Travel on a Budget at Any Age

My husband and I are semi-retired and started North American house and pet-sitting about two years ago due to a love of travel and limited budget. This has proven to be a fun, low-cost way to travel to new destinations. House and/or pet sitting is also a terrific opportunity to meet interesting new people who share a love of travel.

For seniors on a tight budget, house/pet sitting offers the ideal opportunity to explore the world inexpensively, easily, and quickly. From our own local city of London, Ontario, to the backroads of Kentucky, to the beaches of Florida, we’ve had some interesting experiences.

These included exploring old battlefields, small villages, and exciting tourist destinations, to caring for a homeowner’s beloved dog who ended up having to be taken to the vet to deal with a “hot” spot that developed on the poor dog’s back end. You can imagine the owner’s chagrin when they returned to their excited pooch wearing a cone, but they were extremely grateful we stepped up and stepped in to ensuring his proper care (the son okayed the vet visit).

As a result of our travels, we’ve learned a lot about caring for someone else’s home and pet, extended-stay travel, what to bring along, and what to leave behind, and so much more.

Our next house-sit is scheduled for this March-April for three weeks in Fonthill, Ontario – in the heart of Ontario’s wine region, just 25 minutes from Niagara Falls, Ontario. Here we’ll be looking after three medium-sized dogs and a lovely home while the owners are away on vacation. Can’t wait!