How to Afford a Maid

Someone to scrub

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By Virginia Allain
eHow Community Member

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(9 Ratings)

As you mop the kitchen floor, you may envy those with a cleaning service to keep their home looking good. Having household help isn't that far out of reach. Here's how you can afford it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Get a realistic idea of what such a service would cost. Ask around to see who cleans for your friends or co-workers. Ask them how much their maid charges. Call a cleaning service and ask them for an estimate. They usually have to come see the house.
Step 2

Start that list.

Next make a list for yourself showing why you need a maid.
How messy does the house get? How overworked do you feel? Are you taking care of children or parents, a job, other responsibilities? How much family tension links to who-does-what-chore? How much nagging do you have to do to get any help from the spouse and children?
Step 3

Eat at home more?

Now look at discretionary income. What do you buy that you don't absolutely need?
Could you buy fewer things (that just end up as dust collectors in your house)?
Are you spending money on fast food? Maybe you would have more time and energy to fix home cooked meals if you weren't vacuuming and scrubbing.
Look for these kinds of trade offs in the budget. Can you find enough places to cut back so the money can be spent on a maid?
Step 4

Maybe the money situation looks too tight and you know you can't squeeze out any funds for cleaning. Think about a swap of services. Do you have a friend who's spotless house you admire? Does she hate to shop or drive the kids around? Offer to take on some jobs for her if she will clean your house. Maybe she needs a babysitter and that is something you could do.
Step 5

Having a cleaning service pays off in increased comfort in the home and less stress over sharing chores. Think of paying for housekeeping as an investment in the family's improved mental health. A housekeeper is cheaper than a divorce.
Think about it.

Comments

joanhaines said

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on 2/26/2009 I love it! this is creative problem solving at its best. Some people LOVE to clean. I don't. I am terrible at it and I hate it. So, hiring someone to clean makes a lot of sense for me!