It seems generally the board ranks a cleaning person as a luxury "above" some others -- interesting. For example, (and not true for everyone or an all-inclusive list), pedicures, soda, low mileage cars / SUVs, pets, children's activities, hair color, even make up, gym memberships, iPhone, landscaping (not to prevent erosion etc) etc. Obs some of these things are debatable but that's the point.
We all prioritize luxuries differently, but the majority here see cleaning as a higher value (not just in terms of $$$), yes?
Yes, by your standards it is a yes but it's not weekly/monthly or anything. I mean I pay $600+ to get my carpets/upholestry cleaned 1-2 times a year, $350 to get my windows cleaned once a year & I get my house detail cleaned like once a year. Last time I had my house cleaned it was $625. Soooo....doubt DH is really on board with that again until I go back to work. It used to be cheaper but we now have more kids & a big house. In our old house I had 3 kids 4 & under & a smallish house..that was like $100/biweekly. I wish it was that cheap but my house now is an incredible amount of work.
Hell yes we do. After the second kid was born and it was a weekend and I was cleaning all day and DH took the older kid to the movies I was beyond fed up. So I hired a cleaning service against DHs wishes and told him if he really didn't like the idea that much he could cancel It! He didn't and now he admits he loves it too.
Frankly I would be so angry and resentful without it so it's by far the best thing for our marriage.
It seems generally the board ranks a cleaning person as a luxury "above" some others -- interesting. For example, (and not true for everyone or an all-inclusive list), pedicures, soda, low mileage cars / SUVs, pets, children's activities, hair color, even make up, gym memberships, iPhone, landscaping (not to prevent erosion etc) etc. Obs some of these things are debatable but that's the point.
We all prioritize luxuries differently, but the majority here see cleaning as a higher value (not just in terms of $$$), yes?
anyway, yeah, I have a cleaner.
I haven't had cable TV in years and years and DH had a flip phone for personal use until his current company reimbursed him for the cost of an iPhone last month, but we have someone clean our house every other week and started paying for this when I was still in grad school (because my biggest procrastination technique was to scrub the tub at 4am instead of writing papers). Definitely a priority for us, but still a luxury.
ETA: and to soso's point, this is why the term "I can't afford..." coming out of the mouths of people who clearly spend money on other luxuries sometimes annoys me. There's a big difference between "I'd rather spend money on x" and "I can't afford...," but there might also be a "bitch eating crackers" element to this.
No. But I really wish we did. It's my dream to be a SAHM with a house cleaner. I spend so much time parking DS in front of the TV so I can clean or fold laundry, I hate that. But alas, we certainly cannot afford it. Maybe in a few years when I go back to work.
Yes. It's recent - since DS was born. There are a lot of sacrifices I'd make before giving up my monthly cleaning lady (who cleans WAY better than I ever could).
Post by hainesherway on Aug 28, 2015 12:43:19 GMT -5
No. I would like to, but DH is opposed to it because he thinks we can handle it ourselves. I just went back to work after a 12-week maternity leave last week, so things may be changing.
Post by badtzmaru22 on Aug 28, 2015 12:46:15 GMT -5
No, but we can't afford international travel either, and I'm legit jealous of that. I think a cleaner would be nice, but it's not all that big of a deal to me. I guess technically we could afford one on occasion. Sometimes we pay for a lawn service or a snow plow company, and I think this would be similar.
It seems generally the board ranks a cleaning person as a luxury "above" some others -- interesting. For example, (and not true for everyone or an all-inclusive list), pedicures, soda, low mileage cars / SUVs, pets, children's activities, hair color, even make up, gym memberships, iPhone, landscaping (not to prevent erosion etc) etc. Obs some of these things are debatable but that's the point.
We all prioritize luxuries differently, but the majority here see cleaning as a higher value (not just in terms of $$$), yes?
anyway, yeah, I have a cleaner.
ETA: and to soso's point, this is why the term "I can't afford..." coming out of the mouths of people who clearly spend money on other luxuries sometimes annoys me. There's a big difference between "I'd rather spend money on x" and "I can't afford...,"
This for me too... and I catch myself doing it (saying "I can't afford..." when it's really "I choose...")
I'm also one who values a cleaner above cable etc...
We do. I don't mind cleaning itself, but cleaning with 3 little kids takes forever! It takes my cleaning lady about 3 hrs of nonstop work to clean the house (minus my office). It easily took me an entire day because I would inevitably have to do kid stuff in between. I felt like I didn't get to enjoy my kids at all on the weekends because I was constantly cleaning while H wrangled the kids. So we cut back in some other areas to make it work.
I'd love to have a cleaner, but for serious, my "luxury" budget isn't really big enough for it. We could make it happen if it was REALLY necessary, but it isn't. And yes, I'd rather have speedy home internet and DH will die without sports on cable.
I just like knowing I'm in the majority, scrubbing my own toilet (ok, actually DH does the bathrooms).
Post by cherry1111 on Aug 28, 2015 12:57:42 GMT -5
I want one badly but when we have 2 in daycare (hopefully in 1-1.5 years) finances will be tighter than I would like. So instead of getting one now and knowing what it would be like to lose it, we just keep our standards really low and do what we can.
Post by awkwardpenguin on Aug 28, 2015 12:59:02 GMT -5
We don't, and there's no way I can justify it with me SAH. But I have a hard time with the concept generally with two able-bodied adults and a 1000 sq ft condo. We get the basics done but it'd be nice to have someone handle the slightly deeper cleaning monthly.
Post by thebreakfastclub on Aug 28, 2015 13:06:32 GMT -5
Ours comes every 3 weeks and cleans the kitchen, bathrooms and vacuums the living room and steps. It is easy enough for us to maintain the interim, with just one kid.
Post by CrazyLucky on Aug 28, 2015 13:10:32 GMT -5
We do. We started when I was in my first trimester with kid #2. I was very fatigued and Dh couldn't handle all the cleaning plus a 1.5 year old. I kid that if we ever have to cut costs, internet goes before she does. I am so glad to not have to spend time on the weekend cleaning.