During my life as a nomad, I’ve often used house and pet sitting as a way to get all of the amenities of living in a home without all the expenses. I’ve had gigs as short as a couple of days to as long as three weeks, and I’ve sat for friends and friends of friends and strangers.

People often want to know how I get my house and pet sitting jobs, and folks with no house and pet sitting experience want to know how they can get started. Today I’ll share ten steps you can take to get house and pet sitting gigs. Some of the tips will apply mostly to absolute beginners, but others will be helpful to people who have sat a time or two but want to expand their businesses.

#1 Tell your friends and family that you are available to house and pet sit. Let them help spread the word. Most of the gigs I’ve done have been for my friends or for close friends of my friends.

#2 Get access to ads from people looking for house and pet sitters and/or post your own ad. I’ve had success with House Sitters America. (I wrote a previous blog post all about my experience using the website.) Rover is a website where house and pet sitters can post ads for their services, including their daily fee. I’ve heard about, but never used The Caretaker Gazette which bills itself as the “only publication in the world dedicated to the property caretaking field.”

#3 Get yourself a business card. I use Vistaprint because I find their prices reasonable and their design tools easy to use. On your cards, include your name, the name of your business, your phone number, an email address, and the website or Facebook page of your business. (It’s easy to set up a Facebook page for your business, which allows you to keep your personal profile private. Do you really want potential customers looking at pictures from your childhood or your best friend’s bachelorette party in Vegas?) Include “pet and house sitting” right there on the card so people will know why they’re saving it. Hand the cards out! They won’t do you any good sitting in the bottom of your bag.

#4 Write a great ad you can use on Craigslist or as your profile on House Sitters America or Rover. You can use

some of the text to make an eye-catching flyer to hang on bulletin boards around whatever town you’re in. Stress your strengths. Have you owned dogs or cats before? Do you have the Pet First Aid by the American Red Cross app on your phone? Have you ever gone through positive dog training with a pup? Have you volunteered at an animal shelter walking dogs or playing with kittens? Are you a neat freak? Include all that info in your ads.

When I write or answer an ad, I point out that I’m a middle-age woman who doesn’t drink, smoke, or party. I say I may be boring but I’m able to focus my sober attention on the pets and home under my care.

#5 Make a list of references and have it available for potential clients. If you haven’t had a house or pet sitting gig, use friends, co-workers, and employers who can vouch for your honesty and trustworthiness. Be sure you let folks know you are going to use them as references so they can have a plan of nice things to say about you if they get a call. As you sit for people, add them to your list of references. Include phone numbers and email addresses so potential customers can make contact.

#6 Talk to pet professionals. Introduce yourself to pet groomers, receptionists at veterinary clinics, the clerks at pet supply stores. Maybe you can hang your flyer at one or more of these places. Maybe you can leave your card. Maybe these folks will refer you when one of their clients mentions needing a pet sitter. Check in with the professionals periodically to let them know you’re still accepting clients.

#7 Take your dog to the dog park. If you don’t have a dog, offer to take a friend’s dog to the dog park. You want dog owners to see you interacting with a dog in a responsible, loving way. (Do not try this with a poorly-behaved dog that will make you look incompetent.) While you’re at the dog park, talk to dog owners and tell them you’re a pet sitter. Hand out your card.

#8 Patronize other dog friendly places. Lots of restaurants, coffee shops, and bars have outdoor seating areas where dogs are welcome. Bring your dog (or your friend’s dog) and hang out. Talk to people. Hand out your card. If you’re able to frequent dog friendly places, your face will become familiar, and people will be more likely to trust you with their homes and pets.

#9 Consider house and pet sitting at no charge. If you’re living on the road, it might be worth it to you to pet sit for free if you can stay in a house for free and use the electricity, water, and WiFi for free. At times I didn’t get paid for house and pet sitting, I considered it an exchange between me and the home owner.

#10 Don’t be afraid to ask for payment if you’re doing something special. I got paid when I had to give an

incontinent spaniel a pill hidden in peanut butter. I earned $20 a day when I cared for four Rottweilers with a complicated feeing routine. Recently when I agreed at the last minute to sit for an elderly Chihuahua with no teeth who ate wet food, I asked for (and received with no hassle) $10 a day. If you’re doing extra work, you deserve to be compensated for it.

I hope these tips help you find great gigs house and pet sitting so you can get out of your rig when you need to and maybe put some money in your pockets as well.

I took all of the photos in this post.

Blaize Sun has been house and pet sitting since 2012. She’s mostly sat with dogs, but has had an occasional cat client. She appreciates all the people who have allowed her to exchange her time and energy for a stay in their home.