Family-of-four reveal how they save up to $45,000 a year in rent by living in strangers' houses: 'We live comfortably on one income'

Published: 00:01, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 00:19, 16 August 2026 A mum-of-two has revealed how she saves huge amounts of money by house-sitting full-time instead of paying rent - but does admit there are downsides.  Kaleigh McCann, from North Queensland, has been house-sitting with her partner Joe, who works as a ghostwriter, and their two children, aged four and six, whom she home-schools, for the past 15 months. The family use verified sites, including Aussie House Sitters, to connect with homeowners looking for someone to care for their property and pets in exchange for accommodation.  Ms McCann, who is now on her 13th house-sit, told the Daily Mail her family avoids paying between $39,000 and $45,000 a year in rent, utility and accommodation costs. 'We pay just under $300 annually for three house-sitting memberships,' the stay-at-home mum said. 'We do still have groceries, fuel, car expenses, insurance, phones, experiences, kids' expenses and travel costs. 'If we break something while house-sitting, then we replace or reimburse the owner.' Ms McCann, 38, said she first discovered the possibility of house-sitting while planning a trip back to Australia from New Zealand, where she had been living with her family for four years. A family of four has revealed how they save up to $45,000 a year by house-sitting full-time 'I was hoping to use it to visit family in North Queensland,' she said. 'As our family grew, we started to outgrow just bunking with family but couldn't afford to do the trip if we had to pay for accommodation as well.' Ms McCann said she was 'freaked out' by the idea of house-sitting at first, but a family member reassured her that the process is legitimate. '(They) had a friend who needed someone to house-sit for five weeks in Perth, so we took it as a sign because it was a low-risk entry point,' she said.  'To figure out our next move, we were looking at house rental options in Perth and Queensland, but also started looking at house-sitting sites. 'We sold most of our stuff, packed the rest into storage and moved back to Australia with just our bags and zero plans beyond that five week house-sit.' Ms McCann then applied to house-sit a property at Airlie Beach in Queensland, which proved to be a smooth process. 'The owner called us instantly and confirmed the sit,' she said. Kaleigh McCann, originally from North Queensland, spent more than four years living in New Zealand before returning to Australia with her partner Joe and two children in March 2025 The family then had further success when planning for a holiday to Bali but were stuck with a five-day gap between their house-sit and leaving for the trip. 'Everything was terrible and super expensive because of the public holiday prices (but) I applied for a house-sit that had popped up last minute and got confirmed instantly,' Ms McCann said. 'We were spending the five-day Easter break in a stunning new-build within walking distance of the beach, with a King Charles spaniel - and it was costing us $0.' The run of good luck made the family believe house-sitting could become a long-term option. Fifteen months on, they are on their 13th house-sit and have four more booked which will cover them until January next year.  Ms McCann said the greatest benefits of house-sitting are the economic savings, flexibility and opportunities to travel.  'It eases the financial pressure, allows us to live comfortably on one income and spend more time together as a family,' she said. 'We also get to give our children a taste of the pet experience without the commitment and costs.' They use house-sitting websites that connect homeowners with people willing to care for their homes and pets in exchange for accommodation But Ms McCann admitted that there have been some downsides to their lifestyle, including a lack of community or 'home'. 'The biggest disadvantage is that we don't have our own home and don't have a community unless we're house-sitting near friends and family, which we often aim to do,' she said.  'For us though, the benefits have outweighed the inconveniences so far.' When asked if she would ever want to stop house-sitting and settle down, Ms McCann said it was a possibility.     'We would like a home as an asset to have options and security for the future if we decide to stop,' she said.  'If we did settle and have our own home, I feel like we would always use house-sitting in some way, whether for travel, visiting family or renting out the house and doing it all again. 'We could use it as a financial strategy to get ahead on the mortgage while off on another adventure.'  She gave the exanple of a four-month trip to Canada, where the family house-sat for 15 weeks.  'I have no idea how much holiday accommodation for four months in Canada would have cost, but that trip would not have been possible without house-sitting,' she said.