Cleaning Service/Maids

[jim584672]

Don't do it.
- signed Mr. McCheapie

[DFA]

We use a service twice a month; I thought when I retired I would do it, but just don't like doing housework and I have better things to do with my new found time. DW is still w*rking and she also does not like doing housework so the service is great all around.

[Meadbh]

When I was working I had a cleaning service once a month and really appreciated coming home to a clean house. Then I moved, still working. I hired people from the same cleaning service at the new location, and it was a disaster. After three problems (including blocking my toilet with a cleaning rag) I fired them. I have been doing my own cleaning since, but I don't enjoy the process and don't do as thorough a job. I am debating getting a cleaning service again. My main concern is the risk to privacy.

[Cobra9777]

We are DIYers on everything unless we simply don't possess the skills. Reason is simple... we tend to do a better quality job with closer attention to detail, and it provides a sense of pride and satisfaction. House cleaning is no exception. I wouldn't say we "enjoy" house cleaning. But we certainly don't dislike it enough to pay someone to do it for us.

DW and I divide up the chores. I clean the kitchen every night after dinner and keep the living areas organized, picked up, with everything in its place on a daily basis. Once per week, DW does the bathrooms and dusts, while I clean floors and rugs. She makes the bed every morning and takes care of laundry. I clean all porches and other outside areas and do windows 2 or 3 times per year. We've had this routine for over 30 years and it works fine for us.

[Dog]

I'm in the "too cheap" camp. DH and I typically don't pay for work that we can do ourselves. Keeps us busy and in touch with the condition of our home and belongings. Hell, I feel decadent when I run my car through the car wash rather than washing by hand. We know we can afford to hire help now, but it is hard to justify when we are healthy and capable.
Most of my friends have house cleaners and really like it.
I do pay to have my hair cut and colored....so I'm not too cheap 😉


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[Al in Ohio]

We have used only sole proprietorship personal cleaning services that came highly recommended through direct referrals and/or Angie's list. We started when our 2nd son was born. Both my spouse and I work and this helps alleviate the stress and home responsibilities required of a dual income home with kids. It's a small price to pay for the second income stream. We have it cleaned every two weeks. Only every other cleaning is whole house as opposed to downstairs including kitchen only.

It costs me only two hours of my wages each time. Takes two people 3 hours to clean. You do the math.

I trust her well. In three years she broke one item and cried over it. It was something I could replace easily and cheaply. We chat about life and buy her kids tickets to events on Holidays and such.


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[Derslickmeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dog I'm in the "too cheap" camp. DH and I typically don't pay for work that we can do ourselves. Keeps us busy and in touch with the condition of our home and belongings. Hell, I feel decadent when I run my car through the car wash rather than washing by hand. We know we can afford to hire help now, but it is hard to justify when we are healthy and capable. Most of my friends have house cleaners and really like it. I do pay to have my hair cut and colored....so I'm not too cheap 😉 Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

+1 so glad to see its not just me if I can do it myself I do, I'm just way to cheap to pay for someone to clean my house once every couple of weeks when I'm perfectly capable of doing myself at least once a week...

[hakuna matata]

We have someone come in every other week-- LOVE IT. She was just here today and the house looks great. It is an expense but we budgeted it into our retirement. She worked for us before when we were working full time and just continued on when we retired. I retired--not to clean house but to enjoy my life. YMMV of course.

[Debinnov a]

For the past 30 years, I had a house cleaner come twice a month. Once I retired this past year, I have someone come monthly. I justify the cost by knowing that my entire house sparkles at the same time when she is finished, which is something I can no longer accomplish (especially in three hours or less). It's the cost equivalent of two casual dinners out a month and worth it!

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[growerVon]

We parted ways with our independent housecleaner in early summer after probably 10 years of weekly cleanings. We started when our first kid was born and it was a huge help. Now the kids are old enough to help, and we took the first month's payment and bought a Roomba... of course we've named it "Cathy". No doubt it is a pain, but we're saving $400/mo and arguably demonstrating better examples for our kids... and did I mention saving $400/mo? We "woke up" to LBYM late.

[elisap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfeh Put me down in the the "waste of money" camp.

That depends. Do you do housework or is it your wife job? Does she enjoy cleaning toilets?

I have a bi-monthly housecleaner and it's the best thing we did. Time, our most precious commodity, a clean house is something that we enjoy but both of us hate housecleaning.

Money is a commodity that we use to buy things we want, enjoy, need, things that save us time. I use $100 of my money to buy time and to get something done that I hate doing and since I love a clean house but HATE housework, I'll give a lot up before I give my housecleaners up.

[retiredinnyc]

I hired a cleaning crew to do my very elderly moms apt, I got them from the church want ads, I did call one of the references, I knew the person (small world considering its NYC). She told me they are honest and do an ok job. No way would I have someone clean my place if I was not home.

4-6 people come for about 30-45 minutes. Every 2 weeks they charge 70 dollars. I do a better job but I don't want to do it I'd rather sit with mom and ask her about her days in Brooklyn during the depression.

[mrfeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elisap That depends. Do you do housework or is it your wife job? Does she enjoy cleaning toilets?

I'm not aware of anybody that enjoys cleaning toilets.

The entire family helps w/ household chores. We all have our duties.

It's pretty simple, really - if I have the time and the ability to tackle something myself (ourselves) around the house, we do it. My wife and I are both one generation removed from farming, and we live in the midwest. The thought of paying somebody to come vacuum and dust seems quite alien, to be frank.

[2017ish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfeh I'm not aware of anybody that enjoys cleaning toilets. ...

DW may not enjoy it, but she gladly assigned herself that chore every other weekend while giving me the dishes, counters, and stove each night. She really doesn't like dishwater.

[Nodak]

We have no cleaning service companies in my town but there are a number of local people that do cleaning. The one I use charges $65 per cleaning. She does a superb job and I have her clean once a month.

[Dancer373]

After a back surgery and sciatic pain I hired a local lady for twice a month cleanings at $70 each. She's here for 4 hours each time and does a wonderful job. I give her a nice "Christmas" gift also. There's a bit of a language problem which started out with her middle school child translating via text messages but now if I have something extra/different for her to do I print it out in English and Spanish on a Word document. After living frugally all my life I feel I deserve it

[kcowan]

Both working we always had a cleaning woman, Then we lost her when she got married. We tried Molly Maid without success (long story) so we advertised for one and got no takers. Then a month later, we got a call from a woman who recommended her cleaner. We had a mutual interview and hired her. When we retired, there was no question about keeping her - we treat her as family. Every 2 weeks. Even when we are away. One of our better expense items.

[youbet]

Lots of comments about the joys of a clean house. Yet most folks who say they hire a cleaner have the cleaner in only every 2 weeks? Yuuuch........

[Bestwifeever]

Knew there would be a face punch or two coming. Paying to have a house deepcleaned every two weeks doesn't mean we are pigs the rest of the time, but never mind.

[elisap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Lots of comments about the joys of a clean house. Yet most folks who say they hire a cleaner have the cleaner in only every 2 weeks? Yuuuch........

That doesn't mean that we don't clean in between. We keep it straight and they do the heavier work. I would love to have them come more often but we do a good job in between without too much gripping at each other.

At one time when I was working full time DH would not do any of it. We never fought about money even though at the time we didn't have much but we fought a lot about housekeeping. Neither of us like doing it so when given the option to either pitch in and get a housekeeper we BOTH chose a housekeeper.