Before we discuss the types of jobs that provide free or subsidized housing, we’d like to take a quick moment to note that CreditGUARD does not offer career counseling or advice about what jobs or living situations are best for you. As always, please use your best judgment should you decide to take a job that provides housing. Always do thorough research into the company policies as well as their reputations.
Park Rangers
National and state parks are great opportunities to work with people, animals and the land. While these jobs aren’t always easy to come by, they often come with the added benefit of being able to live onsite in the park as a perk of your employment. The downsides would be the occupational hazards of living in close proximity to wildlife and tourists and a relatively modest salary.
Nanny or Au Pair
Often appealing to young people and those eager to travel internationally, nannying is a great way to make a living here in the U.S. or abroad. While many nanny jobs are part-time, there are opportunities to work full-time as a live-in nanny or au pair.
The pros would be that your lodging and board are covered — the con? You’re living with the family that employs you, so hopefully, the arrangement is good and you like the people!
Cruise Ship Employee
If you’re an entertainer, server, musician, mechanic or event planner, life on a cruise ship might be an appealing option for a job that offers free housing. These jobs often pay reasonably well, but the jobs are seasonal. Usually, cruise ship employees work for 12-16 weeks at a time, often for 12 hours per day, nearly every day. This is intense, and it’s certainly not for everyone.
Commercial Fishing
If you’re a technical or tradesperson, jobs like commercial fishing could be appealing. If you’re an angler at heart, love the open water and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, this could be a good fit for you, provided you don’t mind bunking with your coworkers!
Offshore Oil Riggers
Again, we have a technical job that requires some physical effort that certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. 12-hour workdays and long stints offshore are the norms, but these jobs often pay well for qualified professionals.
Property Managers
If you live in an apartment complex and you’re handy, this could be a great job for you. Oftentimes, property managers live onsite in apartment complexes and often receive steep discounts or free rent. The trade-off? You’ve got to be good with people and conflict management. Dealing with renters, vendors and property owners can be challenging.
Facilities Security
Lots of facilities — like self-storage for instance — employ full-time, live-in security staff and/or property management. Similar to the property manager, being a security officer or caretaker often comes with the perk of discounted or free rent, but be prepared to keep a schedule that might be opposite the normal 9-5 routine.
College Faculty
If you’re a professor or faculty member, many universities offer faculty housing or other arrangements where you get discounted or free rent. This is especially attractive in expensive cities like New York, San Francisco, London and Tokyo.
International Educator
Much like university staff, teaching internationally at a secondary educational institution like a high school or middle school may also come with the added benefit of free housing.
Military & Corps Members
If you’re a member of the Peace Corps or a branch of the U.S. military, there are free housing options and provisions for active members as well as discounted services available. This is especially prominent with on-base military housing.
When Free Housing Isn’t Quite Enough
If you’re dealing with a credit card debt situation that feels bigger than you can resolve on your own or you’ve been falling behind on your monthly payments, consider calling one of our certified credit counselors at 1-800-500-6489 to learn more about our process and our programs here at CreditGUARD.