Have I been miserly with our cleaner?

Nobody is making her work for herself for £16/hour. We can assume therefore that it is quite sufficient and covers costs. Salaried options are always available.

We do 2 weeks bonus but tbh for the hours she’s doing I think thats fine.

Tipping is hardly ‘condescending’.
Are tight people now using this as an excuse not to tip?

If you think £16 per hour is enough to cover a cleaner‘s overheads and pension contributions then I think you’re living in la la land.

I’ve never had a cleaner and I’m not saying everyone should tip cleaners. I’m saying I understand why people may choose to tip them. I wouldn’t tip people in salaried roles with pensions and benefits unless they went above and beyond for me.

What does a cleaner do apart from clean up your shite. Of course their hourly rate should reflect all their overheads and pension contributions etc but why should they be tipped? Bit condescending isnt it?

I’m sure she’s used to both. It’s the same with restaurant staff, they appreciate the tips but know that not everyone tips. (In the UK at least). Although service charges are becoming depressingly common here too.

I’ve just mentally dismissed my local burger joint because they tacked on a 12.5% service charge. For fast food! I would have tipped anyway but won’t be going back,

A postie is a salaried role with pension and benefits. Not sure what they do to go above and beyond delivering your mail?

Not at all, very generous better than a cheap box of melted chocolates and an old second hand, discoloured bottle of wine I once received

I bet there are loads of people in this situation.
You won't be on your own

@LividBauble I honestly think context is a lot here. I live in a tiny house without any luxuries so it's quite clear I don't have a lot of cash and having her come is my 'treat' to myself. If I had to factor in big bonuses etc I would end up having her come less often. I don't think with my kind of house she'd be expecting anything at all, but it's fair to say if she went to some big house twice a week in a posh area, she would be hoping for a bonus based on some replies here!

I gave mine two items from a hamper I won as a Christmas raffle prize. I told her that's what they were as I believe 'open' regifting - so people know you're being kind with the gift but not to feel indebted as it didn't cost you that. I said she could pick two, a couple will go to my mum, and a couple into work.
She seemed genuinely really happy and I was too.

A week's wages around here (including mine) seems the norm and a bottle and/or chocolates.

I'm a single mum with no money or time.

I have a cleaner once a month because I have no time to clean. They're coming just after new year and I won't be tipping, because I have nothing left to give. I've bought all DC's Christmas presents on Vinted.

Reading this thread has made me die a bit inside that they'll be expecting something.

Out of interest, what Polish sweets were they? We’ve just discovered this year that Polish “fudge” sweets are lovely! We were given them by someone else, not our cleaner (who isn’t Polish) but just interested!

£50 bonus on top of usual wage at the very least. £20 is mean.

😆🤣 Obliging the knobless??

(My phone tried to correct it to noblesse🤪)

I gave our cleaner an extra week of money - she isn’t actually not coming any weeks so it’s not for a week she isn’t coming, it’s on top - and a little gift for her and one for her son.

I wrote her card in her home language which was really hard!

Her weekly pay from one customer for 5 hours work..... Not her weekly pay in total!
I'd see it as £68 bonus as she's self employed and not working on Thursday.

Shouldnt tip them anything. It's as ludicrous as tipping your mechanic or window cleaner.

It surely depends on the "wealth" of the employer. A millionaire would be expected to tip more than a bottle of wine or limited cash.

A poorer employer wouldn't. 🤷‍♀️

I thought so too!

I think that's a good enough, what does your DH suggest?

I think it's ok as she is travelling on Boxing Day. The only thing I might do is offer her another date to make up the missed session.

I give my cleaner £200 but I've used her for 15 years and I really like her. I pay around £90 a week.

I give our cleaner an extra weeks money

I’m a cleaner and didn’t get anything from a couple of my clients, tbh not that I expect it but a show of appreciation would be nice but not even a card, and these people are extremely well off, I’m very precise in my job and make sure that I do a good job also very accommodating so if they cancel I will always try to fit them in somewhere else that week. off of some of my other clients I got chocolate and some bits from the white company which is lovely so what you have done is very generous and I’m sure she was very grateful ☺️

Just out of curiosity do you have a well paid job?
That's more than some people's PIP 😳

You're very generous.