Retirement

It's great being retired. The pressure's off. No more 9 to 5 treadmill, no boss breathing down your neck. No more battling with the traffic morning and evening. Yes, your time's your own ... but what about the downsides:

• money's tight: fixed pension, miserable return on your savings, rising inflation
• not enough money to finance holidays and outings
• loss of structure to your time
• loss of valued role in society
• you and your partner getting under each other's feet at home

Well, perhaps not all the above, but one or two. And maybe you'd like more to look forward to.

Instead of  'retiring' you could become a house sitter

When home sitter Liz Loader retired in 2001 she soon had her new found leisure time well organised: "What with helping out at our local hospice, being social secretary for my old company's retired staff and my thrice weekly trips to the gym, I was quite well occupied. But when my husband Graham retired in 2006, I thought it would be nice if we could find an occasional occupation we could do together – something a bit different that would get us out and about without extra expense.

"I'd heard about Homesitters from an ex-colleague who'd been working for the company for a year and was very enthusiastic. I knew homesitting would be a serious responsibility, but I thought short breaks in different areas would be something to look forward to – like little holidays. Graham wasn't so keen at first but I spurred him on and we were both very impressed with our interview with the company.

"Our first assignment was a beautiful country property with an Aga, a swimming pool and two lovely dogs to look after! It only took one house sit and Graham was converted! He particularly enjoys the security aspect – it keeps him on his toes – while I look forward to our walks with the dogs. We've been back to that client three times now, and that's really relaxing because we know the setup – and the dogs give us a great welcome!

"We've undertaken 32 homesits to date. They've been mainly country properties, which is what we wanted, and we've cared for dogs, cats and the children's small pets. The clients have all been very welcoming; some of them invite us for a meal the evening before they go away. One client even gave Graham a ride in one of his Ferraris!”

Planning for this year's holidays

With their 2011 holidays in mind, there are many homeowners who are anxious to invite homesitters to live in their properties while they are away. So there's a chance you could be seeing new places without any cost to you – in fact, you'll receive a modest payment for doing so, plus a food allowance and travel expenses (both tax free). And, of course, you benefit from a reduction in your own household costs when you're housesitting.

Working time is limited so there is plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy the amenities of the clients' homes, and to explore the surrounding areas.

You would be free to choose both the number and type of homesits you undertake – and you meet the homeowner well before the homesit, to ensure that this is the right place for you. Homesitting appeals to people who enjoy a break and a bit of an adventure – but who want the security of a professional company backing them.

So if you've been looking at those holiday ads and thinking "... if only", here's a way of getting off your own home patch!

Find out more from Homesitters

Homesitters Ltd invented the concept of home sitting as a commercial service in Britain. Since 1980 the company has provided a nationwide live-in house sitting service, available throughout the year.

www.homesitters.co.uk  

Images copyright of Homesitters Ltd and used with their kind permission