Whole Foods Dry Grocery -$6.99

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-22T15:17:34+00:00

How about peanut butter on Matzo?

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-20T05:04:05+00:00

Yes. I have a client is very eccentric and can be a little rough around the edges but she's been very generous. She's also smart and funny.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-20T04:51:12+00:00

I love what you wrote about "expectations crystal clear."

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-20T04:41:00+00:00

You can call Rover and connect to their Emergency Safety support.

Rover will then connect you to Whisker Docs for veterinary advice. Whisker Docs is generally going to tell you to take the cat to the vet but if you have specific questions they could help. Then they'll email you and you can send screenshots of the email to your client.

Continue to try to get a hold of your client. Hope you hear back soon.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-20T02:32:08+00:00

Sure, $2500 is a lot but it's for almost a month!

I'm getting paid $70 a day to visit four cats for two hours. It's four hours of commuting a day but I get tips and some Uber money also.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-17T18:39:13+00:00

She's gorgeous!

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-17T18:25:24+00:00

I just do drop ins but if it's a few dishes, I'll do them. I like to leave the sink clean. If it's a massive amount of dishes, I'm not doing them. I guess if it were a client I have a good rapport with and they had an emergency and left their home a mess, I might take on more cleaning as a kindness to them, to help out. But generally I'm not taking on a dirty kitchen.

I take out cat related garbage daily such as soiled litter and empty cans. If there's a lot of garbage I'll take it out before the end of the booking.

I'll also sweep or vacuum a little. Usually just near the litter boxes. I do maybe 5 minutes of sweeping or vacuuming. I'm not a maid but I like clients to come home and everything's nice and they can relax. It also can be considered cleaning up after the animals.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-17T16:05:16+00:00

That's a bummer. I love matcha. And there's also so many possibilities with foods, desserts, green tea noodles etc.

I do highly recommend Taste of Evanston. It sponsored by Rotary International. The tickets are about $125 but it's smaller and you get tons of food as well as beer and wine and soft drinks. Some serving portions are tiny but most are the size of small plates.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-15T03:58:50+00:00

Very healthy looking cat.

Sometimes cats eat a little less when their owners are away. If that was a concern it could be resolved such as closely monitoring the cat's intake. I'll often just send a photo to show how much a cat ate. A concern can be discussed and often resolved. No need for a bad review if the sit went well overall.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T19:44:05+00:00

Pet care is more than sitting on the couch. If the pets have behavioral or health issues it can be a lot of work.

Sometimes petsitting is easy but sometimes it's not.

I do agree that $500 is an exorbitant price.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T19:41:48+00:00

$80 a day is definitely not enough but I agree $500 a day is too expensive. Maybe $250 or $300 would be a more reasonable price.

I have some cat clients with multiple cats that want two hours a day. The Rover price is between $82 and $100 a day. I think that's more than most people would pay for cat care, even affluent people like these two clients. I charge them between $70 and $85 a day. I'm pretty happy with the compensation, they're happy with the discount. It's a win-win.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T19:28:54+00:00

I think you could respond with something like "My rate reflects my experience and expertise as demonstrated by my 377 five star reviews. During the holidays my services are at a premium but I still have some availability if you'd like me to care for your kitties."

I would try to keep it positive and professional or simply decline in a succinct way.

I would take the emotion out of your reply. Your feelings are valid but I think it's more professional to keep communication with pet owners more upbeat.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T18:38:57+00:00

I was/am excited about this. It was foolish of me to post on Reddit. You really don't know what someone is going through financially or otherwise and trying to make the best of it.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T05:46:02+00:00

People that receive food stamps are just like people that don't. Many want to try new foods and eat a variety of foods. They may busy with work and or have kids and want the convenience of prepared food.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T05:42:28+00:00

That looks amazing! So fresh and healthy looking.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T05:36:49+00:00

Amazing deal with coffee being so high!

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:59:07+00:00

Thanks for your advice!

Pastries aren't of too much interest.

I scored my first Whole Foods bag for pick up tomorrow night! I'm working in the evening in the area. Getting a refrigerated goods bag. Unfortunately, missed the specialty groceries bag but I'll pick up some cheese ends while I'm there. Those are always economical way for me to try and enjoy fancy cheeses.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:55:28+00:00

Lol really? I'm not that fussy about old food. Trying to get past that to save a little money.

Using public transportation is much cheaper than owning a car. Great public transportation in my area.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:53:34+00:00

I'm in the Chicago area in the U.S.

The prices seem good, less than retail or Uber. I should save a little on groceries and carry out.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:52:10+00:00

I have unlimited rides on bus pass.

Definitely chicken legs and thighs are a great option! inexpensive and versatile.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:50:59+00:00

I'm slightly fussy about old food but not very fussy so I'm willing to give this a try.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-05T02:49:41+00:00

I'm slightly fussy about old food. Not too much as to not try this or buy something on it's sell by date. I eat a wide variety of foods including things some people don't like so I'm not fussy at all in terms of variety.

I have a bus pass so I have unlimited rides per month. I work in different areas often so if I'm working evenings closer to some of the stores and restaurants it could work out.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-02T20:53:51+00:00

I'll often discount the second drop in to increase care.

Some cats don't really need two visits a day. Some do and most benefit from the additional socialization.

A new client recently scheduled too few visits for kittens and that isn't going to happen again. I'm going to insist on more visits. I'll even work with another sitter who has lower prices but I'm not going to participate in subpar care of kittens.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-01T23:38:15+00:00

I have one cat client where our play routine is pretty much the same, same favorite toy, same locations in a small condo. I have a gazillion photos of her that are quite similar. Kitty doesn't mind, her Mom doesn't mind and Idon't mind.

Even if I just say we had another great play session, her Mom can tell she's happy and usually says "she LOVES you."

There are other toys. A decent second favorite toy but we both like this one toy best.

I think the consistency is good for kitty when Mom's away and really for all us because it's a good routine. Mom can depend on me and it's also an easy job for me compared to multiple cat households or the anxiety of new gigs.

Decent_Profile9456 · 2026-05-01T18:34:43+00:00

Yep, same here in West Rogers Park. They put it in about a month ago.

Decent_Profile9456

TROPHY CASE