Backpacker travels Australia for cheap by watching petsitting

By Ben Barry and Hannah Van De Peer

A backpacker travelled around Australia for free by petsitting - and saved $15k.

Hailey Learmonth, 27, headed to Australia in January 2023 after googling "how to travel for free".

From then until she left the country in May 2024, Heather stayed in other people's homes for free in exchange for looking after their pets and homes for between six days and three months.

She's looked after dogs, cats, chickens and cows in Brisbane, The Hinterland and the Gold Coast, living rent-free, saving $15k she would have otherwise spent on accommodation.

The opportunity has given her the chance to explore all the “underrated” places in Australia - while saving thousands on rent, nights out and booze.

Hailey is currently back in Canada but is planning to dog-sit again when she travels during the summer.

Hailey, a freelance social marketer from Orillia, Canada, said: "Dog sitting is definitely the way to go if you are trying to save money.

"I saved so much money through doing it, and it allowed me to have an amazing experience whilst I was out there.

"Initially, I did it because I wanted a home base for a couple of months, and that led to me finding more houses.

"Dog sitting was awesome, it was really cool to get to know other people's dogs and treat them as your own."

After Googling “how to travel for free”, she was directed to a number of house-sitting sites in different areas.

She created a profile on Trusted House Sitters for $299 for an annual fee, and is matched with customers who also pay.

Hailey said: “It was a crazy experience. I’ve never lived that rural before, especially not on a farm.

“It was the middle of the summer, so I wasn’t working - and we were in the middle of nowhere!

“I used to travel around this 40-acre piece of land with the dogs, we’d go to this dam and they’d paddle in the water. The cows would follow us down and everything!

“I even got fresh eggs for breakfast from the chickens. It was such a cool experience.”

Whilst she was traveling Australia, Hailey worked as a freelance social marketer and had a few stints in coffee shops to keep a steady income stream.

All the morning that she was earning, she was able to save as she didn't need to spend money on rent.

Hailey said: "In the beginning, I was working at a coffee club cafe, then on a whim, I applied for a marketing position, and I worked for them for a couple of months.

"All in all, I saved around $15k, and I was able to use the money I had saved to go on road trips that I wouldn't have been able to afford before.

"I was lucky enough to have my friend visit me towards the end of my time there, so I used the money to stay in nice Airbnbs and go out for nice meals."

Hailey left Australia in May 2024 and headed back to Squamish, Canada, where she now calls home.

Hailey is planning to travel again this summer and said she will be using dog sitting to save money.

"It is always an option, especially as I work remotely - I am still thriving in the area of cheap travel," Hailey said.

"I am always looking for long-term house sites, it is great to stay in so many different homes and help people out while they are away.

"It is a really cool way to experience remote working and explore a new area.

"I have set a date sin mind and I have set myself a reminder for any houses that come up."

Hailey's top budget travel tips:

1. Find house/dog sitting opportunities via TrustedHousesitters to live for free in exchange for service
   Pro tip: do it at the beginning of your visa, paired with a job, so you can save, settle in a bit, to plan what’s next
2. Travel to new areas with Campervan Relocations - for $1 per day, you could relocate a van for a company from point A to B. Be flexible with timelines and open to a new destination - plus, in some cases, they reimburse receipts for petrol (I was able to travel from Sydney to Hobart in Tasmania for $5 plus a free ferry)
3. Find work that provides accommodation with the role - save on housing while working can be found in remote / tourist areas such as Hamilton Island (mostly for those who need regional work)