I am just deleting my post. I think it is being taken out of context.
Not sure about this other than the dialogues that can be opened up on this forum and when you apply for sits. Why don’t you post something like this in the owners’ category?
As for being paid, sitters wouldn’t get paid through this site and I wouldn’t want to be paid. It’s always welcome if the hosts leave a few food items initially, a bottle of wine even more welcome. But I’m just happy to be able to live in someone’s home as if it were my own for a while and enjoy their pets.
I feel if the owners wanted to pay for a sitter or any other costs they would be on a different platform. I do understand your point though.
I looked at the sitter search fields & it looks like it only shows sitters registered in that country not the ones wanting to travel to that country. I thought that by selecting the countries I wanted to travel to in my profile (Where would you like to go house sitting) it would show my profile to owners if they searched for a sitter. That must not be the case!
Just exactly is it that is stopping you?
I am location independent, a woman, a senior with a whole slew of other labels that people might wish to stamp on me as reasons why I shouldn’t…
yet I do. I go wherever and anywhere if that is what I desire.
I figure out the how because I know that I can.
Look for ways to make it happen on your own and you will be amazed at the discoveries you will find. such as kindness, generosity, compassion.
It takes time but building relationships is priceless.
The people that I sit for in Wales live in an extremely rural area and their home is RUSTIC, yes with capital letters and it is extremely rewarding, in many many ways. I have never been hungry there cold yes
unique encounters with wildlife heck yes, lonely never. They are so appreciative they go out of their way to take me places and provide experiences I never imagined I could have.
You may be selling yourself short if you are not applying. Knock and Open the door.
That is how you start the dialog. Then express your concerns your needs etc because they will do the same and you will be amazed at what you discover you can do and how wonderful you will feel.
These are the people that need you just as much, if not more, than you need them.
Serve.
I changed mine to worldwide… Afghanistan will be on my list
I’ll go back now and update it properly lol
Please do not go down the path of paying for the service. That means contracts, rules and orders. A minefield!
The whole ethos of THS is the mutual exchange and trust. I For one would be looking for another way of pet sitting if money was in anyway exchanged. I’m sure these exotic places get their fair share of applicants.
I think some of you had misunderstood what I was trying to say. I have met many people who pay up to $100 to have people sit for them. I never said we should be paid on the platform. But I have spent hundreds of dollars flying to a sit, only to have it canceled after arrival when I would not even be visiting the country otherwise. I have actually lost a LOT of money on sits a few times, especially during COVID with all the changing regulations.
However, if someone couldn’t find a sitter for their dates, I would consider flying over and sitting for them if they helped pay for travel to their location or something like that.
I wish the owners would be able to see if we liked their post, and/or there was another option that you could let them know you would consider some “options” if they didn’t find anyone.
I appreciate your sentiment. I am merely saying that I might consider taking a sit, if someone was desperate and couldn’t find a sitter, in a location that I hadn’t considered if they were willing to help with transportation or have another incentive. Because I am 100% location independent, I have a lot of flexibility to go anywhere and sit. But I weigh out a lot of things before applying to a sit, like the cost of travel, so I do not waste the time of the hosts. For instance, I usually will not fly to a specific location for a sit unless it is longer than 2 weeks due to the cost of travel. But if someone could not find a sitter, and could offer housing longer than their sit (say, if they had a mother-in-law apartment), I might consider buying my ticket to sit for them. This is just an example of the “incentives” I am mentioning.
I am only saying that it seems to me, the THS website could offer some additional options for Hosts, to help them find those of us with more flexibility.
Hi @SunshineAndAloha I can appreciate your concern in wanting some help with reimbursement for travel, especially to remote areas, but TrustedHousesitters is based on sitters not charging for anything and members not paying for anything but memberships. Sitters are being given the opportunity to explore new areas, whether remote or in large cities with no lodging fees and no expectations of monetary reimbursement. It’s a win/win for both parties. There are so many opportunities for sits in larger areas that may work better for most folks, while remote sits are better for others. I think this just needs to be weighed out to determine if it is viable to do a remote sit with the low chance of filling in or replacing that sit if it were to get cancelled. It can always be much easier to find a last minute sit in a large city if necessary. The only other option is the purchase of a premium membership that will reimburse you for hotel costs if your sit was cancelled last minute.
As a sitter
In the unlikely event of your owner cancelling, our guarantee provides up to $150 compensation per night to cover the cost of alternative accommodation, up to $1500 per sit.
You’re covered up to 30 days annually over as many sits as you like. Or, if you choose to do longer sits, then rest assured you’re still covered for your first 3 sits each year, even if they span over 30 days.
Terms and conditions apply
Exclusive to premium members
Thanks for letting me know about the premium membership. It is good to know. I had no idea about that. Otherwise: Understood
Hum. Interesting
@SunshineAndAloha I understand your situation. I am in the same position as you. I have “no fall back” except myself, me and my rucksack. What I also have now is a network of incredible people. I cluster my sits in one location, one country or continent. I see many people doing this worldwide thing because they want to see and experience the world but we can only be in one place at one time. I have done the US, Done the UK, Europe multiple times over the years now I am going to whole other continent in a another hemisphere. I only know one Host who as yet is not there but will be. I have a relationship with them. Today I made a connection with another host on THS who is literally walking distance from where I am going. I already know without a shadow of a doubt that I will build there, a new network of hosts and sitters.
The connection comes first. I never ask for any compensation of any kind yet somehow I am always compensated.
I am merely suggesting that you perhaps look at things differently rather than expecting an outside party to intervene for you. There are lots of companies that have a space to hiring sitters. It just changes the whole concept. you are then an employee, taxable and yada yada yada.
So right now, as I leave the UK, I am creating a space for someone to serve my wonderful friends. Someone who will take great care of them and their precious babies. Cause they sure want me to stay…
who will it be?
Thanks to those of you who taught me something new with the THS site. This was just something I was thinking about due to my flexibility. Ultimately, it is a great site the way it is.
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