Petsitters payment in kind.

[Georgiepud]

A friend and her daughter are coming to pet sit our 2 cats and 2 guinea pigs during the summer holidays for a fortnight.
They will have the use of a nice house and garden in a pleasant location (Cotswolds). All electricity, mod cons etc.
My question is, how many "extras" should I leave out for them? I mean things like -
Tea bags and coffee capsules
Loo rolls
Dishwasher tablets etc etc
I don't want to appear mean, but ........

You leave what ever you would normally stock in your house, so all of the above, plus a few nice snacks and a bottle of wine.

Teabags? Dishwasher tablets? Loo rolls?!?!?!?!?

You couldn't sound meaner if you tried!

Anyone coming to look after my pet would have some extra goodies supplied that I knew they'd appreciate, plus something else after we'd got back.

Yes, this.

Of course leave bloody loo rolls, what do you expect them to wipe their ass with

Will you be taking the light bulbs with you?

They are looking after what are essentially members of your family so I would leave at least the basics like loo roll etc plus some little treats as a massive thank you

Honestly, more than they could possibly use, plus nice snacks. They are doing you a favour. Have you any idea how much a cattery would cost? A lot more than a few loo rolls!

They are doing you a big favour so surely you will leave plenty of tea and coffee for their stay, same with loo roll, bleach, sprays, dishwasher tablets, kitchen roll etc. I would leave soft drinks, a bottle of wine, milk, bread, cereal, eggs, some fruit, biscuits, snacks and money for a take away as a thank you!

You don’t want to appear mean but what?

Your friend is doing you a massive favour. You asked HER to come and pet sit, she hasn’t asked if she can stay for a holiday! Depending on the daughter’s age, she might think it’s the absolute worst way to spend 2 weeks of the holidays. I don’t care how nice your house is - that sounds like an absolutely shit was to spend a third of the school holidays to me.

So you leave EVERYTHING. Your friend should not have to go out and buy loo roll, tea bags, etc. presumably it’s costing her fuel to travel there and is having to take annual leave? You make it sound like you think you are doing her the favour.

I haven’t heard “all mod cons” for a while!

Absolutely leave more than enough of everything for a fortnight. They shouldn’t be going out to buy teabags (not least because they’d end up leaving most of a box behind or packing it to take)

I'd be leaving a basket of "goodies" on the kitchen worktop. A couple of bottles of wine, bottled waters, a box of chocolates, a cake, some nice biscuits and a large bowl of fresh fruit. Of course there would be the usual supply of tea coffee bread and milk. I'd tell them to use anything else they wanted from the fridge and the cupboards. I'd definitely go out of my way to make them feel at home, they'd be doing me a huge favour after all.

Oh gosh I was going to say leave them some money or a Deliveroo voucher to get a takeaway or two, but if you’re counting dishwasher tabs and loo roll ffs we are definitely on opposite ends of the scale.

You’re being quite mean thinking this way - they’re leaving their own home and lives to take care of your pets. You should be treating them not counting loo roll sheets.

You don't want to appear mean! Ummm well you do sound a little bit.

I would ask what they liked to eat, fill the fridge, make a lasagne for them to heat up on their first night, and a huge chocolate cake. I’d also leave wine, nice soft drinks and some treats.

Everything. And you stock the fridge and freezer.

I've just asked a young friend if he wants to catsit for us over Christmas week. I can't offer the Cotswolds, but I have a cosy home in a really nice part of London and I know he doesnt enjoy being with his family (and has friends round here). I am thinking of offering £150 and leaving a really well stocked kitchen full of lovely food and some good booze.

After all, they are doing you a favour. Yes, they get the use of your lovely home. But you are avoiding commercial petsitting fees.

Dsis uses a cat sitter and they charge £35 a night whilst going to their day job etc - Almost £500 a fortnight and you are being tight with loo roll.

I wouldn’t think of those as extras, surely they are basic things that you keep in your house regardless? But really how much of these do you think two people will use for a fortnight?
Extras would be some nice snacks, wine, chocolates etc. Whenever we’ve had family pet sit we’ve left nice snacks, drinks and money for a takeaway.

@Georgiepud I find we get through 3 rolls a week (three of us), 14 dish tabs at least, washing up liquid, soap, shower gel, and all the other stuff that comes in cupboards. Whilst I don't think you need to fill the fridge for a fortnight: bread, butter, milk, eggs, cake, chocolate, wine, etc.

And the going rate in an envelope. I pay my catsitter £12.50 a day but she pops in for 20 minutes once a day. I reckon your sitters must be worth £20 a day.

What?!
surely you’d make sure all basics like that were fully stocked before you go?
are you paying them?
or do you think the pleasure is all theirs due to location?

I pay a teen friend £10 a day for a 14 day holiday, plus the fridge is full of coke, chocolate and ice cream and they have free range of all streaming channels.

Dishwasher tablets? Are you having a fucking laugh????

They will have the use of a nice house and garden in a pleasant location (Cotswolds). All electricity, mod cons etc.

Get a full inventory done with photographs before you go and make sure you go through it thoroughly when you get back. Also, be sure to take meter readings before you leave. Otherwise, these friends may take advantage of your generosity.

Only if you live at No.1 The Mall 😆

Well you definitely appear mean 🤣

How much would pet boarding have cost you? Once you've calculated that, you can work out exactly how many dishwasher tablets that equates to. I'd not leave them any more than that. Admittedly, I'm not sure what they'd do with a few hundred dishwasher tablets.

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