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Seattle woman saves $60k after becoming full time house and pet sitter
Living in Seattle is expensive, and when one woman found herself an empty-nester and unemployed two years ago, she ditched her expensive apartment for a much more unconventional — and affordable — way of life.
SEATTLE - It’s no secret, living in Seattle is expensive, but, when a Washington woman became an empty nester and lost her job nearly two years ago, she decided to make a big change. A change some might call unconventional, but it’s a change she told FOX 13 has now saved her thousands of dollars in what she would’ve paid in rent.
What they're saying:
"People are shocked and amazed, interested, entertained," Amber Campbell said. Those are just some of the reactions Campbell gets when she tells folks that she’s a full-time house and pet sitter. Full time, as in she travels nonstop and lives at other people’s homes full time.
"I didn't even know this was a thing that you could trade house and pet sitting for accommodations," Campbell said.
Twenty-two months ago, the Seattle mom of two became an empty nester and then lost her job as a marketing communications manager.
"It was like, oh my god, what do I do now?" Campbell said.
Pet and house sitter, Amber Campbell
How did she save her money?
By the numbers:
She told FOX 13, she was paying $2,500 a month in rent before expenses. "I had no idea how long it was going to take me to get a new job, and the idea of going into debt for this apartment that I didn't even like sounded crazy, frankly," Campbell said.
It was that fear of not knowing what was going to happen that pushed Campbell to thinking outside of the box. So, she packed up her stuff, put it in storage and moved out of her apartment.
In the last 22 months, she’s now lived in more than 40 homes, most of them in Washington and California and has saved $60,000.
"It's the best decision I’ve ever made," Campbell said. "I am having so much fun."
She still works, but she’s now a freelance writer and life coach helping other women make similar, big life transitions.
As of right now, she said she doesn’t miss having a place of her own. "I would find it hard now to be stuck in the same place month after month after month," Campbell said. "It's just wonderful, it's adventurous and I’m meeting so many wonderful people."
What's next:
Campbell hopes to continue that adventure overseas and do this in places like Mexico, Portugal, New Zealand and the UK. "I'm sure I’ll get tired of this lifestyle at some point, I don't see it happening anytime soon," Campbell said.
She’s booked through the end of October, and then she has a three-month sit that starts at the end of December, but Campbell said whenever she has a gap in between, she stays with friends or family or books a hotel or Airbnb.
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