- Bernadine Swale, 68, a divorced Denver resident, is retired and travels the world as a house sitter.
- While on board, she rents out her home on Airbnb and earns up to $77,000 a year in bookings.
- Ms Swale has been away visiting Botswana, Japan and New Zealand and said it has changed her life.
This essay is based on a conversation I had with Bernadine Swale, a retired pharmacist, about house sitting on board.Swale uses reliable house sitter You can find places to stay all over the world, and those following in her footsteps should. Know the visa rules of each country you enter. Business Insider has confirmed Swale's rental income. Edited for length and clarity.
If you had asked me 30 years ago what life would be like in retirement, I would have said hanging out at home. I never thought I would be living in a beautiful home for free and traveling the world.
In 2012, my husband and I divorced after 36 years of marriage. I wasn't expecting that. Suddenly, I was a 57-year-old single woman with three adult children and no longer satisfied with my job as a pharmacist. I wanted a change.
I first learned about house sitting when my sister tried it out after responding to a classified ad in The Lady magazine. I loved the idea of house sitting and living like a local in different parts of the world.
After some research on the internet, I found Trusted Housesitters, a website that introduces house sitters to people all over the world. You don't get paid, but you get to stay in their homes for free in exchange for taking care of their pets.
After retiring, I started house-sitting to fill my time.
Two years later, in 2014, I was ready to retire and wanted to start house sitting to fill my time.
I rented a house in Denver through an agent. Rent covers the mortgage and the cost of the house. I was able to live on my pension and social security.
I quit my job and booked my first house-sitting job in Breckenridge, Colorado that winter.
The kids were worried about my safety at first, but they didn't try to dissuade me. I think they're proud of me for having the courage to do this.
On my first day of retirement at age 59, I was caring for a Shih Tzu named Snowy in my apartment overlooking the mountains. It felt like we were on holiday.
I had a little trouble finding the white dog that had gone out to play in the snow-covered backyard. Other than that everything went smoothly.
How to choose a good house-sitter
I have now completed over 25 house sittings. I choose my home when I travel. I once took care of a Miniature Schnauzer in New Zealand and he loved exploring the vineyards with me. I took care of a fluffy cat in New York and four energetic dogs at a riverside house in Botswana.
Some owners interview me before choosing me, while others simply book through a trusted house sitter. Once your seating is confirmed, the owner will share any other necessary information via phone, text, or email.
I will be away for a long time from 6 weeks to 3 months. When I am away, I try to be close to public transportation or have access to a car. We also ask owners to leave a phone number where they can contact their veterinarian or neighbor in case they have any questions.
When I was house-sitting in Botswana, one of my dogs was stung by a wasp. I had to take him to the vet because he had an allergic reaction.
How I spend my days now that I am retired and working as a house-sitter
When I'm looking after a dog, I wake up early and take it for a walk. If it was a cat, I would stand up, feed it, and relax with a cup of tea while I watched what it was doing in the area. When I was on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the house had a gorgeous pool overlooking a golf course and the Caribbean Sea. The day started with this view.
I try to sign up for something at least every other day. I went whale watching in New Zealand, and I went to a cooking class in Japan. I use Airbnb Experiences and also joined Meetup, a social platform that organizes in-person and virtual activities. As a solo female traveler, I like to be in a group when I go out at night. Only occasionally does it feel dangerous. Usually because here in America everyone has a gun.
I sold my house and bought a property that I can rent on Airbnb while I travel.
I originally rented a house in Denver for a year at a time, but by 2019 I realized I needed a more flexible solution. I needed a place to live while I was sitting. I couldn't afford a hotel, and I didn't want to keep asking family and friends to stay with me.
I sold my house and looked for a home on Airbnb to use as a base to attract short-term renters. I bought a small townhouse in downtown Denver with a rooftop deck that Airbnb bookers would love and a double garage that could be locked and used as storage space.
However, lately I've been busy with house-sitting, so I haven't stayed over for almost a year. My pension and Social Security cover my mortgage and bills. I make $77,000 a year from bookings on Airbnb. Earning extra money means you can travel in business class when you need to book a long-haul flight.
When the pandemic made international travel impossible, I stayed in the United States. It gave me the opportunity to visit places I had never seen before.
There are also disadvantages to house sitting.
There is no limit to the number of pets that can sit, but I think there should be a limit. My last home in Naples, Florida had two dogs, two cats, a guinea pig, two geckos, and a turtle. I had to feed the gecko with live earthworms.
There are times when I feel lonely. But if you stay at home, you won't have as much motivation to go out and do things, so you'll be more lonely. When I'm in a new city, I often say, “I want to go to that museum” or “I want to go to that cafe.”
As a veteran house sitter, we receive repeat reservations. I already have a repeat booking for him to New Zealand in November 2024. My housesits are now friends and we keep in touch. I had no idea how amazing her life was as a divorced woman in her 60s. This is my life and I can't believe what I'm doing.
