Following the pound’s post-Brexit plummet, a lot of us have been forced to tighten the purse strings when it comes to booking our holidays.

And there’s no denying that it’s been pretty tricky to try and find one that matches our…. well, let’s say our unique budgeting requirements (read: free).

So imagine our surprise when we discovered that there’s a way for us to get gorgeous gratis lodgings across the globe.

From German vineyards and beautiful French chateaus, to 16th century English cottages, rustic Italian farmhouses, and stylish Manhattan apartments, there is something to suit everyone’s fancy here – and there’s only one catch.

Yup, you guessed it; you have to share your new lodgings with a fluffy new companion. 

Bummer, huh?

TrustedHousesitters.com works very much like a house-swapping service, only, instead of swapping houses, you look after the owner’s pet (which is usually a cat or dog, although you’ll also find horses, alpacas, and cows on the list) during your stay.

Both pet owners and holiday-hunters sign up with the service and pay a subscription fee of £6.60 per month, then when they find each other in their hour of need, all you have to do is make your travel arrangements and voila! The rest is free; you get somewhere to stay, and they get someone to look after Rover.

The site explains: “By offering your time and care for other's pets for free, you can enjoy staying for free in locations world-wide, whether you're looking for a weekend or a few months.”

They’ve taken care of all the niggly details, too, including access to free veterinary care. Which means that, should the need arise, your new ward will be well looked after by a local animal expert – and you won’t be out of pocket, either.

And, with some seriously unusual properties on offer (there's even a Game Of Thrones castle up for grabs), not to mention members available in 130+ countries across the entire globe, it’s easy to see why so many people are raving about the service.

One satisfied user said: "I have completed 12 house sits through TrustedHousesitters in the past 15 months. The friendships I have built feel as though will last for the rest of my life.”

Another raved: “We’ve just returned from our first house sitting assignment. The whole experience was a very positive one. We were very happy to find ourselves in a beautiful country house in stunning countryside.

“It was a lovely way to have a break with all the comforts of home - and to enjoy the company of their beautiful cat!”

It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Visit TrustedHousesitters.co.uk now if you fancy finding out more about the service; it could prove to be a cost-effective way to fill all of your wanderlust and animal-loving needs.

Image: iStock