One of the easier sources of mad money that I’ve received has been housesitting.
Housesitting is similar to babysitting except that I’m looking after a house rather than a child. As you can imagine, houses are typically a lot less trouble. They don’t require their sandwiches to be cut into the shape of dinosaurs. They don’t microwave their Barbie dolls. They don’t escape from the fluffy white towel to run wet and soapy around an otherwise dry house.
August (and March break) is prime housesitting time. Many neighbors are at the cottage or in Florida or showing off school age children to proud but far away grandparents.
Typical housesitting duties require me to pop into the house (usually once a day), pick up mail and the newspaper, walk around the house ensuring everything is okay, water plants, etc.
What do I charge?
I factor in how far the house is from my home and what the homeowners wish me to do. I could charge as my base the same as a week’s newspaper subscription (which they should save while being away from home) and then adjust for distance and other factors.
The best way to get housesitting gigs is through word of mouth. I tell friends and family that I’m open to housesitting for a fee. Another source is travel agents. Surprise, surprise, travel agents know a lot of people who…gasp…travel. Usually good solid references are required. Criminal records are of course frowned upon.
Note: Some of my buddies have take housesitting to a whole other level. They look for long term housesitting opportunities (say at vacation homes) and offer to live in these homes while the owner is away. Normally they get free room in exchange for keeping the home occupied.
