@KristinaCors as she is known in social media specializes in bucket-list adventures, digital nomad content, and travel hacks, which she offers on her TikTok and Instagram channels.
House sitting is one of the top secret travel hacks that has allowed her to stay for free in places like Switzerland and California Wine Country.
Corniel led a quite different life before switching to writing travel content. “I did all the things I was told I was supposed to do,” says Corniel. This entails earning an undergraduate degree from Boston College, a master’s degree from Columbia University, and a job at none other than Goldman Sachs.
So how does it work and how you can do it? This is what Kristina has to say about it.
Corniel had promised to read more when she discovered “Financial Freedom,” a book that mentioned house sitting and she “immediately Googled and found the website TrustedHousesitters.com,” says Corniel. “Then I saw the membership fee and realized it cost $129 for the year. I hesitated for a moment because I wondered if it was too good to be true. But I ended up going for it and it was more than worth it after my first house sit.”
How does it work
Taking care of someone’s pets is a common aspect of home-sitting jobs. “If you love animals, the trade-off of having to care for them isn’t really an inconvenience,” says Corniel. “In fact, if you’re just taking care of one cat or one dog, the amount of time you’re investing is minimal.
Perks: “You can house sit domestically or internationally. You’re getting access to a kitchen, so you can buy groceries and cook. You may be gaining access to a free car rental, which is a huge savings. (If this is a must, you can filter for house sits with the ‘use of car included.’),” says Corniel. “You can also house sit long term: Filter by ‘duration’ and look for six-month stays. This isn’t just a travel hack, it’s a life hack.”
Red Flags: “Make sure you understand the responsibilities beforehand,” says Corniel. “One red flag is if the person forgets it’s an exchange. In other words, they are overly concerned with pet duties but maybe not as thoughtful about things you should know about the house so that you can have a comfortable stay.”
Update: another red flag could be laws in different countries. Some countries require a work visa for house sitters and it happened previously that some house sitters were denied entry. (Read the full story)
Best House Sitting Websites according to Corniel: