As we all know, house cleaning is tedious and time-consuming. Nobody likes to do it. So we can ask ourselves, is it worth the money to hire a housekeeper, or should we bite the bullet and do our own cleaning?
My Answer: A Housekeeper Is Worth It
I think a housekeeper is a well-justified expense, unless you absolutely cannot spare the money. The reason is because it frees up your time and energy to work, play, or rest. Think about it: how much energy and time do you save by not having to mop, vacuum, dust, and scrub? What can you devote that time and energy to?
Go Corporate
If you decide that a housekeeper is worth it, allow to me recommend that you hire a company, as opposed to an individual person. This has several big advantages:
- A company can send more than one worker, getting your place spic and span in half the time.
- You do not have to worry about your housekeeper calling in sick, or other personnel matters – the company handles that.
- Generally speaking, you needn’t concern yourself with legal stuff, such as paying taxes, Social Security and Medicare, or workmen’s compensation insurance.*
- Many companies will not demand a long-term contract, but will rather let you call them for on-demand house cleaning. That way, if your house is not dirty or you are on vacation, you do not have someone that you employ and have to pay anyways.
- You don’t have to buy cleaning supplies, since the company will bring them along.
- If you did not like a particular housekeeper, you can deal with the company; you don’t have to fire anyone unless the problem is with the company itself.
An example of a corporate housekeeper. (Kidding!)
There are a few disadvantages, though:
- Companies will usually not iron your clothes.
- They may not do the dishes.
- They will not cook for you.
- They won’t look after your kids.
These are services that can be negotiated with an individual, but rarely with a company.
How Much Will This Cost Me?
In my experience, a company will usually charge you about $100 per visit for a mid-size home or apartment (say about 1,500 square feet), about $150 for 2,000 to 3,000 square feet, and, obviously, more for bigger houses. Of course, you can get a few quotes and comparison shop.
How Often Do I Need House Cleaning?
I’d say most people would need about 1-2 times per month for an adults-only house. If you have kids or pets, you might need it more often.
Where Can I Find A Good Company?
When I moved to Miami without knowing anyone, I found a good company on Angie’s List. You can also ask around, or go with a national outfit like Molly Maid.
Save With A Robot
One thing you can do to lessen your housekeeper call frequency is get a cleaning robot such as a Roomba. Although they are expensive and will not substitute for a housekeeper, they can do light floor cleaning in between housekeeper visits, and allow you to stretch out your visit frequency. This can let you to save money, and recoup the cost of the robot over time.
Bottom Line
There’s no getting around the fact that a housekeeper can easily run you $150-300 per month, or more. That’s a lot of cash. However, it frees up a lot of your time and energy. If you can spare the dollars, I think a housekeeper is worth it!
H/T: Frugal Rules
*This is not meant as legal advice. If you need legal advice, ask a lawyer.
Credit: GIF from Giphy
I 100% agree. My wife and I live in 699 sq ft in NYC and we have someone who comes in once a month (we cut back when my wife went to school full-time).
I rationalize the expense to pay for time my wife and I can be spending together in a relaxed manner.
After all, isn’t that what we are striving for in financial independence? Buy back our time?
Great post!
Thanks! I agree. I think that extreme frugality can cross into misery, and is not for everyone. We all have to decide what comforts are worth it and which are not. For me, this is well worth it.
I like that you talk about how often most people might need cleaning. While it makes sense that some people might need cleaning at least once a week, people like me, relatively clean individuals, might only need it 1-2 time a month. This could be helpful for me to remember because I have a busy schedule and simply hiring professionals to clean the house could help me free up some time to enjoy with my family.
Thanks! I’m all for saving money, but this is one area where I think it’s absolutely worth the expense. My wife and I have the cleaners come over 1-2 times per month, and it definitely saves us hours of time and lots of energy, which we can devote to being productive or just enjoying life. I would suggest that you try a company first, since you can just cancel the service easily if it does not work out.