A retired couple from Suffolk have found an unusual way to make their retirement more affordable, by becoming homesitters with UK’s leading Homesitting company Homesitters. They now spend half the year living in other people’s homes while caring for their pets.
Mary Atkins, 65, and her husband Brian, 74, began homesitting in 2016 after retiring and discovering they suddenly had far more free time than expected.
Nearly a decade later, the pair have completed 72 home and pet sitting assignments across 694 days, caring for all kinds of pets from dogs and cats to horses, donkeys and livestock.
Mary comments: “When we retired, we went from working long hours to suddenly having so much spare time. We wanted something that would keep us active and give us a sense of purpose.”
Before retiring, Mary worked as a Grants Manager for the National Trust, while Brian had a long career as a logistics manager.
The couple initially started volunteering at Melford Hall, but their lives changed when they spotted an article in a newspaper about home and pet sitting.
Brian says: “We thought it sounded like the perfect way to travel and still be around animals. We used to have pets ourselves, and homesitting gives us the freedom and flexibility to enjoy animals without the full-time commitment.”
Since becoming homesitters, Mary and Brian have embraced the lifestyle and now spend around six months of the year away from home. Over the years they have had assignments ranging from remote countryside estates to houses in London.
But homesitting involves far more than just feeding and walking pets. Homesitters are also responsible for keeping properties secure and running smoothly while the homeowners are away, which sometimes includes dealing with unexpected emergencies.
Brian says: “We’ve handled leaking roofs, boilers breaking down and electrical problems. Sometimes we’re liaising with gardeners and builders or letting cleaners in. There’s a lot more responsibility involved than people might think.”
Spending so much time away from their own home has also had a surprising financial benefit. The homesitter lifestyle not only gives the chance to travel around the UK but has reduced their household bills.
Mary comments: “We really notice the drop in our utility bills when we’re away. We have solar panels at home which feed electricity back into the grid when we’re not there and this helps make a big saving.”
Any additional income from homesitting goes straight into their travel fund. Mary continues: “The extra money gives us spending money and helps pay for holidays. It’s allowed us to enjoy retirement in a completely different way.”
After nearly nine years of homesitting, the couple say the experience has exceeded their expectations. Brian says: “It’s not just something we do; it’s a lifestyle. We’ve met wonderful people, cared for lovely animals and visited places we’d probably never have seen otherwise.”
Mary agrees: “Retirement can sometimes feel like the end of something but for us, it’s been the start of a whole new adventure.”