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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Glowtastic · 09/03/2022 15:31

I'll stop buying any clothes/make up plus forfeit my "treats" ie theatre trips and meals out, plus convince DH to do the food shop somewhere cheaper than Tesco, plus stop using as much water having baths. The cleaner stays as we both work so much life would be shit if we had to spend all weekend cleaning.

Love the way some posters on this thread have turned out into a stealth boast about how they can afford the increase in cost of living and are putting their unnecessary and luxury home improvement plans on hold instead. Grin

SpringheelJack · 09/03/2022 15:32

It's not really a yes/no question! It depends on exactly HOW tight money is getting, what your other luxuries are, and where a cleaner fits into your priority list. Personally, there are a lot of things I'd cut back on before I'd cancel the cleaner. But obviously if we both suddenly lost our jobs and were struggling to afford basic necessities - I would have to!

I'm not sure anyone can really give you reassurances, as it depends so much on the specifics.

SallyMcNally · 09/03/2022 15:34

The cleaner would be the last thing to go! She wasn't able to come for a month last month (she had covid then we did) and in between being sick and going away we didn't manage to do it ourselves. It was awful!

I always justify it with this study that basically says that buying a cleaner is one of the few ways you can actually buy happiness! www.independent.co.uk/news/science/money-buy-happiness-cleaner-cook-gardener-time-stress-a7857731.html?amp

To be fair we have a reasonable gap between income and expenditure, no car and an apartment that doesn't need heating as we are in the middle of the block so we can absorb a lot of the extra costs without struggling too much at this stage.

I would increase prices as they seem low to me and maybe try an cultivate some new referrals just in case you lose one or two along the way.

Movingsoon21 · 09/03/2022 15:35

Cleaner is the last luxury I would give up - she saves our marriage and mental health! But she is bloody good. I probably wouldn’t feel the same if she did a bad job but then I’d look for a new cleaner instead of just cancelling.

momtoboys · 09/03/2022 15:36

We just had this conversation in my house yesterday evening. waiting a couple more weeks to see how things shake out, but cleaner is on the short list to cut. Sorry.

Aprexio · 09/03/2022 15:38

If you're one of the rare breed of cleaners who does a good job and doesn't take the piss by sloping off earlier and earlier (very common in my long experience), you'll still be in demand.

I've had so many bad experiences, I only bring in cleaners when DH and I are up to our necks with work now (self employed) - would rather prioritise the money elsewhere and crack on with it ourselves.

And we have always tried to be very fair, happy to pay above the going rate, make them tea/coffee etc...

MooseBreath · 09/03/2022 15:38

When money got tight for us, we did. I wish we didn't have to, but it just wasn't affordable.

pupcakes · 09/03/2022 15:38

No chance, our cleaners keep us sane and I love them so much!!! Smile

I'd give up a lot of other things before I gave them up.

Also, I pay £15 per hour but I am in the south.

springiscom · 09/03/2022 15:39

SE London here and my cleaner has just put her rates up from £13/hour to £18. It feels like a massive jump and I'm considering looking for someone else.However I will not go without completely as I need one to be able to focus while working from home.

EatYourVegetables · 09/03/2022 15:42

Work full time, 2 small kids. The cleaner will be one of the last luxuries to go.

TheOrigRights · 09/03/2022 15:45

I will lay off the butler first, then my chauffeur, then the cook and lastly the cleaner.

TolkiensFallow · 09/03/2022 15:46

Never!

Helloninjas · 09/03/2022 15:52

I no already don’t get my hair done so I can afford a cleaner. If you’re good and busy I’m sure you’ll be fine, good cleaners are so hard to find.

AnotherDelphinium · 09/03/2022 15:58

If my current cleaner put prices up, I’d let her go, but as pp have said, it’s because she’s “only ok”. She started well, but now arrives 5/10 minutes late, and leaves half hour early, so for a three hour clean I’m losing quite a lot.

I don’t want to have to micro-manage her, but she took up cleaning during covid and I just don’t think it’s her forte.

Asdf12345 · 09/03/2022 15:59

If I could get a cleaner for £11 an hour I would have one.

Are your rates too low?

SiliconDioxide79 · 09/03/2022 16:00

Dont put your rate down OP, I'm sure good cleaners will always find work.

Any recession looming will sadly hit the poorest hardest. Maybe some middle income people will cut cleaners but I still think there will always be work for conscientious cleaners.

maybein2022 · 09/03/2022 16:02

Our cleaner would be one of the very last things to go for me. Appreciate we are very lucky.

ExConstance · 09/03/2022 16:04

I will have to give up my lovely cleaner when I retire later this year. I can't justify loafing about and not doing m own cleaning. Mine charges £16 ph, in the South West and she is very fully booked, she is so good I don't think that will change.

soootiredddd · 09/03/2022 16:06

I don't have a cleaner - we can't afford one unfortunately. But I find it puzzling how people always refer to cleaners as being on a 'low wage', most around here charge £15 an hour which is equivalent to nearly £30k a year salary if they do full time hours. I know there are extra overheads when you're self-employed (pension, leave etc) but people on MN seem to think they're paid pennies. It's a service they're providing and if you can't afford it, then it makes sense to cut it out.

Whammyyammy · 09/03/2022 16:07

We really value our cleaner, and would look at making cuts elsewhere. 1 to keep her in employment, and 2 because we rely in her.

Porcupineintherough · 09/03/2022 16:08

Would depend. If I could increase my hours at work then I'd keep the cleaner, if not then yes I'd have to lose her.

userxx · 09/03/2022 16:09

@Bywayofanupdate

I think I would give up wine before I gave up our cleaner
Jesus, you clearly love her very much.

I don't have a cleaner, but I'm cancelling the gardener. Everything is being stripped right back.

Porcupineintherough · 09/03/2022 16:13

What I would say is that neither my inlaws or my dad (all frail elderly) would dream of giving up their cleaners. Truth is they couldn't possibly manage without one. So you could always look to take on elderly clients to future proof yourself a bit.

weegiemum · 09/03/2022 16:13

I'd give up pretty much everything apart from my cleaner.

listsandbudgets · 09/03/2022 16:16

I would drop Gousto first - I mean I like it but I am sure I could do it cheaper if I could be bothered Things like disneyplus, netflix take aways and my stationery box subscription wouldn't be far behind... then my cats, my partner, my children... then if all else failed my cleaner Grin

Obviously not really cats, partner and children but I'd resist losing my lovely cleaner as long as I could get away with without impacting the family but she would certainly not be first on the list