Author Topic: Hiring new housekeeper  (Read 6919 times)

newelljack

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Hiring new housekeeper
« on: September 16, 2016, 11:35:19 PM »
I will soon be firing my current housekeeper and hiring a new one: me. That will free up $140/mo, so my question is what is something symbolic I should do with that money? Using MMM's 10 year lens that's $26k!! Would you just stash it in a Roth IRA or try something riskier? Or just spend it as extra blow money?

LeRainDrop

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2016, 11:41:47 PM »
Well, I wouldn't spend it!  The point of cutting spending is, of course, to save money.

It's funny, though, because I actually did the exact same thing a month or two ago to the tune of $130/month.  My situation is different -- I'm on an austerity plan since I left my job earlier this year, so I'm just trying to be extra tight with my money until I get a new job.  I'm currently living off what I had in savings/checking and don't want to have to sell any of my investments, so every dollar saved helps me extend my maximum sabbatical timeline.

redbird

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2016, 02:10:08 PM »
If it were me, I'd probably throw it in VTSAX.

chesebert

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2016, 02:13:17 PM »
I will soon be firing my current housekeeper and hiring a new one: me. That will free up $140/mo, so my question is what is something symbolic I should do with that money? Using MMM's 10 year lens that's $26k!! Would you just stash it in a Roth IRA or try something riskier? Or just spend it as extra blow money?
$140/month? Child labor? Or do you really mean some cleaning service that comes once a week to clean?

I'm not aware of any housekeeper that will work for less than a couple Ks a month.

newelljack

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2016, 03:26:01 PM »
Yeah, I suppose "cleaning service" holds a different meaning than "housekeeper." It was every other week. I'll pay myself into a savings account until I have the minimum to open a Vanguard VTSMX (3k minimum, vs the VTSAX minimum of 10k). Or could I buy the ETF version, ETI right away?

LeRainDrop

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2016, 03:30:34 PM »
I will soon be firing my current housekeeper and hiring a new one: me. That will free up $140/mo, so my question is what is something symbolic I should do with that money? Using MMM's 10 year lens that's $26k!! Would you just stash it in a Roth IRA or try something riskier? Or just spend it as extra blow money?
$140/month? Child labor? Or do you really mean some cleaning service that comes once a week to clean?

I'm not aware of any housekeeper that will work for less than a couple Ks a month.

In my case, a cleaning service that came every other week.  It was one lady -- the same lady -- each visit, so I guess that's why I didn't change the OP's language.

blackjack

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2016, 04:16:18 PM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

newelljack

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2016, 05:17:33 PM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

Yes, very unMMM, but we all have to start somewhere!

LAGuy

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2016, 07:56:45 PM »
I pay somebody to come clean my condo. I'm of the mind that it's very Mustacian. I'm trading money for time...that's basically what FIRE is. Certainly I wouldn't categorize it in the same wasteful category as say a cable bill. And if you're married I think it's even more important as it helps to alleviate petty household chores arguments. To me its and excellent use of money.

LeRainDrop

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2016, 09:18:32 PM »
Agree, LAGuy.  I had the cleaning service while I was working at my big law firm, like 60-90 hours per week.  $130 per month was WELL work the time saved.  Now that I'm not working, the time/cost balance has flipped and I'd rather handle the cleaning myself.

calimom

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2016, 10:48:04 PM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

Get back to me when you're a single parent with a couple of kids, a couple of businesses, a couple of rental properties and house on a couple of acres! You might rethink outsourcing a couple of things that might make your life a bit more manageable. :)

MsPeacock

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2016, 03:41:01 PM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

Get back to me when you're a single parent with a couple of kids, a couple of businesses, a couple of rental properties and house on a couple of acres! You might rethink outsourcing a couple of things that might make your life a bit more manageable. :)

This. And the topic of cleaning services gets rehashed pretty regularly on this forum.

OP if you don't have an IRA that would be my first vote for where to put the money!

newelljack

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2016, 08:23:47 PM »
Hmm, a few good points have been made about exchanging time for money. We have three kids under 7 so the messes come fast and furious, but I have plenty of time (I teach, so no 60-90 hour weeks). I already have a Roth (from earlier in my life that I stopped paying into when I got into debt, but that's a story for a different thread), so I can easily make monthly payments into that. Thanks for everyone's help in considering this.

Giro

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2016, 11:35:53 AM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

Get back to me when you're a single parent with a couple of kids, a couple of businesses, a couple of rental properties and house on a couple of acres! You might rethink outsourcing a couple of things that might make your life a bit more manageable. :)

Yep....  We have a lawn service that comes once a week.  Basically the same thing.  We can't get home early enough to get the lawn cut before it gets too dark outside.  You're projecting your lifestyle and free time onto someone else's that may or may not be similar. 

Nick_Miller

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2016, 11:47:57 AM »
If someone is working huge hours for huge pay, it almost seems illogical to do things like clean the toilets yourself. By doing that task, you're either eating into your far superior earning potential, or you're eating into your (very) very limited free time. Either way, it seems justified...but only when time is really at a minimum and you're earning big $.

Cromacster

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2016, 11:59:04 AM »
I pay somebody to come clean my condo. I'm of the mind that it's very Mustacian. I'm trading money for time...that's basically what FIRE is. Certainly I wouldn't categorize it in the same wasteful category as say a cable bill. And if you're married I think it's even more important as it helps to alleviate petty household chores arguments. To me its and excellent use of money.

Meh, have a house cleaner if you want but at least realize how ridiculous it is and stop trying to justify it.

If you extrapolate from Is it convenient? Would I enjoy it? Wrong Question

“I really like my house cleaner and we deserve it because it reduces tension in our marriage. It’s much easier than cleaning up after ourselves. Especially since I don't have to exert any energy scrubbing toilets or cleaning floors”.  It's much more convenient than cleaning up after yourself or even reflecting upon your lifestyle to reduce the amount of mess you are creating.  If you switched to a bedpan and catheter you could even eliminate the need to clean a toilet!



Cpa Cat

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #16 on: September 19, 2016, 12:14:52 PM »
It's much more convenient than cleaning up after yourself or even reflecting upon your lifestyle to reduce the amount of mess you are creating.  If you switched to a bedpan and catheter you could even eliminate the need to clean a toilet!

I don't know why people who are anti-cleaning service always have to take it to this extreme. It's like the Godwin's Law of housekeeper posts on MMM. How many posts until someone says that people with a maid service are slobs who refuse to pick up after themselves? We should have a betting pool.

In all seriousness, if you had a catheter and bedpan, you'd still have to clean the toilet. 1) because you presumably empty your bedpan into it, so now you have both a bedpan and a toilet to clean. And 2) for any toilets that didn't get used and were therefore never flushed, there would be a ring caused by evaporation and dust.

But what do I know? I have a biweekly maid service. So I assume I would just throw my bedpan on the floor for the maids to clean up, just like all my other detritus and waste.

charis

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #17 on: September 19, 2016, 12:57:27 PM »
I pay pay for a housecleaner to come once a month to do in three hours what would take one of us (me, a full time employee, and H, a full time employee and full time student at night, with two small children) two weekend days to accomplish.  We still do light cleaning daily (pick up, sweep, wash surfaces) but pay for a deeper clean 1x/month.  We spend that free time with our children, exercising, doing volunteer activities, or a necessary chore (like grocery shopping) - all things that we have preciously little time to do during the week.  Plus saves us a regular fight on the dirty state of our house.   

I don't need to justify it.  It's one of the most valuable things we spend $ on, end of story.

Miss Piggy

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #18 on: September 19, 2016, 01:09:27 PM »
I will soon be firing my current housekeeper and hiring a new one: me. That will free up $140/mo, so my question is what is something symbolic I should do with that money? Using MMM's 10 year lens that's $26k!! Would you just stash it in a Roth IRA or try something riskier? Or just spend it as extra blow money?

What makes you so confident that the replacement is qualified? Work samples? Reference checks?  ;)

Wouldn't you want to invest that money?

Captain FIRE

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #19 on: September 19, 2016, 01:17:53 PM »
Plus saves us a regular fight on the dirty state of our house.   

+1

We don't have a housecleaner yet, but are talking about it (I'm pregnant and exhausted frequently).  My options are:

1) Resentfully do it all (vast majority of household chores because DH sees no point to EVER doing things like cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming etc., in addition to nursing/pumping every 2 hrs while working full-time) on little sleep until I break, at which point we get an expensive divorce; OR
2) Getting a housecleaner

I don't like paying for something that can be done by the two of us, but since I can't get DH to help much, it causes no end of stress and fights.  I agree is not's fully mustachian, but it is cheaper than a therapist or divorce.  Since DH believes you don't have a real marital problem if you can solve it by throwing money you have at the issue (not something we do often), I think I'm going to take him up on it and insist on getting one about month 8 or so.  At least that'll mean I'll only be doing most of the cooking, dishes, and laundry.

I don't know why people who are anti-cleaning service always have to take it to this extreme. It's like the Godwin's Law of housekeeper posts on MMM. How many posts until someone says that people with a maid service are slobs who refuse to pick up after themselves? We should have a betting pool.

Yup, it's a hot button issue around here, while other things such as spending on travel usually get a pass.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2016, 01:19:32 PM by Captain FIRE »

honeybbq

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #20 on: September 19, 2016, 01:18:17 PM »

I never thought people on this forum actually hired someone to clean their toilets LOL

I do. Punch away! She does 4 hours a week usually. Between the kids, the dogs, and a 2 career household, this is one indulgence that makes life easier. It also helps my stress level to come home to a clean house and improves my QOL.

I also have a dog walker 2x a week (double punch).

But, it is what it is. I do outsource some. But we almost never eat out, I cook every night of the week, etc. We all have our 'things'. And in all honesty, even if I outsource ~$500/mo, that's a drop in the bucket for our savings/spending rates.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2016, 01:23:13 PM by honeybbq »

Miss Piggy

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #21 on: September 19, 2016, 01:28:09 PM »
I also have a dog walker 2x a week (double punch).

So do I.

Twice a week. And she has saved my butt (or should I say my floors) on multiple occasions, not to mention that she has never said "No" when we've needed boarding (she'll board them at her house) for business trips, vacations, etc. The dogs love her, and the peace of mind is worth it to me.

That said, I do scrub my own toilets. :)

Red Beard

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Re: Hiring new housekeeper
« Reply #22 on: September 19, 2016, 04:09:33 PM »
My landlord offered a lawn service to us for $25 a month earlier this year. We don't have a huge lawn and I scoffed to my wife "I would never pay that for something I am perfectly capable of doing myself".

Fast forward to her having a side hustle and training for a marathon and me leaving for the gym before the sun rises and getting home from work as it sets. Our grass is 6 inches tall and I would gladly pay someone double that to just not have to think about (or hear about it) for a day.