Quick Holiday Cash Idea

So, this is actually very related to yesterday’s post. As I mentioned, I frequently foster rescue dogs for local shelters and groups. I had an interesting proposal from somebody today. She found a dog that had been abused, and immediately took him to the vet and paid for him to have his injuries, including cigarette burns, treated. Now, even if somebody were to claim this poor guy, he obviously doesn’t need to go back where he came from. (It’s pretty unlikely that the number of injuries he had were sustained after accidentally escaping a loving home.) So, she has the money to take care of him. Just not the ability – she lives in a teeny apartment, where he isn’t allowed. So, she contacted me, and asked if I would be willing to take him in, at her expense, and she would pay boarding fees to boot. Now, this is a kindhearted lady. Just to have me give this little guy some one on one attention, and keep him temporarily in my home, she wants to pay me!

This is a little unusual; you usually won’t be paid to keep a foster dog for a rescue group, although they will pay all veterinary expenses, and provide the food. But, if you love animals, and if your kids love animals, this should start all those little gears inside your brain! If your kids are old enough to help, especially, you could consider petsitting over the holidays. After all, people will be traveling, and this could be just the opportunity you need to make a little extra quick cash. You can advertise with fliers at vets & pet stores, and on craigslist.org. And, it is a great holiday business – you may be able to turn it into a full time gig, but this time of year would be a good time for a trial run while people are traveling. If you don’t like it as much as you think you will, give it some time over the holidays, see what you think and how much you make, and maybe only work with a few select clients year round, or stick with offering holiday only petsitting. This is something where the schedule can be very flexible, and your kids may be able to take part too.

You may not even need to keep pets in your home; some, such as cats, just require a short visit to check on their food and water. You could offer additional services, like picking up the mail and paper, for home visits like this. If somebody leaves their dog home alone while they are out of town, you are looking at several visits over the course of the day. Ideally, though, if you can accommodate it, you should probably stick with bringing dogs to your house.I actually did some petsitting a while back; I charged $25 a day to pick up the mail,bring in the paper, feed,pet & play with 2 cats for about an hour. The lady left a check on the kitchen counter when she left, so that I could pick it up on my first visit. That rocks, because you could be paid in advance. Most people will probably pay you when you return their keys.

But, if you can fit in one or two visits a day, and charge $25 a visit, and work this into your schedule, that can add up to some extra cash pretty quickly! And, considering most people will probably travel on weekends, when you may be available more, you could try to drum up some extra business for those days and make even more.

As an example, I know somebody here who started just this type of business on weekends to earn extra money towards a new car. Now, she has a thriving business with several employees, and plenty of clients to keep her busy! According to her, part of why people use her service regularly is because each of her employees has taken a pet first aid course, and gone through a basic obedience course with a pro dog trainer. Owners come back to well behaved, tired pets who have been well cared for, and of course they are going to be repeat customers! She also keeps her rates for one on one visits & petsitting competitive with local kennels. When faced with the choice of a kennel or somebody’s home, when the price is the same, the petsitter wins out every time. Pet owners truly love the idea of their beloved pet being spoiled in somebody’s home while they are gone, as opposed to a kennel at the vet’s office!

Do some research to see what other petsitters and boarding facilities charge in your area. You may need insurance, as well. Advertise on craigslist for free. If you love what you’re doing and want to make it full time, check into certifications and other services, such as dog training, pet CPR certification, and pet first aid courses. Everything you can do to inspire a pet owner’s confidence in you is a point in your favor!