Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more expensive, your rent goes up … again!
While Sydney and Melbourne are generally at the top of the leader board, demand for rental properties has pushed prices up right around Australia.
Now commanding a weekly rental starting at around $400 (that’s $20,800 for 12 months) in less popular areas, to over $1,000 (we won’t frighten you with the math) in on-trend suburbs, the days of the readily affordable two bedroom unit in Sydney are long gone.
Add your annual utilities bill – gas, electricity and sometimes water – to those super-sized rent payments, and the chances of saving your hard earned dollars for any big ticket items, let alone a deposit on that dream home of your own, quickly shrink from slim to very, very skinny.
So, why not hop off the rental roundabout and join the growing ranks of house and pet sitters who are loving their rent-free life?
You’re thinking that there must be a catch, right? Understandable – but no, absolutely no catch!
For example, to register as a house sitter with Mindahome, one of Australia’s most trusted house and pet sitting services, you pay a small annual fee, which gives you access to all the sitting positions listed on the Mindahome website. There’s no limit to the number of positions you can apply for either.
Sitting a house can often include caring for the owner’s pets – and many sitters fondly recall the new furry or feathered friends they’ve made during their various house sitting visits. A win for you, a win for the home owner, and a definite win for the pets!
Most house sitters don’t get paid for house sitting because they mind the home in exchange for free accommodation. Sometimes home owners and pet sitters negotiate bonds or covering costs of utilities for longer stays, but usually it’s a straight stay for pet care.
So, other than your annual membership fee, you live rent free – which gives you a golden opportunity to save thousands of dollars as well as to enjoy an interesting and diverse lifestyle.
Better yet, if a holiday is on your wish list, tempting house sitting opportunities in some fabulous locations are usually available. And just think how much more you could do if your holiday budget was free of accommodation costs!
There’s no doubt about it: housesitting offers an enjoyable and very affordable lifestyle. It’s a growing trend right around Australia and it’s one that’s here to stay.