I've got to let my cleaner go...

looneyleo

I know, I know.... you are probably all thinking it's a luxury and should have stopped months a go but...

I employed my cleaner 3 years a go when I had post natal depression and she was an absolute god send...she has kept me sane - literally for the past 3 years... I have always justified that £22.00 per week (cleaning and ironing) as my little luxury... I don't go out, I don't smoke, I buy clothes from charity shops and ebay, I drink the odd bottle of cheap plonk but that's it and I'm not in debt - yet.

But, well we are over-spending and I think I am going to have to let her go and well - the thought is killing me! I have two young children, work 3 days per week on my own business and have decided that that has got to go up to 4 days per week after chrimbo as the money just doesn't add up. This whole money management thing is crap sometimes and I wish I could just put my head down and spend spend spend like the rest of the non MSE world does without a thought...but I can't. I am debt free and I want to stay that way and this is another horrible step towards it...what do you guys think???

aurora_borealis_2

I had to too I'd finished my PhD and had more time and we were broke.

I now spend my limited time off cleaning. I have a three storey/ five bed house so that's a lot of work.
It's not that I even mind cleaning, but it was such a treat!

looneyleo

Yep, my house is huge at 5 beds and takes forever to clean !

funky-footprints

I sacked my dh's cleaner before i moved in !! we got a dog so it didnt make sense having someone moping and hoovering with a dog following her around the place. I kept the ironing lady however ..but since finding this website .... she has gone too !
must admit i do miss the ironed bed linen ..and coming in to the smell of a freshly disinfected floor.
x

Mrs_pbradley936

I do not have a cleaner anymore either BUT neither do I have any young children (grown up now and only one living at home). For me it was such a treat to have the back broken of the housework. Mine used to have a key and while I was dropping the kids off to school she would be in and clearing away the breakfast things, making the beds, putting washing in the machine etc. Only you can decide on your priorities but with a young family a cleaner would be high on my list. You might save some money but if you lose your sanity is it worth it?

looneyleo

She's definately worth it...every penny...but if we are over-spending each month then something has got to give and this seems to be it. My youngest is 18 months and a little easier now and i'm lucky in having a hubby that it great at housework so we may have to muddle through. (OOOHHH NOOOO!)

Counting_Pennies_2

Have you looked at all the other aspects of your life? Food bills are a great one.

Also does you husband have childcare vouchers at his work, that might help with the childcare costs if you don't use them already.

Perhaps you could half the time you spend on the cleaner, i.e. you do the ironing and get the person just to do the cleaning. There are always ways of folding washing when it comes out of the drier, or washing machine to limit the ironing needed

Good luck

kit

I'm just thinking about getting one...... am about to go back to work full time, DH works full time too.... and we have an 20 month old daughter who likes to trash the place!
Just can't quite make the final move towards getting one..... everytime I think 'yes, get one, get one', my MSE side kicks in.

silvercar

personally I would much rather work an extra couple of hours a week and keep the cleaner.

looneyleo

Counting_Pennies wrote:

Have you looked at all the other aspects of your life? Food bills are a great one.

Also does you husband have childcare vouchers at his work, that might help with the childcare costs if you don't use them already.

Perhaps you could half the time you spend on the cleaner, i.e. you do the ironing and get the person just to do the cleaning. There are always ways of folding washing when it comes out of the drier, or washing machine to limit the ironing needed

Good luck

Thanks everyone...some of your answers have surprised me! Thought everyone would shout LET HER GO!
Anyway, Counting pennies...can't claim childcare vouchers as my mum childminds and only charges £5.00 per day to cover cost of food and playgroups etc...
Have cut cost of food bill from £500 pcm to £300.00...struggling to get lower than this despite best efforts...have been on old style board etc
And...only ask cleaner to iron things that desperately need ironing...anything that can be folded flat is!
I think this is a black and white decision...

Acc72

£22 a week sounds a good deal for cleaning and ironing (how many hours does she work ?)

As you have 2 small children and are looking to increase your working hours, then you will have even less time to do the cleaning yourself !!

It is only actually money saving if you cannot earn more than it is currently costing you.

eg. if you were sat at home doing nothing, then it would be money saving to remove this cost.

However, if you are self employed and find that you could earn more than £22in the 4 hours a week you would spend cleaning etc. then you would be better off doing your work and keeping the cleaner (I hope that this makes sense !!)