house cleaner asking for raise

[Anonymous]

This is really bothering me. I just gave my weekly house cleaner a $10 raise last month - as in 4 weeks of the new pay rate- and last week she asked me for another $10 a week raise because of gas prices. She tells me she has a 30 minute drive and it is getting too expensive to come every week. She said she could either come every other week, but then have to charge me $60 more each time, or she can come every week with a $10 raise. I currently pay her $160 for a 3,800 sqft house. It takes her 3.5 hours, so it comes to $45 per hour, which I think is a good rate. I pay her when we go out of town and I give her a 2 week pay bonus at Christmas. When she goes out of town, she has a friend come clean instead, which I really appreciate. I just can't get past that she wants a raise so soon after I gave her a raise, and I can't think of how to respond, but it really upsets me. She's been with us for 10 years and I really like her. I just feel like I will resent her if I give in to this random increase. Obviously she's not paying an additional $10 in gas every week to drive to our house, so I'm not sure why she said that. OK DCUM, tell me I'm being petty.

[Anonymous]

Tell her it’s a gas stipend in light of the increased prices at the pump and if/when gas prices fall the stipend will end.

[Anonymous]

$10 in gas is two gallons. My car gets 20 miles to the gallon. So yeah, it probably does cost her that much to drive to and from your house. You are already paying a high rate. Either pay it, or find someone closer.

[Anonymous]

Compromise and do $5

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, I think $160 for a 3800 square foot house is low. I pay $200 for a smaller house.

[Anonymous]

Ooh this is a good idea. My housekeeper does drive all over while we sit on our Azzes wfh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell her it’s a gas stipend in light of the increased prices at the pump and if/when gas prices fall the stipend will end.

If you want to be petty I think this is a good compromise, but make sure you set a mark "When regular gas is back under $X.XX..."

But also, if you can afford it... pay it.

[Anonymous]

$160 is not a lot of money for the size of your house, and it's costing her extra to come work. Everything is more expensive right now, and that includes her labor. Give her the extra $10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$160 is not a lot of money for the size of your house, and it's costing her extra to come work. Everything is more expensive right now, and that includes her labor. Give her the extra $10

I meant to say... one of my favorite things to do is having my cleaning lady come by while we are away on vacation, nothing better than coming back to a clean home

[Anonymous]

Wow that’s really low. We pay $160 for a 2,400 square foot house and we tip them on top of that. I would definitely pay her more.

[Anonymous]

You are one cheap MFer OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$160 is not a lot of money for the size of your house, and it's costing her extra to come work. Everything is more expensive right now, and that includes her labor. Give her the extra $10

Agree with this. My cleaner also recently asked for a raise because she has a long way to drive. I gave it to her because she is great at her job and I trust her and she's been with us for years. It's worth the extra money to keep her. Do you really want to find someone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, I think $160 for a 3800 square foot house is low. I pay $200 for a smaller house.

Maybe. There will always be people who pay more or pay less. This doesn't convince me that she's being reasonable. I am now thinking she doesn't want to clean my house anymore, but feels bad saying so. She works full time at Target, and I just read somewhere they are paying people $24/hour, maybe she doesn't need to clean houses anymore!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, I think $160 for a 3800 square foot house is low. I pay $200 for a smaller house.

Maybe. There will always be people who pay more or pay less. This doesn't convince me that she's being reasonable. I am now thinking she doesn't want to clean my house anymore, but feels bad saying so. She works full time at Target, and I just read somewhere they are paying people $24/hour, maybe she doesn't need to clean houses anymore!

You’re gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$160 is not a lot of money for the size of your house, and it's costing her extra to come work. Everything is more expensive right now, and that includes her labor. Give her the extra $10

+1