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Original poster

To ask if money gets tight will you cancel your cleaner??

216 replies

Tootsey11 · 09/03/2022 13:09

I am a cleaner, and with prices of everything rising, I'm wondering if or when the cancellations will start coming.

Will you prioritise a clean house and cut back on other things?

At the moment I am not short of work, but may need to increase the hourly rate for my furtherest away clients. I'm holding back as I'm worried about pricing myself out. I charge between £10 and £11/hour. There are people in my area advertising cleaning for £8/£9 an hour.

If you have a cleaner, will you keep them on or needs must and get rid

OP posts:
DailyMailHater · 09/03/2022 14:00

We had to cancel ours, due to a drop in my husbands income due to lockdowns etc…..it was one of the few “extras” we have so was unfortunately the first to go.
I think it will depend on peoples circumstances though as to what else they have that they could cut.
My cleaner allowed me to focus on family time was great for my mental health but the money needed to be used for “essential bills”

OfstedOffred · 09/03/2022 14:01

Yes, if money was tight the cleaner would go. Its non essential.

Helpel · 09/03/2022 14:01

Our cleaner currently does 3 hours one week 2 hours the next. We agreed a £15/hour rate when she comes for two hours and £12.50 when she comes for 3. I am thinking of cutting down to just 3 hours every other week, but increasing her pay to £15/hour for that time so she isn't losing so much and we are saving a bit. Im also working from home more so can pick up the slack on the weeks she won't be coming.

Aimee1987 · 09/03/2022 14:02

My sons going to turn 3 this year the hope was when his nursery fees reduce we could afford a cleaner but with the expected price rises I fear that dream will not be possible.
Sorry i think a cleaner is a luxury that many will need to cut

Toastfiendish · 09/03/2022 14:03

Cleaner is one of the last things we would cancel. I'd buy less stuff/reduce food shop/less treats etc. We both work full time and have small children. Not working from home - very limited time. When we were younger and didn't have a cleaner I spent half a weekend day cleaning as I can't be happy in a dirty house. Good cleaners are basically gold dust so you'll get more clients if people cancel.

Overthebow · 09/03/2022 14:03

We were going to hire a regular cleaner but I’m now waiting to see the impact of the price rises. A cleaner is a luxury to me and would be one of the first things to go. I would prioritise savings and mortgage overpayments over a cleaner too so will only get one if we can still afford these.

CornishGem1975 · 09/03/2022 14:03

Having a cleaner is a massive luxury, one that I could afford now but can't justify, so yes it would be the first thing to go if I were cutting back.

Wonderwall80 · 09/03/2022 14:03

I just trimmed ours back to one and a half days, which is what it was originally. Nothing extra seemed to be getting done from the ‘twice monthly/once monthly list’ which is why I upped it an extra 3 hours a week. Shame really. I suggest you increase your hourly rate though; £8/9 isn’t enough. Mine is £16/hr. Be awesome, and don’t let complacency creep in and you’ll be fine x

pregnantncnc · 09/03/2022 14:07

If push came to shove, obviously I can clean my own house and/or just live in a slightly dirtier one. But I'd much rather spend money on a cleaner than I would on alcohol or eating out, getting my hair done or buying new clothes.

We actually don't have a cleaner atm but have been desperately seeking one for the last 6 months to no avail - so if your area is anything like mine, I don't think you need to worry.

FangsForTheMemory · 09/03/2022 14:07

I only have a window cleaner. He's married with three kids. I'd cut something else before I told him to stop coming.

WellTidy · 09/03/2022 14:08

There’s lots of other cutbacks I’d make before cancelling our cleaner (5.5 hours a week cleaning and ironing).

I’d go to a cheaper supermarket; meal plan better, compromise on variety so that I’d spend less on food; shop around more for toiletries and household; have fewer coffees or meals out; do without a few bits of clothes that I’d otherwise like to buy; sell things on Facebook groups rather than giving them away etc.

But if things were still bad, I would propose a fortnightly clean rather than weekly and see what she might be able to accommodate.

daisyjgrey · 09/03/2022 14:08

I'm going the opposite way. I'm working more, workload at uni is higher, just everything is more stressful and I'm home less and less and when I'm there I don't want to be cleaning it so I'm trying to work out what I can cut back on so I can start hiring a cleaner!

Sexnotgender · 09/03/2022 14:10

My cleaner will be one of the last things I’d cancel. I’d rather cancel my sky package!

Christmas21 · 09/03/2022 14:10

There are so many other things I'd give up before I give up my cleaner even if she did put her prices up. I really value the time having a cleaner gives me.

Starlightstarbright1 · 09/03/2022 14:11

When i was childminding.. i had a family who sent their youngest Dc to me as it was cheaper than paying a cleaner.

I don't have a cleaner so can't answer your question but people may look for cheaper options.

Grantanow · 09/03/2022 14:11

We would be very reluctant to give up our cleaners (or wine)!

Lastqueenofscotland · 09/03/2022 14:11

I don’t have a cleaner as I actively enjoy cleaning!! But it would be one of the first things to go for me.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 09/03/2022 14:12

Not a chance. Having my cleaner come (every other week) is vital to me.

If I lost my job and couldn’t find another, it’d be different. But otherwise, my lovely cleaner stays.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 09/03/2022 14:12

Cleaner would be the last to go. I think we’d be looking at downsizing before this would happen.

Howeverdoyouneedme · 09/03/2022 14:12

Already have done. And we’re not badly off, but I couldn’t justify it when we’re wondering whether to have a holiday.

HangOnToYourself · 09/03/2022 14:16

It would be a last resort for me as I'm a single FT working mum with a young child, my boyfriend lives almost an hour away so I tend to use my weekends to travel to see him and his daughter so it's a big struggle to carve out time to do the cleaning and keep on top of everything. My cleaner is an absolute gem as well so I would really miss her.

EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 09/03/2022 14:17

I would employ a cleaner in a heartbeat. I don't have much more to give up but a calmer and more in control household would mean so much to me.

WorryMcGee · 09/03/2022 14:17

I’ve just cancelled ours. I felt awful but I had to with things how they are (and about to get worse, just as I go on maternity leave)

lawandgin · 09/03/2022 14:17

Mine went during covid. We just couldn't justify the expense, even though we could technically afford it. I'm now glad we've been prudent, but there are more changes coming for sure.

Chasingaftermidnight · 09/03/2022 14:18

I’ll cancel if I really need to but there are lots of things that will go before my cleaner.

If it were some of the rubbish cleaners we’ve had before, my answer would be different. But our current cleaner is just amazing and I don’t want to risk losing her. It took us nearly 10 years to find such a good cleaner and she has potential clients queuing round the block.