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Post by MichyM on Apr 13, 2020 19:19:03 GMT
I'm struggling with what to do. My housecleaner is a one woman show. She's cleaned for me for just over a year. Before the pandemic, I had planned on asking her if I could go to once monthly, instead of every other week. I hesitate to do so now for obvious reasons. I've put my related question as a poll to hopefully get honest answers. Please feel free to add specifics or anything I managed to overlook. Thanks!
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peasquared
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,490 
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Post by peasquared on Apr 13, 2020 19:24:30 GMT
I voted for however long it takes. But, that would be if I realllllly liked them and trusted them. I think having someone you can trust is worth it.
Now, I can say that because fortunately, our income is not in jeopardy. Yet. I may give a different answer if that were the case.
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Post by busy on Apr 13, 2020 19:28:40 GMT
I had my cleaners come until my state went on stay at home orders, so about 4 weeks ago. Cleaning services are still able to operate now, but I opted out. I get a stipend from work that covers 50% of the cost of a cleaning service. They're explicitly allowing us to use that to continue to pay our cleaners even if they aren't coming, so I'm doing that. But I'll be honest, that's all I'm paying them right now. My husband is out of work indefinitely due to covid and we have no idea when things will resume for him (he's a sportscaster). It's possible his job may never be quite the same again. And while we are more than comfortable with only my income and have savings, we're cutting where we can. Cleaning service is one place. I'll continue to evaluate - I may decide to deem the cleaning service as an essential expense  But for right now, I figure 50% is better than nothing. |
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Post by shamrock on Apr 13, 2020 19:31:14 GMT
I don’t have a house cleaner. If I did, and our income was stable I would continue paying them for awhile. I’d like to say “for however long it takes,” but realistically I don’t think I could commit to that. In your case, since you were planning to cut back anyway, maybe starting in May go to that schedule. I don’t know it is a tough call.
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The Birdhouse Lady
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Posts: 7,214
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Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Apr 13, 2020 19:34:33 GMT
I don't have a housecleaner but, I think I would pay them for awhile.
We have our own small business and we have a bookkeeper come in once a month to double check what I have done. We have opted for her not come right now but I am still planning on paying her. She is also a one woman show. |
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maryannscraps
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Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Apr 13, 2020 19:35:38 GMT
I've offered to pay our cleaner, but she won't take it. She and her mom have been cleaning my house for about 5 years. I promised her that I'd call her back when things get back to normal. For now, our income hasn't changed.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Apr 13, 2020 19:38:35 GMT
I have been paying mine as usual, even though she hasn't been here since March 12. We will continue to pay her until she can return, which will be the second DH goes back to work downtown. She has been with us for over 15 years and is like family, not to mention extremely honest. I'll do whatever I can to keep her on.
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freebird
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Post by freebird on Apr 13, 2020 19:39:52 GMT
I have a somewhat new house cleaner. I, unfortunately, am going to let her go after all this. I'm not loving how she cleans. She was supposed to come 2 weeks ago, but she didn't and I did not pay her.
I'll tell her later that I'm not having her back.
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Post by Merge on Apr 13, 2020 19:42:59 GMT
Ours has been with us for five years and is extremely honest and trustworthy. She does a great job. I'll keep paying her for as long as it takes, assuming DH and I both continue to have jobs.
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Post by allison1954 on Apr 13, 2020 19:52:13 GMT
We are not working right now and are self employed( so no unemployment ) .
If I am not working , I can't pay her to not work, unfortunately
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AmeliaBloomer
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Posts: 6,842
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Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Apr 13, 2020 19:54:50 GMT
However long it takes.
We consider ourselves her employer. If our family reaps the benefits of various employers continuing to pay us, I feel a responsibility to extend the same benefit.
Meanwhile, I’m scrubbing toilets, so, admittedly, my stance is not without its flaws...
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Apr 13, 2020 19:58:20 GMT
We are not working right now and are self employed( so no unemployment ) . slight hijack: I don't know the particulars of your situation but here all non-essential businesses had to close and my self-employed DH is one of those. I just found out today that his accountant has filed for unemployment for him. Because of the virus situation he will qualify. Just an FYI. |
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Post by MichyM on Apr 13, 2020 20:22:47 GMT
I had my cleaners come until my state went on stay at home orders, so about 4 weeks ago. Cleaning services are still able to operate now, but I opted out. I get a stipend from work that covers 50% of the cost of a cleaning service. They're explicitly allowing us to use that to continue to pay our cleaners even if they aren't coming, so I'm doing that. But I'll be honest, that's all I'm paying them right now. My husband is out of work indefinitely due to covid and we have no idea when things will resume for him (he's a sportscaster). It's possible his job may never be quite the same again. And while we are more than comfortable with only my income and have savings, we're cutting where we can. Cleaning service is one place. I'll continue to evaluate - I may decide to deem the cleaning service as an essential expense But for right now, I figure 50% is better than nothing. My financial sitch has changed due to coronavirus as well. While I'm spending less due to the quarantine, I still have concerns. I'm very sorry about your DH's job. Every time the sports dudes on the news are on these days I always feel so badly for them. They must be bored out of their minds (amongst other things) right now. I absolutely love that your work helps pay for your housecleaning though. What an awesome perk, and one I personally have never heard of! |
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J u l e e
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Post by J u l e e on Apr 13, 2020 20:26:41 GMT
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MaryMary
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Post by MaryMary on Apr 13, 2020 20:40:26 GMT
I haven’t had her come in the last month, but offered to pay anyway. She refused. I hope she’s okay, she is the sweetest lady.
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Post by busy on Apr 13, 2020 20:45:11 GMT
I absolutely love that your work helps pay for your housecleaning though. What an awesome perk, and one I personally have never heard of! Yeah, it's nice. In-office staff get free coffee and lunch delivery every day, as well as fully stocked drinks/snacks. A couple of the offsets to make things equitable for remote employees are a coffee shop stipend (which is temporarily just a food from wherever stipend) and a cleaning stipend. It's usually a perk reserved for remote employees; it's not super common but not especially uncommon either. It's a weird time for sports media. There's literally nothing to do. Traditional media has been suffering for quite some time, sports media has remained largely ok in that world. But I worry that this could change things for good. I have no idea. This is all he's ever done... he got his degree in broadcast journalism at UW and has been in the field ever since. He's 50 and the prospect of changing careers is daunting to say the least. Hopefully it won't come to that, but it's hard to say. And yes he's very very bored and having a hard time not contributing financially to the household at all. Of course he has no control over that, but that doesn't make it easy. |
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Post by epeanymous on Apr 13, 2020 20:48:48 GMT
I am paying now, but really it depends on how long this goes. I am happy to pay for several months, but if god forbid we end up going through summer into fall, I am going to have to reconsider (same goes for my childcare).
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by Mystie on Apr 13, 2020 20:51:01 GMT
My house cleaner is also a one-woman show, she comes once a month because it's just me and my husband and we're not too messy. I canceled her March and April appointments and I don't know when I'll have her back. I'm still paying her. Our income has thankfully not been interrupted or altered, so she's still in the monthly budget. If anything changes, I'll re-assess but for now she's getting paid. This is literally the only thing I can do for someone else right now while I'm quarantined and in chemo, so it feels important to me. Every situation is different, though.
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Post by flanz on Apr 13, 2020 21:14:54 GMT
I became very ill in Sept of 2012 and it lasted two years. Once well, we decided to keep the fab housekeeper that came for 4 hours every other week during that time. Blessed to be able to afford it. We pay her $25 an hour, a lot more than some of her clients do. I know she needs the income. I know she doesn't have vacation time or sick time... although I pay her when she's been sick and couldn't come as well, but many of her clients don't. We paid her for several months during her chemo treatments too.
I've been paying her not to come since early March. Paid her for 3 visits worth at a time, about to do that again.
I feel very privileged to have been able to afford her help, and if I could pay her then (we blessedly have no drop in income now), I feel I should continue to pay her. And I want to.
That said, everyone's circumstances are different....
Big cyber hugs to all reading here.
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kate
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Post by kate on Apr 13, 2020 21:28:24 GMT
I don't have one, but I'd be inclined to pay something if it were an independent person. Since our income has gone down, I'd probably pay less than the full fee. Our building is frowning upon service providers like house cleaners and dog walkers right now, though we're encouraged to pay them if we're able. Grocery and food deliveries are okay, though.  |
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Post by crafty on Apr 13, 2020 21:30:06 GMT
We also have someone every other week. The first time I cancelled and paid. Today she cancelled, or as she called it "postponed" and she didn't mention anything about payment.
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Post by flanz on Apr 13, 2020 21:31:57 GMT
I've offered to pay our cleaner, but she won't take it. She and her mom have been cleaning my house for about 5 years. I promised her that I'd call her back when things get back to normal. For now, our income hasn't changed. I don't know how long ago you offered... but her answer might be different now, or a month from now... |
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Post by flanz on Apr 13, 2020 21:32:45 GMT
I have a somewhat new house cleaner. I, unfortunately, am going to let her go after all this. I'm not loving how she cleans. She was supposed to come 2 weeks ago, but she didn't and I did not pay her. I'll tell her later that I'm not having her back. In your case I would do the same. |
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maryannscraps
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Post by maryannscraps on Apr 13, 2020 21:36:58 GMT
I've offered to pay our cleaner, but she won't take it. She and her mom have been cleaning my house for about 5 years. I promised her that I'd call her back when things get back to normal. For now, our income hasn't changed. I don't know how long ago you offered... but her answer might be different now, or a month from now... I had texted her again today. I've offered to send her a check three times now, but she keeps saying they are fine for now. I told her to keep me in mind. If I had her address, I'd mail it out to her. I really like them -- they are super nice people and I don't want them to suffer when the cleaning budget is still in my means. |
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Post by flanz on Apr 13, 2020 21:59:34 GMT
I don't know how long ago you offered... but her answer might be different now, or a month from now... I had texted her again today. I've offered to send her a check three times now, but she keeps saying they are fine for now. I told her to keep me in mind. If I had her address, I'd mail it out to her. I really like them -- they are super nice people and I don't want them to suffer when the cleaning budget is still in my means. That's really sweet Maryann. |
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paigepea
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Post by paigepea on Apr 13, 2020 22:03:07 GMT
I replied I will pay eve if they don’t work but I don’t know for how long. I offered to etransfer my house cleaner her money but she refused to accept it. She has a full time job in a care facility. I contact every week to make sure she’s still able to work. I’ve told her to contact me if she needs money / anything.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Apr 13, 2020 23:12:59 GMT
I elected to have my cleaners continue to clean. I spoke with the supervisor and they're doing temperature checks to ensure people are not ill, requiring gloves and masks and requiring they be changed between each house and have added heavy duty sanitizing of high touch areas. They also asked all clients to inform them if anyone in the house is ill so they can postpone service until everyone is healthy for 14 days. Is there still risk - sure, but frankly feel better about it then the supermarket.
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kibblesandbits
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Post by kibblesandbits on Apr 13, 2020 23:27:07 GMT
I'm struggling with what to do. My housecleaner is a one woman show. She's cleaned for me for just over a year. Before the pandemic, I had planned on asking her if I could go to once monthly, instead of every other week. I hesitate to do so now for obvious reasons. I've put my related question as a poll to hopefully get honest answers. Please feel free to add specifics or anything I managed to overlook. Thanks! I pay my housecleaner even though she is not able to come to clean. She's very happy about that, I'm one of her few clients that are able to do so. |
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seaexplore
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Apr 13, 2020 23:33:09 GMT
My sister is paying her live-in nanny to not come. She's also paying her housekeeper to not come.
I cannot afford a house keeper or a nanny so I guess I'm paying myself? LOL
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Post by peano on Apr 14, 2020 0:12:17 GMT
I have paid my house cleaner for three visits where she did not come. I told her I wasn't comfortable with putting her family or mine at risk. I'm prepared to continue for as long as it takes, unless something catastrophic happens.
I was telling a friend today that not having a cleaner has been personally, the hardest thing about the pandemic. Because I'm still having shortness of breath after my surgeries, I can only do so much at a time.
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But for right now, I figure 50% is better than nothing. 
