The average weekly income for Americans this year is about $1,165, or approximately $60,580 annually. That’s not a lot, especially when you consider the fact that the average rent is now $1,748 (about $21,000 per year) and the minimum recommended grocery budget is about $421 per month (about $5,052 annually). Just like that, more than a third of your gross income is just gone.
You could get a second job to cover the rent or grocery bill, but another way to make those numbers more manageable is to find a job that includes room and board. Getting a free place to live and having meals provided is an incredibly valuable benefit, and the good news is you don’t have to join the military to get it (though that’s one option, certainly). While a lot of jobs that provide housing and meals aren’t ideal because they’re seasonal or temporary jobs usually staffed by travelers or nomads, there are some full-time jobs you can find that offer room and board.
Park ranger
If you’re the outdoorsy type who likes the idea of living in nature (and doesn’t mind fairly limited access to the internet or even regular phone service), becoming a park ranger usually entails room and board. For example, working at one of the Yellowstone National Park Lodges includes housing, and while meals aren’t free for regular employees they are for managers. You can learn more about how to become a state or national park ranger over at Park-Ranger.org.
Au pair
One of the classic live-in jobs, being an au pair (essentially a live-in nanny) usually means living in the home with meals provided. It also means being on-call almost all the time to care for the household children, and generally a lower salary than a nanny due to the whole room and board situation. A lot depends on the family you’re placed with, of course—it could be dream accommodations with terrific roommates, or a nightmare. Either way, at least your rent is covered.
Cruise ship staff
If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you may have noticed that there are a ton of people working on those ships—and they all have room and board included with their jobs, for what should be obvious reasons (though watching hundreds of people helicopter on and off the ship every single day would certainly be entertaining). Depending on the job you can get, the pay may not be terrific (about 40% of cruise ship employees earn less than $2,000 per month), but in addition to room and board you usually also get free medical care, and you can usually arrange a few free shore excursions when your work schedule allows.
Live-in caregiver
Live-in caregivers to the elderly or infirm are usually offered room and board as part of their compensation. On the plus side, many of these jobs don’t require much in terms of education or experience beyond a high school diploma, solid interpersonal skills, and the ability to pass a basic background check. On the negative side, these jobs can be demanding and both physically and emotionally exhausting, involving everything from helping people bathe, preparing and serving meals, helping people with transportation, and simply being a companion.
Ranch worker
Ranch work is very physical, whether it’s a guest ranch or a cattle ranch, but these jobs typically come with room and board provided. Some ranches only operate seasonally, but others can offer year-round employment. If you’ve never been near a horse or cow in your life, there are still opportunities to be had—ranches need maintenance workers, laborers, and even office staff, so if the idea of ranch life appeals to you, there’s likely a position somewhere you’re qualified for.
Hospitality jobs
Many jobs in the hospitality industry, especially those located in remote areas, offer room and board as part of the compensation package simply because there aren’t a lot of housing options nearby. These jobs run the gamut from maintenance and custodial positions to front desk workers and concierge positions, but if you’re not afraid of public-facing customer service or moving to a location like Alaska, you can land a hospitality job that offers room and board.
Building superintendent
Most cities require larger residential buildings to have superintendents, and while some smaller buildings will utilize “visiting superintendents,” many of those positions enjoy free housing (but not free meals, typically), although in some cases they only receive a reduced rent. While having a degree or certification in building management won’t hurt, many superintendent jobs only require a high school diploma and relevant experience—typically in the trades, as one of your main responsibilities will be to repair and maintain the building’s infrastructure. If you’re a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, you can probably find a superintendent job that offers free or discounted housing as part of the gig.
Housekeeping
Yep, people actually do hire live-in housekeepers (and butlers are still a thing), and these jobs by their very nature provide room and board. These jobs often require more than just cleaning, cooking, and laundry, requiring you to act more like a personal assistant by running errands, organizing travel, and even providing occasional childcare services. There are usually no formal qualifications for the job, but many people look for a background in hospitality or professional cleaning, and may also have their own list of requirements, like first aid certification or experience cooking in a professional kitchen.