A single mother who struggled with expensive and exhausting holidays has found a solution through house-sitting. After her marriage ended, she tried camping, adventure holidays, and budget all-inclusives, but each left her either broke or exhausted. A weekend house-sit for a friend's dogs in Devon sparked the idea.
She joined a house-sitting website for an annual £99 fee and soon arranged a 10-day sit in Sussex caring for a labrador named Buzz. The stay in a four-bedroom house allowed her and her daughter to explore nature spots, browse bookshops, and kayak, without the cost of tourist attractions. She estimates a similar Airbnb would have cost £2,500.
House-sitting, she says, provides a gentle rhythm of ordinary life without work, strengthening her bond with her daughter. While not for everyone, the financial savings and sense of trust have made it a perfect fit. She has already booked another sit with a whippet in Surrey and hopes to try house-sitting abroad next year.
