Real life MMD: Do I punish the cleaner?

poet123

neilpost wrote: »

Yes, you are entirely free to spend your money as you see fit.

I just find it somewhat hypocrytical to be part of a Money Saving Forum, whilst you are happy to be wildly extravagent over £30 for a 250ml shower gel, and £130 for a Toiletries bag :eek:

I'm trying hard not to be judgemental, but the MSE in me is screaming out you are wasting your money. I'm sure you can find a just as good gel for £5-10, and a bag for £20.

Are you in favour of MP's being able to claim first class rail travel, or is this in your opinion, wasteful and excessive ? If I was being excessive, I'd perhaps want 1st class air fare/upgrade, but every time I see how expensive that is I would be shamed to my core to blow huge wads of cash on this comfort for a few hours inconvinenece.

If I did have the above stuff, back on topic, I'd be looking after them a damn site better than the OP did with their stuff.

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P.S. I work very hard too, bringing up 2 children, and my opinion is as valid as yours. I don't smoke, drink pretty moderately, though don't know why you mention this as has no bearing on anything and adds no credence to your arguement. I'm not saying you must buy your shower gel in the Pound Shop, Hoping Jo Malone, at least has some Fairtrade credentials for her stuff ?

How is it hypocritcal? I am stating clearly what I choose to spend my money on (which was why I mentioned what I don't choose to spend my money on) I am not berating others for "perceived extravagance" whilst secretly doing the same. That would be hypocritical, perhaps you should look up the defintion.;)

I use this site to save money on areas where I choose to spend my money, hence it is money saving. For example, all my Xmas 2010 gifts are safely bought and stowed in the loft. Bought in the post xmas M&S sale. I learned about Quidco here and have garnered a lot of "free" money through my internet spending, and there are lots more examples.

So, I am quite comfortable that my MSE activities fit within the ethos of the site, and fyi I am not alone. There are quite a few threads where people ask for advice on where to get designer bags costing hundreds of pounds. They want the item but want to pay the least they can for that item, emminently sensible imo.

With regard to the toiletries, the bag was a gift, for a significant birthday, and I buy Jo Malone via Ebay generally, or receive it as gifts because friends and family know I like it.

I am not in favour of MP's going first class because it is not their money they are spending, a pertinent point would you not agree;)


Of course your opinion is as valid as mine, but the OP did not ask for an opinion as to whether her spending was reasonable, merely whether her belongings should have been safe and secure.

You were extremely judgmental in your first post and have continued in the same vein, to the extent that it now smacks of jealousy that others may have more disposable income and choose to spend it on what you consider to be "luxuries".

The bottom line is what I consider reasonable spending is not what you consider reasonable spending and probably vice versa. It is a subjective judgement and one we are both entitled to make, what we should resist doing is inflictiing our own choices on others, it is rarely sucessful, completely unecessary, and often offends.:D

laurann20

There are 2 sides to this story.
1. Taking something worth £200 on holiday and putting it somewhere obvious for the cleaner to see- not a great move. All my stuff I take on hols (usually just my nintendo ds & extra cash) anyone might be tempted to take, I leave in a locked suitcase when I go out, so there is no temptation to the cleaners. Or I leave things in my room safe if there is one. Cleaners are human after all and if someone just left something expensive out, think would you really not be tempted to take it?

2. The cleaner could have lied about thinking this was rubbish and taken it to sell or for her own use. Yes, this is morally wrong, but how could you possibly prove it???

I would say learn from the experience, forget the £200 (as you can't prove the cleaner knew about it) and if you're going to take expensive things on holiday (which I wouldn't recommend anyway!) Don't leave them in an obvious place when you go out!

poet123

laurann20 wrote: »

. Cleaners are human after all and if someone just left something expensive out, think would you really not be tempted to take it?

!

No. it wouldn't even enter my head.

freyasmum

neilpost wrote: »

Yes, you are entirely free to spend your money as you see fit.

I just find it somewhat hypocrytical to be part of a Money Saving Forum, whilst you are happy to be wildly extravagent over £30 for a 250ml shower gel, and £130 for a Toiletries bag :eek:

I'm trying hard not to be judgemental, but the MSE in me is screaming out you are wasting your money. I'm sure you can find a just as good gel for £5-10, and a bag for £20.

Are you in favour of MP's being able to claim first class rail travel, or is this in your opinion, wasteful and excessive ? If I was being excessive, I'd perhaps want 1st class air fare/upgrade, but every time I see how expensive that is I would be shamed to my core to blow huge wads of cash on this comfort for a few hours inconvinenece.

To me, being MSE is about saving money on the stuff I have to buy (insurances, etc), so that I have more money to spend on the stuff I want to buy. Whether that be buying cristal (just an example, I don't drink), a holiday home, nice clothes or expensive cosmetics. And, as I already pointed out, most times the more expensive lasts longer anyway and you don't have to keep reapplying/use less.

I don't see how me wanting to buy nice things for myself equates to me wanting MPs to be swanning around in first class?! As it happens, I think they are very welcome to travel first class if they wish - providing they pay for it themselves, just as I have done with my toiletries.

freyasmum

laurann20 wrote: »

Cleaners are human after all and if someone just left something expensive out, think would you really not be tempted to take it?

Certainly not.

I treat other peoples property with respect, is it really too much to ask for the same in return? Regardless of cost.

neilpost

freyasmum wrote: »

To me, being MSE is about saving money on the stuff I have to buy (insurances, etc), so that I have more money to spend on the stuff I want to buy. Whether that be buying cristal (just an example, I don't drink), a holiday home, nice clothes or expensive cosmetics. And, as I already pointed out, most times the more expensive lasts longer anyway and you don't have to keep reapplying/use less.

I don't see how me wanting to buy nice things for myself equates to me wanting MPs to be swanning around in first class?! As it happens, I think they are very welcome to travel first class if they wish - providing they pay for it themselves, just as I have done with my toiletries.

what is MSE ? Perhaps a new thread is needed here ?

....there is saving money on stuff you buy, and there is best advice on value for money so you don't end up paying more for stuff than you need to, there are also whether stuff is actually any good. MSE covers all these bases. Many, many taste tests between value, own label, own label premium and branded repeatedly are demonstrated to be 'money does not equal better taste/quality/nutritional value'.

Is a hypothetical £20,000 saving on a Mercesdes S-Class car better value for for money than buying a Honda Accord outright for £20,000.

Depends on your opinion of value for money.

Personally the thought of an £80,000 car an abhorrent extravagance, whereas some would argue that the Honda is spartan and cheap.

Others who can only afford a £500 banger would think both above are totally barking mad.

Is the £80K cost of something, really the £80K value of something.

'Costs more equals better' - try looking up JD Power car satisfaction surveys, where Honda, Subaru, Skoda, Toyota repeatedly top the ratings with Jaguar/Lexus being the only 'Aspirational Brands' to make the top 10.

neilpost

freyasmum wrote: »

Certainly not.

I treat other peoples property with respect, is it really too much to ask for the same in return? Regardless of cost.

Some (not yours) people's sniffy underlying opinions that many Housekeeping staff are likely theves is way off mark. About as likely as your binman rifleing through your recycling, so they can steal your identity and make off with ££thousands.

freyasmum

neilpost wrote: »

what is MSE ? Perhaps a new thread is needed here ?

....there is saving money on stuff you buy, and there is best advice on value for money so you don't end up paying more for stuff than you need to, there are also whether stuff is actually any good. MSE covers all these bases. Many, many taste tests between value, own label, own label premium and branded repeatedly are demonstrated to be 'money does not equal better taste/quality/nutritional value'.

Is a hypothetical £20,000 saving on a Mercesdes S-Class car better value for for money than buying a Honda Accord outright for £20,000.

Depends on your opinion of value for money.

Personally the thought of an £80,000 car an abhorrent extravagance, whereas some would argue that the Honda is spartan and cheap.

Others who can only afford a £500 banger would think both above are totally barking mad.

Is the £80K cost of something, really the £80K value of something.

'Costs more equals better' - try looking up JD Power car satisfaction surveys, where Honda, Subaru, Skoda, Toyota repeatedly top the ratings with Jaguar/Lexus being the only 'Aspirational Brands' to make the top 10.

As I said, to me, MSE is about saving money on things that need to be bought for that I can afford to buy what I want to buy and then getting that product at the best price I can find. It stretches the pennies so that I can afford a few nice luxuries

A hypothetical saving of £20,000 on a brand new mercedes is an amazing saving, if that's what the person buying it wants to buy. Yes, they could go and buy a car outright, but if it's not the car they want, would they enjoy it as much? Probably not, therefore a cheaper car wouldn't have as much percieved value as the more expensive one. The value of a product is what the consumer makes of it.

I never said cost more equals better, just that, in the case of my cosmetics, the expensive products work out more value (for me) because I have to spend less time applying because they last longer. I do appreciate that that is not always the case with every single products out there, it's about finding a balance that works for you. Everyone is different, it would be quite boring if everyone was the same

freyasmum

neilpost wrote: »

Some (not yours) people's sniffy underlying opinions that many Housekeeping staff are likely theves is way off mark. About as likely as your binman rifleing through your recycling, so they can steal your identity and make off with ££thousands.

I don't think that's quite the case. I think someone mentioned that the cleaner had perhaps taken it and the thread went off on a tangent. I certainly don't think everyone thinks that the housekeeping staff are all light fingered thieves :eek:

MrsE_2

poet123 wrote: »

http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5500/4384/category/ That is similar to the one I use, then add Jo Malone shower gel, body lotion, shampoo, cleanser/toner/moisturiser./perfume and you can see it adds up.

Of course, it is not big enough for hair straighteners/drier so they go in a carrier bag and sometimes when I get to my hotel I unpack clothes so that they do not crease, but not the toiletries until I am ready to use them, and even then I may leave the hair stuff in the bag. Sometimes, I have my matching make up bag (with similar contents to those that have been listed), in the carrier bag too, to keep them all together whilst I travel.

Its lovely:D

I need this for work

http://www.mulberry.com/#/storefront/c5488/496/category/

I think its a birthday or xmas jobbie:)

Have I told you where to get Mulberry cheap(er)?;)