be a younger person who is probably a chatty Cathy.
Ha ha – I’m sure my younger readers will not know what I’m talking about!
Here’s a news article about an Australian women planning to housesit in Montreal. She changed planes in Los Angeles, and immigration denied her entry and made her return down under. Yeah, you really gotta wonder why a US Immigration agent could care less what someone in transit to Canada is planning to do as long as it’s not to commit murder or terrorist activities.
These American housesitters were denied entry into the UK.
In all cases these housesitters were brandishing a worthless letter from Trusted Housesitters that they showed the border guards.
Yikes! Never do that!
When I arrive in London, a security guard points to an electronic gate for me to go through. I scan my passport and if all goes well, the gates open. Then I head over to the carousel to pick up my luggage. And then I exit, never saying a word to anyone.
Let me quickly point out that the security guard sends passport holders from other countries to a different line where they do have to talk to a border agent and get their passport stamped.
But I tell you, if ever I’m in a situation to talk to a border guard then I say I’m here as a tourist. I’m going to be travelling around checking out attractions. I’ll be staying with friends and in hotels and Airbnbs.
It’s always a good idea to have the first couple of nights booked at a hotel just in case the border guard checks.
And I’m not lying about staying with friends. Seeing as how the homeowners and I have been communicating through video calls, emails, and messages, I feel like they are my friends now.
Moral of the story is don’t lie, but don’t offer up any extra information either.
Housesitting isn’t just shelter – it’s a doorway
I’ve sat for retirees on cruises, families off to destination weddings, and couples and solo travelers exploring the world. I’ve fed chickens, walked golden retrievers, watered orchids, and cleaned up more hairballs and cat puke than I care to count. But each sit has given me what I needed most: a feeling of being home, even if only for a while.
Not to mention I’ve made lasting friendships with many of the homeowners I’ve sat for. Many of them want me back, but I’m often booked out so far in advance I can’t fit them in.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. There’s a couple I house sat for in Folkestone who keep asking me to come back and take care of their cats. They have recently moved back to their house in London and asked me to come back this winter, but unfortunately I have other plans. But, winter of 2026? This is over a year out, but I’m 90% sure I’ll be spending time in London again!
When you have nowhere to go – go anywhere
If you’re a senior facing housing insecurity, or simply longing for change, don’t count yourself out. There is a way forward. When you have nowhere to go – go everywhere.
xoxo
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on September 18, 2025.
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