Tough getting any sits currently isn’t it so great that you can stay with Suze’s parents for as long as this takes. Takes the pressure off for a while. We are just hoping that the sits we have booked for post-lockdown still happen but we’re not confident. Having nowhere to stay could make it an insanely expensive time.
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Hi @Wendy gosh it must have been hard not being able to get back to Oz but you just got on with it making the most of the situation and carrying on. Amazing positivity and optimism. Inspirational!. We had plans to get to Australia january 2021, especially to see a first grandchild and including housesitting. Gutted at not being able to get over there. Hopefully safe borders will open sooner than later. Good luck!
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Thank you Julie, yes, it was quite shocking to discover I wouldn’t be allowed to fly home but have learnt to always have a plan ‘b’, ‘c’ or even ‘d’. I do hope you will be able to meet your grandchild soon and enjoy some house-sitting in Australia.
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Thank you @Wendy, 
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We lived on a sail boat for over five years using pet sitting as a way to visit places on dry land. Last year was horrendous and we sold our yacht in August 2020, came back to the UK and bought an apartment. But itchy feet is happening again. The flat is rented out and we are back on the road this time enjoying every minute.
We are doing short term lets so if the world shuts down again we have a bolt hole this time. If we have learnt anything it is we need a base.
Elsie
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Hi Elsie, welcome it’s great to hear from you … you are certainly not alone with your lifestyle rethink, the same happened to me, no fixed abode for 5 years, your words are mine we now have a home again we will not give up our pets, people and places but have the security of knowing we can go home if we need to and there are many other “nomads” especially those of a “certain age” who have come to the same decision.
I’m a Newbie, trying to get on the road again. I have only been a member for a couple of weeks. My goal is to do some European travel when restrictions are lifted. I may be over-thinking, so this is a reality check for me.
I have some questions for full time travelers.
- Did you keep a home base in your country until you decide on a new home? I currently live in the U.S. Cost of travel back and forth, is expensive.
- It would not be worth it for me to take a sit less than a month. Is it realistic in normal times, as some of you have been nomadic for a while, pre COVID.
- Is it worth getting a resident visa before departure to avoid having to leave after 90 days? How long did it take you?
What are your ideas on where to start?
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HYA! Welcome @evag008
Love your questions and these are things we have ongoing discussions about and someone here may move your post to the appropriate topic header BUT
woohoo! So happy for you.
You are embarking boldly into some wonderful adventures.
I have been a solo traveler for 43 years, personal and career. During that time I kept a physical home. Now as a full time home and pet sitter since 2018, I no longer have a physical home, I have a residential address that is what is required to meet the needs of being a citizen, banking, passport, mail etc. I use the home address of a family member.
You can sit for as long or as short as meets your needs. I have never had to establish residency in any other country and have managed to stay out of the US as long as two years. I just keep moving which is what I enjoy.
As a US citizen, we have lots of options. Our passport is accepted in 184 countries yet we still rank lower than some other passports. If you are looking to establish residency in Europe, there are many options as well. You just have to meet the requirements. Generally speaking, you have to invest in some way. Each country has different criteria.
Think about what it is you really want and why you want this. That is the first place to start.
Get signed up to some frequent flyer programs, credit cards and you will fly for far less, even free.
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Hello!
We have started full-time house sitting in July 2020, giving up our home base. Since then we have sat in several places in Spain, France, Belgium and Portugal, almost non-stop. The only time we had to rent an Airbnb for a month was when France went into its 2nd lockdown.
We also try to have longer sits. We had a 4 month one in southern Spain and a 2.5 month one in France.
So it is definitely possible!
Can’t comment on residency, we are both European citizens.
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Also do not discount shorter sits. You need to establish yourself, get experience and reviews. You can do that locally before going overseas. Shorter sits will also help move from place to place, like when you plan a long trip and you make stops on the way. Once you are in the UK/Europe you will find that travel is readily accessible and affordable, much more so than here in the US.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It is very encouraging. Gives me lots to prepare, and I just need to keep moving. “Purging” turns out to be harder than I expected. After being stationary for almost 20 years, I am no longer a minimalist. Maybe we will meet in our future travels.
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Thank you for your reply Els. That is encouraging news. You have done well in such a short time. Gives me hope and encouragement. Happy travels and stay safe.
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I am a full-time nomad who occasionally sits between my regular nomadic lifestyle. I generally only sit a few times a year because it sometimes comes with some downsides. I chose to sit when I wanted to be stationary for a moment. Financially, I do not find that sitting saves me money, so as much as I prefer to have animals in my life every day, sometimes the costs outweigh the benefits. As a full-time traveler, I can usually get around happily on $30/day or less, for most countries. When I sit, people ask that I rent a car, and the vehicle alone will cost more than my daily travel budget, especially when driving a lot to take the dog on epic adventures. And there are many other costs I usually acquire as well. For the most part, traveling without sitting tends to be better for me financially, even though I genuinely prefer the company of pets. But I do like it on occasion.
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Wow, $30 a day? What countries do you tend to visit? Not Europe I assume?
Also, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to rent a car to take a home owner’s dog anywhere and we normally avoid putting dogs in a rental car anyway because of potential damage.
$30 a day sounds like a really tight budget - is that US $?
What do you do about accommodation when you are not sitting. ?
We are full time sitters that do not drive. A home host has never asked us to rent a car, you should avoid confirming sits where a car is essential.
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One of the conditions of car rental is usually no animals or you are charged a large cleaning bill.
We find this sitting life costs as much as you want it to cost or you are prepared to pay. Some weeks we find a super cheap food market and eat like kings others food is expensive. Some places there are touristy things we want to do (that are very expensive) others we are happy hiking from the door step. We rent self catering accommodations between sits or if there are no sits where we want to go. That can prove very expensive. To cut costs a longer rent is better.
This is all paid for with retirement funds, pensions, investments and renting out our property back home. We always had a long term plan while working so it was planned over a life time. As my father used to say, there’s no pockets in a funeral shroud.
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In the last 6 months I have been to Portugal, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and London. A lot of the sits require a car but you are right about the rental contracts. I got fined once.
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Yes. USD. I usually find a place to rent around $15-20USD
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Fair enough, I’m sure you can find hostels etc for that price, even in Europe.
You would actually be surprised that you can find quality places for not that much money. Usually, I go through Facebook groups and stay 2-3 weeks for a discounted rate. I also usually arrive somewhere, pay for a few nights at an Airbnb, and then talk to locals about places to rent. That way I can see the place before deciding. I am in Turkey now, in a beautiful town on the Med and I am renting an Airbnb for $30/USD a night with a private pool and jacuzzi and it is VERY nice. This place is much nicer than what I usually stay in but I don’t do dorm-style lodging anymore. Traveling like this is not always easy but there are many ways to reduce the cost of travel.
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