Housesitting and caretaking

Housesitting and caretaking can be a great way to get find comfortable place for a while. You get to stay in a house in exchange for watering the plants, possibly feeding the animals and just making sure the house looks inhabited.

In some countries there's also a more institutionalized form, in the Netherlands it's called "anti-kraak" (anti-squatting) as it's a way to keep squatters out. (Funny enough many people have started squatting after living in an anti-kraak building for a while.)

http://www.mindmyhouse.com/

Looking after and living in people's homes while they are away. Membership costs $20 per year (£13, €15).

http://www.housesitworld.com/

An international house sitting service for home minders, Caretakers & house sitters since 1999.Sitters wanted for Caretaker and Home minding jobs inUSA, Europe, London, England, Paris, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Australia, Canada, New Zealand.

http://www.caretaker.org/

THE CARETAKER GAZETTE is a unique newsletter containing property caretaking and house sitting jobs, advice, and information for property caretakers, housesitters, and landowners. Published since 1983, it's the only publication in the world dedicated to the property caretaking field.

http://www.trustedhousesitters.com/

Trustedhousesitters is the most expensive of them all these sites asking 59€ per year(£50): really too much for a budget traveller. It is well spread around the world, with a huge presence in UK.

http://www.luxuryhousesitting.com/

Strangely it is the cheapest of them all with 10$(£6.50, 7.50€) per year, but the number of announcements is much lower than the rest. Still a good idea to give a look from time to time, and spend a free vacation in a luxury house!