Given my other commitments, my biggest concern was having enough time to fulfill my duties as caretaker in a satisfactory manner. How many hours exactly would it take to do the average chores like dusting, cleaning, etc. and whether the hourly breakdown of those duties made it a worthwhile trade off for free room and board. I’ll be sure to work all of these things out during the interview process and see if is a good fit for us, but what do you, the readers, think? What would you ask if you were applying for a prospective housesitting position?

Unfortunately what happens to be sometimes is that I get paralyzed by the power of choice. Thinking that I’ll feel guilty if I take a break and play a game or that I don’t really feel like adding new content to one of my sites, I’ll kind of mill around in productivity purgatory. I’ll read some entrepreneurship related blogs, halfheartedly note some new business ideas, check my adsense for the day and so on. Afterwards I’ll feel like I hit things with a scattershot but didn’t make much in the way of real, hard progress.

The best way to avoid this is simply to sit down and start doing. I know that I don’t feel like exercising, but I also realize that getting my workout now means I feel a whole lot better later. Hunkering down and adding quality content to my sites will provide much more satisfaction than daydreaming or milling around various blogs with no real focus. Having the discipline to power through these lulls in focus and penetrate the haze of indecision will get you to where you want to be that much faster.

As you might expect, accomodations can differ quite a bit too. From a room at a hostel in Costa Rica to a quaint cottage in the hills of Ireland to the steel trailer on the grounds of a farm, there’s something for everyone. It also strikes me as a bit hard to break into.  Most of the ads require references from previous experience, which can be tough if you’re just starting out, and doubly so if you don’t have handiman/other applicable skills to maintaining a property.

Still, I did manage to find an opportunity that’s actually just down the street at a historical building looking for someone to live there for security and maintaining the property. If the interview goes well, that would allow me to live rent free for at least 6 months in a 2 bed room apartment in a mansion, not the worst deal I’ve come across to be sure. I’ll keep you posted.

Buy

When I say I’d like to buy a house, I mean in an inexpensive area and  without a mortgage. My constant aversion to debt really puts that out of the question, but there are some advantages to owning as well. Certainly the emotional satisfaction of owning a home isn’t to be underestimated. It would also likely be cheaper then renting over the long term, assuming my house didn’t fall apart and property taxes were reasonable.

Rent

Renting comes with its own unique set of pros and cons. On the plus side, rent remains fairly steady from year to year, and your costs are much more predictable. If a heater blows or your plumbing breaks, you just call the land lord instead of pulling out the check book. On the down side, you are somewhat putting money into a black hole, with no chance for appreciation. Still, this would be an ok option for me.

Build

This is an interesting idea that I’ve tossed around with my brother. The benefits of building include being able to make your home energy efficient and lower the future costs of maintenance. The downsides are many, including a much larger cost up front and various risks revolving around going over the costs of building and hiring contractors and so forth. If I did go this route, I’d likely by my own small house plans.

With that in mind, let’s turn that line of thinking to making money online and/or starting your own business. What can we learn from those who have successfully earned a living doing what they love? Perusing the blogs that I follow, there’s no shortage of candidates. There are a lot of writers, marketers, developers, and businessmen/women who have put together the lifestyle they want piece by piece. Thankfully, there are also plenty of them who are willing to share those experiences with us! Let’s take a look at some examples that I’ve found inspirational and useful in getting my own ideas off the ground:

• Kirsty from Nerdy Nomad
• Lea and Jonathan Woodward from Location Independent
• J.D. at Get Rich Slowly
• Webby at Working Nomad
• Naomi at Ittybiz

There are numerous others that I’d like to mention as well, but I don’t want to make the list too long! Be sure to read up on all of these when you get the chance, as they’re great for starting points, getting yourself motivated, or just looking for fresh ideas. Their success can help lend to yours, if you’re willing to do some legwork. While I haven’t had direct contact with all of them, they’re all seemingly very happy to help, so don’t be afraid to reach out, either!