I holiday in houses much better than my own without paying a thing – I’ve got £11,000 of accommodation for free
CONTENT creator Sabina Trojanova has upgraded her holiday lifestyle without spending a penny.
Sabina, 30, has spent the last 12 months house-sitting full-time with her boyfriend.
The content creator, who is known as GirlvsGlobe on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, has been using Trusted House Sitters for several years.
Currently penning a digital e-book all about the ins and outs of house-sitting, it’s safe to say Sabina knows a thing or two about how to bag the best properties.
Sabina told Sun Online Travel: “I use Trusted House Sitters – it’s the biggest one. I picked it because it has the most most properties worldwide, and it has good insurance policies too.”
Over the last 12 months, Sabina has house-sat for roughly 10 different homeowners, opting to stay in many locations for at least two weeks at a time.
She added: “It’s our lifestyle, but for the vast majority of people it keeps the costs down while travelling.”
Sabina’s Top Tips
For those Brits who want to use services like Trusted House Sitters to bag holiday accommodation, Sabina had some pointers.
She said: “Make sure you quote any relevant experience in your profile.
“When you start out, you have zero reviews, which can be quite worrisome for some homeowners.”
“It’s important to remember that housesitting is more than properties, it often includes looking after people’s pets too.”
If you don’t have any pets, or any other animal-related experience, Sabina has several solutions.
She explained: “Ask your friends if you can walk their dog, and if you don’t have any pets, or friends with pets, use apps like Rover.”
It’s a lifestyle upgrade
Rover, which is the world’s largest dog-sitting and dog-walking app, connects dog owners to users who want to care for our four-legged friends.
After using the app to look after dogs, Sabina asked owners on Rover to write testimonials, which she would then upload onto her profile on Trusted House Sitters.
She then used this experience to nab her free stays.
Sabina says she’s been “pretty fortunate” with the housesits, and has been able to live in several London boroughs, including Clapham, Hackney and Dalston, without spending a penny.
Location, Location, Location
When it comes to finding the right house sit, Sabina typically starts with a location in mind.
Last year, the content creator bagged a three-week stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
While she can’t always find a free stay to match her desired location, house-sitting full-time has given Sabina the funds to travel more.
She added: “I’m saving so much money by being a full-time house sitter, I’ve been saving about £11,000 a year just in rent alone.”
These savings rise further when bills like council tax, gas and electric and streaming services are included.
She added: “The properties I get to stay in now are so much better than what I could afford too – it’s a lifestyle upgrade.”
The content creator already has several housesits lined up for this year, including a month-long stay, at two seperate homes, in Winchester.
And Sabina isn’t the only person who has used services like Trusted House Sitters to secure free holidays.
Housesit Match
Keith Baker, 65, started travelling the world 15 years ago and has lived in Mexico, Hawaii, Panama and Portugal without spending a penny on hotels and other accommodation options.
After leaving his career, the retiree took to the house-sitting lifestyle after he looked after a friend’s house in Hawaii.
In the last 12 months, Keith has been on five housesits through Housesit Match and is regularly invited back to the same properties by the homeowners.
Read more about Keith’s holiday adventures, here.
House Swapping
Meanwhile, Lizzi Seear has been going on free trips with her partner Alun Westoll, 52, for the last six years after she learnt about house swapping.
In the last six years, Lizzi has hosted 48 guests in her home in Ealing, West London.
She said: “I remember that first time someone stayed in my flat, it felt like the weirdest thing to think about them in my flat – even though they were lovely people.”
But she quickly adapted to having holidaymakers stay in her home.
She believes there is more “trust” between travellers who chose to swap their homes because everyone is in the “same situation”.
And Lizzi isn’t the only person who has used Home Exchange to snap up free accommodation across the UK and Europe.
Another couple Austin Andrews and Jori Kerr have used pet sitting service and have since visited Germany, Gibraltar, Grenada, and the US.
Best staycation locations for 2024
1. Bristol
The arty harbour city was the top spot on the list and is bursting with culture and trendy cafes scattered along the River Avon.
A bubbling hub for creatives, Bristol is the birthplace of street artist Banksy, and you can admire some of his best early works on a free walking tour.
2. Hull
The Humberside port city started to get recognition last year, and it has a thriving nightlife scene – if that’s something you’re after.
The old town is crawling with history and classy buildings, whose walls have many stories to tell and The Deep is a fascinating aquarium attraction.
3. Isles of Scilly
Just off the Cornish coast, it’s easy to see why the archipelago made it into the top three.
Here, you can expect golden sandy beaches where you will be able to spot dolphins beyond the shoreline, as well as seafront pubs serving up hearty grub.