How much do you pay your housekeeper?

[sdduuuude]

Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.

[Coronita]

[quote=briansd1][quote=meadandale]

If I hire a housekeeper, I’m not their employer, I’m their client. It’s their responsibility to report their income and pay their taxes–just like when I hire a plumber, electrician or landscaper.[/quote]

Here are the rules:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20010109a.asp

Some political appointees have run into problems because of the “nanny” tax.

I guess one can interpret the rules to fit one’s needs.[/quote]

depends on how much/how frequently

[Coronita]

[quote=briansd1][quote=meadandale]

If I hire a housekeeper, I’m not their employer, I’m their client. It’s their responsibility to report their income and pay their taxes–just like when I hire a plumber, electrician or landscaper.[/quote]

Here are the rules:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20010109a.asp

Some political appointees have run into problems because of the “nanny” tax.

I guess one can interpret the rules to fit one’s needs.[/quote]

depends on how much/how frequently

[Coronita]

[quote=briansd1][quote=meadandale]

If I hire a housekeeper, I’m not their employer, I’m their client. It’s their responsibility to report their income and pay their taxes–just like when I hire a plumber, electrician or landscaper.[/quote]

Here are the rules:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20010109a.asp

Some political appointees have run into problems because of the “nanny” tax.

I guess one can interpret the rules to fit one’s needs.[/quote]

depends on how much/how frequently

[Coronita]

[quote=briansd1][quote=meadandale]

If I hire a housekeeper, I’m not their employer, I’m their client. It’s their responsibility to report their income and pay their taxes–just like when I hire a plumber, electrician or landscaper.[/quote]

Here are the rules:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20010109a.asp

Some political appointees have run into problems because of the “nanny” tax.

I guess one can interpret the rules to fit one’s needs.[/quote]

depends on how much/how frequently

[Coronita]

[quote=briansd1][quote=meadandale]

If I hire a housekeeper, I’m not their employer, I’m their client. It’s their responsibility to report their income and pay their taxes–just like when I hire a plumber, electrician or landscaper.[/quote]

Here are the rules:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20010109a.asp

Some political appointees have run into problems because of the “nanny” tax.

I guess one can interpret the rules to fit one’s needs.[/quote]

depends on how much/how frequently

[svelte]

[quote=sdduuuude]We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Every time we do something new, we discover something unexpected.

When we hired a house cleaner, what we discovered is that we kept the house cleaner! It forced us to pick up our little “projects” the day before she arrives, so at least once every 14 days the house is totally free of projects du jour….and it stays that way until the next weekend hits. 🙂

We love it!

[svelte]

[quote=sdduuuude]We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Every time we do something new, we discover something unexpected.

When we hired a house cleaner, what we discovered is that we kept the house cleaner! It forced us to pick up our little “projects” the day before she arrives, so at least once every 14 days the house is totally free of projects du jour….and it stays that way until the next weekend hits. 🙂

We love it!

[svelte]

[quote=sdduuuude]We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Every time we do something new, we discover something unexpected.

When we hired a house cleaner, what we discovered is that we kept the house cleaner! It forced us to pick up our little “projects” the day before she arrives, so at least once every 14 days the house is totally free of projects du jour….and it stays that way until the next weekend hits. 🙂

We love it!

[svelte]

[quote=sdduuuude]We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Every time we do something new, we discover something unexpected.

When we hired a house cleaner, what we discovered is that we kept the house cleaner! It forced us to pick up our little “projects” the day before she arrives, so at least once every 14 days the house is totally free of projects du jour….and it stays that way until the next weekend hits. 🙂

We love it!

[svelte]

[quote=sdduuuude]We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Every time we do something new, we discover something unexpected.

When we hired a house cleaner, what we discovered is that we kept the house cleaner! It forced us to pick up our little “projects” the day before she arrives, so at least once every 14 days the house is totally free of projects du jour….and it stays that way until the next weekend hits. 🙂

We love it!

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=sdduuuude]Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Your wife only pays you $80 per session?!?

😛

CE

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=sdduuuude]Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Your wife only pays you $80 per session?!?

😛

CE

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=sdduuuude]Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Your wife only pays you $80 per session?!?

😛

CE

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=sdduuuude]Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.[/quote]

Your wife only pays you $80 per session?!?

😛

CE

[Author]

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