To give my cleaner John Lewis vouchers?

[Toomiddleclassforwords]

For Christmas?

name changed as I’m likely to be ripped to shreds for this one, but AIBU to give my cleaner some John Lewis vouchers for Christmas or should I give cash?

I see it the other way. A JL voucher is like "you wouldn't be able to shop there yourself so here is a voucher from me to give you the opportunity"

It feels extra luxurious to spend money in a more expensive shop on something frivolous. I'd do it! I got vouchers to a fancy store and I spent them in the sales.

My cleaner loves JL vouchers! I either give her those or M&S

JL is t expensive for similar items elsewhere and they do price match. I think cash is better though as they can spend where they want and don’t have the hassle of going to a specific shop or paying delivery for online ordering.

My cleaner gets them every year from one of her clients. She swaps them with me for cash

This exactly!!

I think its reverse snobbery to think John Lewis vouchers are good, because it relies on the beluef that John Lewis stuff is better, rather thsn just being the same stuff at a higher price. Pretty much anything you can buy in John Lewis will be cheaper elsewhere. So its snobbery to think that people will be pleased to be given the privilege of buying a scarf or saucepan from John Lewis rather than buying a comparable item somewhere else at a lower price.The poster upthread who talked about their cleaner being glad of the chance to buy a nice cup and saucer is a perfect example of this. Even if I was given £50+ of John Lewis vouchers I would still think it's a shame that £50 couldn't have gone further.

A week or two of pay, in cash.

Some people on this thread spend more on their cleaner’s Christmas present than I do on my DC.

If someone is at the point where a cash gift would get "swallowed up" then it's wanky and controlling to assert that they "should get a treat".

I've been tight for cash recently, and my parents usual birthday money got swallowed up. That's a GOOD thing. It meant that I could just tap away without double checking my bank balance first.

If you told me I needed to buy a candle with it so that you felt that I'd treated myself, you can fuck off.

I’d give cash because not everyone shops at JL. I got a JL voucher once from Waitrose when they failed to deliver an online food shop and I honestly couldn’t find a thing to buy so I gave it away.

Can't you read? I wrote if someone is short of money, didn't assume a cleaner would be at all.

Exactly this 👏

PP then replied to say they were joking. In my defence it wasn't very clear

Very much depends on your cleaner - do you know her to chat to?

I chat to mine when she visits and I know for a fact that her family are comfortable financially, plus I know she shops in M&S every so often, so I get her vouchers for there.

If you don't know your cleaner too well, or are uncertain of her financial circumstances, I'd just go with cash.

I always give the equivalent of an extra clean.

I often get given John Lewis vouchers for birthdays/Christmas and find them really difficult to spend. I don't consider kitchen equipment or duvet covers much of a treat and they don't go very far on clothes so they sit in my purse for ages.
Last week I used the ones I've had since my birthday in the summer on Christmas decorations.

I would say it depends on how well you know her personal circumstances, cash could be a safer bet if she might be less well off.
It's interesting that some people are assuming all cleaners are poor though, you might be surprised to find that some of us are just as well off as our clients!

Assuming it's just a gift and not a replacement for her payment I don't see what the issue is

you get what you're given.

I’m giving mine cash and a hamper of luxury food for Christmas Day that I know she can’t afford otherwise.

She’s had a very tough time this past year and I’ve helped as much as possible. I’m hoping the cash is useful but she will still have a nice gift too.

This thread and the replies are very funny. Cleaners can charge a fortune where I am (and fair play to them, it’s hard work and if you do it well then there is a lot of demand). They’re not all skint!

Also John Lewis isn’t even a particularly spendy shop for a lot of things - chances are that your cleaner won’t be embarrassed going into a JL or swoon at the thought of their kindly master giving them an expensive treat.

That said, would always give cash as it’s just a better option all round as JL not to everyone’s taste (as Carrie Johnson did say!).

But you could use the JL vouchers at Waitrose, which is comparable to M&S for food. Ridiculous response.

Definitely cash.

I would really appreciate M&S vouchers so I could use them in the food hall. There isn't a Waitrose near me, so I personally couldn't go that. Maybe sodull has the same issue. I'm struggling to see what's ridiculous about it.

@threelittlefigs ahhh but we do not have a Waitrose nearby.

my nearest Waitrose is 20 miles away and is a motorway services one. 😭😭😭

I remember the days I lived in civilisation.