There are a number of ways to save money while traveling, whether that’s packing smart to avoid baggage fees or strategies to find great deals on resorts. While helpful, there is no denying that a majority of one’s travel budget is ultimately allotted to lodging.
But what if you could travel to almost anywhere in the world and stay in others’ homes for free? Sounds too good to be true, right? It turns out, there is a way to this, with one small caveat.
Travel content creator, Kristina Cors, has a knack for crafting some brilliant travel tips. Cors’ viral videos feature tips about traveling solo safely, making friends while abroad, and must-see sites in locations around the world. However, it was her video on how to stay at various destinations for free that made major waves.
The Travel Tip That Can Save Thousands
According to Cors, the travel hack that saves her the most money is housesitting. By helping those who are traveling themselves she is able to find free accommodations just about anywhere she wants to go.
Cors explains that “housesitting is when a homeowner allows you to stay in their home for free in exchange for looking after their pets.”
Rather than searching random forums or social groups for this, Cors utilizes a specialized service. “The site I use is called trustedhousesitters.com, you can look for places that allow you to stay for two weeks, a month, and even six months around the world!”
In her video, Cors shows viewers a snapshot of her first stay via the service in a San Diego home about two minutes from the beach. While cuddled up on the couch, Cors showed the four adorable dogs she looked after during her stay. If watching four dogs sounds daunting, Cors did point out you can housesit with a friend or significant other to help share pet watching duties.
Cors notes that having access to these amazing opportunities will cost $129 for the year, but she feels it’s worth it. Some commenters thought the annual fee was a bit steep, but Cors disagreed. “With one house sit, you can stay somewhere for 6 months for FREE! Lol it’s an amazing deal–one house sit alone will more than pay for your membership,” she replied.
Cors loved her experience using the trustedhousesitters website. “The great thing is that you get access to an entire house. I got to explore San Diego during the day and I really only had to worry about taking the dogs out in the morning and in the afternoon,” she said. Furthermore, she added, “I felt super safe. I stayed over a week and it saved me over $800!”