Millennial Woman Avoids Paying Rent By Choosing A Fascinating Full-Time Job
fizkes | Shutterstock A millennial woman based in NYC revealed that she avoids paying rent by working as a full-time house sitter. Considering rent in NYC is exceptionally high, even for locals who grew up in the five boroughs, her unconventional approach to housing costs is quite ingenious.
Alanna Parrish admitted that working as a house sitter for her clients around the city allows her to completely avoid having to purchase her own place and saves her thousands of dollars each month.
A woman avoids paying rent by being a full-time house sitter.
"I'm a full-time house sitter in New York City. I don't have my own place. I live in other people's homes full-time, and I keep getting asked the same question, which is where do I go if I don't have a house sit?" Parrish began in her video.
She explained that she spends a lot of time planning her house sits, and she's usually able to line them up so they overlap, and she's never without somewhere to stay. Usually, one house sit will end, and then she'll have another one lined up that same day.
"So I'm not paying rent anywhere, and if there happens to be a gap in my schedule, this has happened a few times, and it's usually only a day. Maybe two max, where I have a gap in my schedule." Parrish continued, "So I will get a hotel for the night, I'll get an Airbnb, I'll crash at a friend's, I have options available to me."
Parrish admitted that she's been a full-time house sitter since 2024.
Because she doesn't have to pay rent, Parrish shared that she has been able to travel to 17 countries, including two international cities. She lives out of a carry-on suitcase and doesn't store her things in a storage unit.
"I do have a few personal items stored at my parents' home in California, and I haven't been there in almost a year," she said.
"I do have a remote job, and I consider my house sitting and pet sitting more of a lifestyle. My house sits are a mix of paid services and free exchanges. So in exchange for service, I get free accommodation."
According to NYC Housing, housing costs in the city are rising much faster than people's incomes. Between 2005 and 2012 (the most recent year for which consistent data is available), the median monthly rent across the City increased by about 11%, after adjusting for inflation.
A paper published by the local United Way and Fund for the City of New York argued that the affordability crisis has reached its worst point in at least two decades. They suggested that 50% of city residents do not have enough money to rent an apartment, buy food and medicine, and get around town.
It's why people like Parrish are finding these unconventional ways to get around the high cost of rent in the city. Until something is done about the lack of affordable housing in NYC, it's safe to say house sitting will continue to be Parrish's way of living.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
