I just got back from spending two weeks in one of America’s most expensive cities, staying in one of that city’s toniest neighborhoods, for free. You can do it too, you know.
It’s true. I spent two weeks in San Francisco and stayed on the north side of town (Russian Hill) and I didn’t spend a dime on accommodations. What did I do? I house sat a big national historic landmark house belonging to friends of mine while they were away. Hotel stays in that area can run easily in the almost 300 dollars a night range. I am eternally grateful. Almost the only way I can afford a vacation is if I’m able to build that vacation around free accommodations — usually the big expense outside food of any trip. While it’s true I am friends with this couple, we weren’t friends at the beginning of my housesitting gigs — it developed over time. I’ve housesat for many people over the years — especially when I was leaving my first husband and actually needed somewhere to stay. A little common sense and courtesy and you could become the primo housesitter!
First, I know some people charge for housesitting. In fact, my own housesitters often require I kick them back a check for feeding the cats. But by and large if I’m going to accept a housesitting gig, it’s going to be some place I want to go to in a house I want to stay in. I think those owners on vacation appreciate this as they realize how much money they are blowing on their trip and want to scale back. My grandmother is always telling me, ’but you should get paid!’ I say hogwash. No one is forcing me to hang out in North Beach every morning drinking the best cappuccinos known to man and eating the best tiramisu on the west coast. I am grateful and happy to have the honor. Now, of course my own housesitters don’t get luxury accommodations. They get a dinky cabin house in the woods no different than their own dinky house in the woods, so naturally the feeding of the cats and a check that the meth heads in the neighborhood haven’t sold my television is worth the $50 bucks. It’s more of a chore for them. If someone wants me to live in their house, sleep in their bed, and let my kids play in there too, what more could I ask?!
Housesitter Etiquette
I think over the years I’ve pretty much cultivated a few simple rules regarding housesitting.
Don’t snoop
Seriously. How would you like it if someone went through your bank statements and sex toys? The only drawers I open are in the kitchen. And I know I’m a writer and should want to find out more, but you have to build trust with the family you are going to housesit for. Don’t go snooping; it’s just not nice.
Technology
Be mindful of it. If you can figure out how to turn a TV on and not mess up the TiVO recordings on a system that has ten remotes then go for it. I however, am just not that savvy. I watched TV in my friend’s house just on however she had it turned on. She was recording random things and I got a nice sampling of stuff without doing a bit of surfing. Likewise, bring your own laptop …