'I traveled for an entire year for free — and saved $15K'
A backpacker traveled around Australia for free by pet-sitting — and has saved thousands of dollars doing it.
Hailey Learmonth headed to Australia in January 2023 after Googling "how to travel for free," as SWNS reported.
For over a year, Learmonth looked after people's pets in exchange for staying in their homes for free, for anywhere between six days and three months.
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The traveler has looked after dogs, cats, chickens and cows in Brisbane and the Gold Coast Hinterland, living rent-free and saving $15,000 that she would otherwise have spent on accommodations.
The opportunity has given her the chance to explore all the "underrated" places in Australia while saving thousands on rent, nights out and booze, according to SWNS.
Learmonth, a freelance social marketer originally from Canada, said, "Dog-sitting is definitely the way to go if you are trying to save money."
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At the start of her journey, Learmonth created a profile on Trusted House Sitters and was matched with paying customers.
"It was a crazy experience. I’ve never lived that rural before, especially not on a farm," she said of one stay.
During her stint on the farm, Learmonth traveled around a 40-acre piece of land with the farm’s dogs. "We’d go to this dam and they’d paddle in the water. The cows would follow us down and everything!"
She even got fresh eggs for breakfast from the farm’s chickens.
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While traveling throughout Australia, Learmonth took freelance jobs and had a few stints in coffee shops to keep a steady income stream.
She saved all the money she earned because she didn't need to spend money on rent.
"All in all, I saved around $15,000, and I was able to use the money … to go on road trips that I wouldn't have been able to afford before," Learmonth said, per SWNS.
"I was lucky enough to have my friend visit me toward the end of my time there, so I used the money to stay in nice Airbnbs and go out for nice meals."
While she is back home in Canada now, Learmonth plans to travel again this summer and will use dog-sitting to save money.
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"It is always an option, especially as I work remotely — I am still thriving in the area of cheap travel," she said. "It is a really cool way to experience remote-working and explore a new area."
Learmonth shared the following tips for traveling on a budget.
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1. Find house-sitting and dog-sitting opportunities via Trusted House Sitters to live for free in exchange for providing services.
2. Travel to new areas with Campervan Relocations, a company that allows travelers to relocate a van from point A to point B for $1 per day. (Be flexible with timelines and open to new destinations, she recommended.)
3. Find work that provides accommodations to save on housing while working remotely.