A couple have revealed how they ditched their jobs for a year to travel the world by using a clever money-saving hack.
Silvi Drebenstedt and Lucas Roth have visited bucket list destinations without breaking the bank.
The couple, 29 and 33 respectively, have been able to save thousands by avoiding pricey hotels.
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Instead, they house or pet sit – including looking after a herd of alpacas in Hawaii, hanging out with a budgie in Australia and helping fishermen in Indonesia.
“Accommodation is usually one of the biggest expenses while traveling, so house sitting made a huge difference for us,” Silvi told Luxury Travel Daily.
“Looking after the alpacas in Hawaii was definitely the highlight of our pet-sitting journey so far.
“Christine, the owner, was incredibly kind and gave us a thorough introduction to caring for the alpacas.
“Dorothy, the oldest alpaca, was especially dear to us – she required special soft food and had such a calm, wise demeanour.
“One unforgettable moment was helping weigh Rose, a newborn alpaca, with Lucas holding her in his arms on the scale.
“Christine even taught us how to spin wool, which was so fascinating.
“We definitely saved a lot [by housesitting] – while it’s hard to give an exact number, I’m sure it was several thousand euros.”
The couple – who took time out of their office jobs during their travels – used the app Trusted Housesitters to help match them with people looking for someone to take care of their home and pets while they were away.
Aside from their alpaca adventure, they spent a Christmas dog-sitting in New York, trekked across glaciers while staying in Argentina and enjoyed trips to Mexico, Taiwan and Switzerland.
They are now back home in their native Germany but still enjoy regular housesitting adventures.
Silvi said: “That year was completely a year out of work for us.
“We took a break from our jobs to fully immerse ourselves in the adventure.
“We still enjoy staying in hotels sometimes but house sitting remains a big part of how we travel.
“We have [since] done a lovely sit in Switzerland, which was a wonderful experience.
“Since we’ve mostly done sits in more expensive countries, like the US, Australia, and Switzerland, the savings have definitely been substantial.
“House sitting has allowed us to visit these places without constantly worrying about the cost of accommodation – which is often a big barrier for travellers.”
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