We’ve added £7,000 to our retirement fund with no effort through little-known site – and we should’ve started sooner
A MARRIED couple has managed to add more than £7,000 to their retirement fund in just two years using a little-known website.
Maureen and Joseph Arnfield earn thousands of pounds a year just by house sitting for other people.
The couple, aged 82 and 88, have been taking care of other people’s homes while they’re away for the past 23 years.
They’re signed up to the Homesitters site which allows them to travel the length and breadth of the UK while earning cash.
To date, they’ve completed more than 100 assignments all over the country
Maureen and Joseph, from Lancashire, were in their 60s when they developed the travel bug after Joseph retired from his job at an engineering firm and they had more time on their hands.
They decided to become holiday reps and spent several summer seasons working for camps in France, Switzerland and Italy.
Maureen told The Sun: “We’d spend our summers abroad during the holiday season but need extra income to cover our mortgage and household bills when we were home in winter months.”
When they returned to the UK they signed up for what is now known as Homesitters.
The pair move into people’s homes for weeks at a time, and used to spend around nine months of the year sitting for others, keeping everything in working order and in some cases pet sitting too.
All that’s required is that they take their own bedding and towels and pay for their own groceries.
These days they prefer fewer assignments, completing around four to five assignments a year, still moving in for around a month.
Joseph said: “We’ve travelled up and down the British Isles, recently we stayed in Clapham Common and had a lovely few weeks in London.
“Because of our free bus passes too it was a nice cheap trip.”
Also among the couple’s top places they’ve been to are Dorset, Scotland and Welshpool Wales where they even stayed in an old mansion.
Maureen added: “We are caretakers, so our role involves regular walks around the property to check everything is secure, including the alarm systems.
“Some properties are huge, and they are a big responsibility.
“However, we also have free time to explore so we can get out and about in the local area and visit attractions, including museums and cafes and restaurants.”
Maureen enjoys writing and keeps a log of their work to make it easy for the next homesitter to pick up the job.
She also journals about great places to visit so when she hands over to others they can enjoy their recommendations.
Over the past two years alone they’ve managed to make a total of over £7,000 including travel expenses and a food allowance.
Of course, they have made far more over the entire course of their time with Homesitters, although they have still spent money on their own mortgage payments and household utilities too.
The couple tend to house sit for empty commercial properties that need a sort of caretaker.
They have also taken part in several probate assignments where a house is going through legal requirements.
Maureen and Joseph have also stayed in people’s homes when their house is being renovated, in order to let builders in and out.
Maureen said: “This Christmas we will have been homesitting for 23 years.
“We love it and in fact wish we had started sooner.
“We are passionate about travelling and love to explore different places.
“It also really helps us financially as we are on a basic pension.”
The pair said that they recommend the job to anyone who has some extra time on their hands, like fellow retirees or someone who wants to get away for a little while.
How does Homesitters work?
When signing up to be a Homesitters sitter you’ll have to submit an application form and then complete an interview process.
It’s a pretty rigorous screening and background check to make sure that all sitters are who they say they are.
You’ll be able to submit your own preferences once selected, such as if you’re happy to look after pets or not.
Sitters are free to choose as many assignments as they like – you also meet the client beforehand too.
Normally the average working time does not exceed 1.75 hours per day.
When you’re not carrying out your duties, you are free to remain on the client’s premises or to explore the local area.
Homesitters carrying out a week’s homesit with no pets, for one hour and 45 minutes of work a day would get £87 per week.
In addition, they get a food allowance of £68.88 for the week, along with the homesitters travel allowance based on the mileage they used, which is paid directly by the client.
The amount you earn will vary by job and how long each assignment is – the longer the assignment the more you will get.
If there are pets too then the sitter would get more for looking after them.
It’s important to note that you’ll still be paying for your own bills and rent or mortgage, so you’d need to weigh up the costs if you’re sitting for a long period.
It also provides employer’s liability insurance which covers you (and your partner, if applicable) whilst you are working.
Plus, it carries public liability and professional indemnity cover.
Whilst you’re at the property sitters are checked in on by phone by a member of the team just to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Tax rules around earning extra income
It’s worth remembering that anything you earn with an extra income alongside your full-time job like this can be taxed.
You can earn up to £1,000 without paying tax thanks to the trading allowance.
The odd jobs you can claim tax-free include money made at car boot sales, online selling or auctions, according to HMRC.
It could also include money made from food delivery or by charging other people for using your equipment or tools.
Once you earn more than £1,000 a year, you need to complete a self-assessment tax return and start paying tax on your extra earnings.
How much that is will depend on how much you already earn.
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