We decided to check out the cost increases this year and were quite suprised, so FYI this is the rough additional cost for us so far. £160 in new THS charges, petrol additional £360. We have mainly been in yhe UK but if we were flying again higher costs. OK we have other low overheads but with so much uncertainty now we have decided what we were enjoying doing has lost its appeal and have not renewed our membership. How are others handling the situation ?
I don’t think it’s going to work well
We are full-time sitters, and this year, for our YouTube channel, we are doing monthly videos of our total expenditure. We have challenged ourselves to stick to a £12,000 total budget for both of us, for 2026.
So Far -
January - £673.26
February - £545.63
March - £1514.28
April - £1952.84 (Ouch!)
From this month, we are back in the UK for a few months, so with no flights and 100% house sitting, hence no accommodation costs, we hope to get back on track - watch this space!
We re lucky enough to have premium membership through to the end of 2030 because of referrals. The increased costs of travel haven’t impacted us much as we mostly drive and have an EV. Food costs have certainly gone up but in the scheme of things we easily save €30,000 a year in accommodation so for us it’s still a win.
Hi @Twogreys 
All these decisions ultimately come down to cost versus benefit, and that calculation is different for everyone.
Some people will absorb the higher costs because the overall value still works for them. Others may sit closer to home, travel less often, be more selective about sits or take a break altogether.
What suited us as full-time travellers and house sitters when we started out more than 14 years and 155+ sits ago has evolved on every level over time… rather than anything dramatic, it may simply be recognising that what worked brilliantly for a few years no longer fits someone’s priorities, finances or appetite for travel.
I don’t travel to sit. I travel because I want to go to a particular place so those costs would be there anyway. Obviously if I can get a good sit I have no accommodation costs which is a big bonus and helps my budget stretch. But I don’t sit for any old “free” bed it has to suit my criteria. I would rarely consider a sit shorter than one week so I figure as long as I do one sit per year I am ahead.
I’ve cut back on sitting during the last year+, in favor of more nonsit travel. Affordability hasn’t been an issue.
I’m in Italy now, with trips to various parts of the country. (A friend in Rome lets me use her place as a base.) Then onto Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, back to Italy, then Germany, Malta, Croatia. Then will do more travel when back in the U.S.
Anyway, previously I’ve stopped sitting in October or November, because of year-end holidays.
I did a few repeat sits earlier this year, but I’m not generally big on that. I usually repeat in cities only where I have friends.
@Colin thanks for that link, love budget videos, will check out the rest. £12000 per year, I am in awe, fantastic 
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I am curious. I assume you are an American, so how do you handle the Schengen shuffle? All the countries you have mentioned count in the 90/180 day rotation.
I won’t be staying long enough for that to be a concern. Yes, American.
Prices are definitely up some, but I’m still traveling. I’m currently on a sit in Geneva, then I’m heading to Spain and then the south of France for some non-sitting travel. Then I will be off to Amsterdam, Basel, Zurich, and then Paris. I’m planning a trip to Asia starting in October and I likely won’t be sitting much, planning more for hotels/airbnbs.
@Colin, wow. Good luck with commendable challenge!
Wow, 12,000 seems to be a very low figure for a whole year. I wonder what would be a more reasonable/realistic figure for two people pet-sitting internationally, especially when dealing with a house with mortgage, insurances…?
It will depend on your mortgage costs, we gave up our permanent home six years ago, so dont have other housing costs to worry about, and we carry all we own so dont waste money on things we don’t need. We usually sit in the UK April-Sept ish and warmer European destinations October- March ish - £12K is a challenge but we won’t know for sure till December-Watch this space!
@systaran, sounds like quite the adventure! 
Really, that’s my monthly spend on coffee.
I’m curious as to how people approach the language issue. For example, if you are not reasonably fluent in the language of the country in which you’re sitting, how do you/would you manage any emergencies whether they be to do with the pets or the accommodation?
There are brilliant translation apps, most allow languages to be downloaded so that they can be used offline. I’ve sat many times where English is not the native language and it’s never been an issue, either for the HO or me
There’s an App for that 
I do wonder how effective an app would be when you have to communicate quickly and accurately, including understanding the response, in an emergency situation though - not a pressing situation, an emergency situation. It’s one thing being responsible for yourself, it’s another being responsible for someone’s house and animals.