A woman has revealed how she turned house-sitting into a full-time lifestyle, allowing her to avoid paying rent for more than two years while also traveling the globe.
Emma Truscott first ventured into house-sitting in July 2022 during a trip to London.
She discovered that she could stay in other people’s homes for free by taking on responsibilities like keeping the house tidy, watering plants, taking out the trash, and often caring for pets.
The 37-year-old has managed to maintain this lifestyle ever since, working remotely as a virtual assistant and copywriter to support herself.
Originally from Cornwall, Emma has now lived in 29 different houses, estimating that she saves around £12,000 annually by living this way.
“It became a bit of a challenge – seeing how long I could keep up a continuous travel schedule,” Emma shared with Luxury Travel Daily.
“The app I use – Trusted Housesitters – has thousands of available listings at any given time, so it’s actually not too difficult to do this full-time.
“Plus, with some great five-star reviews, it became much easier to get selected.
“I began house-sitting two years ago and have been consistently looking for back-to-back house sits over the past 18 months.
“As a single person, I think I’m saving about £12,000 each year by avoiding bills and rent or mortgage payments.”
So far, Emma’s travels have taken her to London, Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast, Vienna, and Berlin. She’s currently staying in Paris, with her 30th house-sitting gig starting next week in Ghent, Belgium.
Her desire for full-time travel was inspired by a previous stint working on yachts.
“I didn’t enjoy the job and didn’t want to return,” she explained.
“However, I loved the lifestyle – the travel, free accommodation, free food, no bills.
“All the money I earned was mine to spend however I wanted.
“I started thinking about how I could achieve that same financial freedom, travel, and do a job I loved, which led me to consider starting my own business as a virtual assistant.
“Before working on yachts, I owned a beauty salon for 12 years, so I felt I had plenty of experience and skills.
“Then, by chance, I came across house-sitting on social media and decided to give it a shot.”
Since then, Emma has also started doing copywriting work, which covers her travel costs.
“The biggest benefits are being able to live like a local in different neighborhoods around the world, discovering places I didn’t even know existed, and not having to pay for accommodation,” Emma said.
“I also enjoy the company of pets, and making sure they’re happy is always my top priority.
“For me, there are no downsides, and I’ve only had positive experiences so far.
“I know this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but I absolutely love it.
“It’s not as exhausting as backpacking. You get to stay in a comfortable home, do a big grocery shop, and unpack.
“Sure, there might be a day or two of travel each month, but that’s a small price to pay.
“At this point, I don’t see any advantages to staying in one place and spending most of my money on bills.
“I feel like I’m really living – seeing new things, meeting new people, and having incredible experiences that I’ll remember forever.
“Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to still be house-sitting at 70 – what a life that would be!”
SOURCE: ‘I save £12,000 a year by being a full-time house sitter – I haven’t paid rent in YEARS’
