Housesitting: a Choice or an Obligation?

If you've read my stories before, you will know how highly I think of housesitting,

It makes it easier to travel for cheap, easier to feel like a local, easier to integrate in communities.

It gives me a home I couldn't otherwise afford.

Now, sure, I mean this in the way that I have had the privilege to housesit beautiful homes worth hundreds and hundreds, if not millions, of dollars. Homes with all the amenities, and the views, and the cherished pets.

Housesitting has allowed me to get a glimpse of other people's lives. Glimpses of lives that I haven't chosen for myself... But also of lives that I just cannot afford. And I'm including modest apartments and condos here.

Grateful for all the people trusting me with their homes and pets!

Because the truth is, I cannot afford rent.

When I started housesitting, I did it for fun. I did it to travel. I did it on my terms. And when nothing lined up perfectly, or when I couldn't be bothered to walk someone else's dog every day, I simply browsed Airbnb and planned my travels differently. I made ethical choices by booking places that wouldn't hurt the local rental communities too much (think granny flat, suites with just a half kitchen, tiny homes with outhouses, etc.), This balance also lowered my footprint as I was occupying homes that would otherwise sit empty while their inhabitants were away vacationing, all the while not contributing to the housing market/shortage myself.

So I alternated between housesits and paid accommodation, thus finding a delicate balance. My average accommodation cost, at the end of the year, worked out to be the equivalent of a "normal person's" rent. I had found a way to have it all! Traveling the world, being aligned with my values, and keeping a healthy budget.

But some of us are one or two bad lucks away from homelessness. Or one paycheque away. Others are a bit further away... but that gap can close a lot quicker than we think.

I had to deal with such "bad luck". I ended up facing 3 months of late income payments, which turned into 6, which turned into over 12.

Grateful that I love camping, as it's been the most reasonable option so many times!

In late 2022, I went from having two stable clients to one great client and one client paying my invoices 3, 4, 5 months late.

In early 2023, the not-so-great-anymore client had another huge employee turnover which left me not knowing anyone in the company anymore. That was the end of my contract. The other client was now paying 5,6,7 months late... but there was hope and optimistic speeches by the CEO. And well, money was still trickling in... wasn't it?

A bit later in 2023, I found myself with one shitty non-paying client and my headspace fully going into believing the CEO's words. We would get through this. The new strategy would be different this time. Buried very deep down, I knew it was bullshit. I was a business analyst after all, and none of my recommendations had been taken into consideration. Business decisions were made in the opposite direction, going against the data I would put together. But eh, what did I know about marketing? I had been put in my place once. It wasn't my skillset. I shouldn't advise against the CEO's big dreams.

This was insane. And in hindsight, the best way I can describe it is that it was like a cult. Others in the team and myself, we believed the words we heard. We believed in the company purpose. We believed we were doing good for the world... so we stayed for far too long.

Regardless, while my client grew their debt towards me. I started accumulating my own personal debt. While my client wasn't being charged any interest... I was. The promise I had made to myself a few years back - to never ever pay interest to the big banks again - was broken.

My Jeep has often been my only stability and hint of freedom, can't bring myself to sell!

I started reducing my hours in the hopes my work could help keep the business afloat, whilst keeping my client's debt from growing too fast and too big. The details of what I did or did not do to "save myself" are for a separate story. And the weight of making ethical choices is a huge part of that other story.

In short, this downward spiral continued until late 2023. Until I had finally had enough. But as they say, too little too late...

It has now been two years since the beginning of the end, and one year since the rock bottom, but it takes much much longer to recover from something like this.

So here I am. Housesitting because I need to. No longer as a choice.

And even though I have somewhat of a stable income now, it takes years, or a bit of a miracle, for someone to get back on their feet. And in the meantime, rent prices have gone through the roof, even with roommates.

Would it be smart to spend a third to half of my income on rent right now?

Having the sort of physical stability that a house/apartment/room offers sure doesn't equate financial stability...

So here's to more housesitting, hoping opportunities continue to line up nicely. Hoping new opportunities will allow me to still live some of my dreams, make a real difference in the world, feel fulfilled... and above all, stay safe and warm.

PS. I am also incredibly grateful to all the amazing friends and family who would never let me be truly homeless. As someone has pointed out recently: I have immense social wealth (as well as a wealth of real life experience), and that counts for a lot. 💜

PPS. The client still hasn't paid their debt. Outstanding invoices now date back to March-Oct 2023... with absolutely no hope for any interest payment on top of what is owed, and not even an apology for that matter.