Living well on a shoestring

Christmas and New Year I spent with my brother and family in Adelaide. While away I put my house up for holiday rental. Fremantle where I live is a popular tourist destination and many attractions are in easy walking distance or not far by bike and there is always the bus nearby. My house is old, small, simply furnished and in need of renovation. Despite that, location matters. I advertised the house, wrote up a description and added lots of photos. My attitude was to sit back and not worry whether someone rented it or not. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Great news, I did rent the house for a chunk of the time I was away. Then I worried. Was this going to work out ok? When I came home would my house be intact and all my things still there? I had to trust that this would work out. One thing renting did was to spur me on to engage a handyman and fix minor problems like making sure the door locked properly and stop the toilet leaking. Things I had put up with until then. Conscious of the guest’s comfort I bought some new things like pillows. Having people come to stay motivated me to clean my house from top to bottom; always a good thing. The rental money paid for my airfares. It’s worth thinking whether you could rent your house out while you are away. It may pay for your holiday.