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Christmas present for cleaning lady

(93 Posts)
ferry23 Thu 05-Dec-24 18:58:09

After a few false starts after moving here 6 months ago, I found a lovely young Mum who comes once a fortnight and does a splendid job. I'd like to give her a Christmas gift and just wondering - do you give an actual gift or do you add a bit of extra cash on?

If cash, how much do you give?

Pili Sat 07-Dec-24 15:05:26

My daughter has stopped contact with me since June. Hence I no longer see my13 year old grandson. Will he remember me , I am heartbroken only child and only grandchild.

Nannan2 Sat 07-Dec-24 14:33:09

LovelyLady- 'we who have cleaners'- no you're wrong- i have a cleaner out of neccessity due to osteoarthritis- but i'm certainly NOT in a 'most fortunate position' - i can barely afford 2hrs a fortnight- and £15 is not 'above average'- its a good price-particularly in south - mines £17.50 per hr & thats in the north where prices generally are lower for things.I certainly could not afford to pay double as a chrìstmas box- i'm not mean- just hard up. I will probably give a nice tin of biscuits or chocolates & maybe add a fiver extra on but its all i can manage- i am not in a 'fortunate financial position' but i do need my cleaners.(xmas week they will get nearly double anyway kind of as they will only have been the week before)

Doodledog Sat 07-Dec-24 14:13:53

Many people have been saying for some time that not all pensioners are strapped for cash. That’s why the WFA was means-tested. It should probably have kicked in before people reached pension credit level, but I agree that age and income are not necessarily related.

EmilyHarburn Sat 07-Dec-24 14:04:56

I give extra money and a small packet of chocolates.

Nannan2 Sat 07-Dec-24 14:03:44

My you must all be rich, able to give Double the pay to cleaners, or big tips to hairdresser etc... maybe Reeves is right, and that a lot of oap's DONT need extra cash for winter fuel after all.I think it should be means tested then- clearly a lot of you grans on here are quite affluent or you'd not be tipping so much, christnas or not.I know some are on low state pensions only, so yes they need fuel payment, but seemingly a lot arent that strapped for cash.

Brigidsdaughter Sat 07-Dec-24 13:24:40

Ps I give double usual rate.
I also tip hairstylist despite paying dearly. She gets a wage from the salon, not what I'm charged. I used be broke as a sahm mother and am better off now as hubby retrained and works pt in retirement.
My mother was a cleaner, babysitter, home help etc and I remember how much that extra money meant

Welshy Sat 07-Dec-24 13:17:49

A 'One4all' gift card. You can spend them in loads of places. Restaurants, clothes shops etc.

Juicylucy Sat 07-Dec-24 13:17:24

I agree with others I’d give the gift of money.

Whitey Sat 07-Dec-24 13:17:07

Don't have a cleaner but tip hairdresser all year round and buy a nice candle. We tip our Evri man who works very hard £10

sodapop Sat 07-Dec-24 13:10:33

LovelyLady so many people have trained for years to do their jobs but never get tipped. Nurses, Doctors,physios etc.
Does this devalue the hard work put in by retail assistants, cleaners, binmen etc who don't undertake lengthy training.
Sorry, rant over.

fluttERBY123 Sat 07-Dec-24 13:07:17

Ours has been coming for ages. An extra day's pay and a small box of chocs.
If she is relatively new, extra hour's pay maybe.

HeavenLeigh Sat 07-Dec-24 13:04:22

I don’t have a cleaning lady but I’d give her £20

Mamma66 Sat 07-Dec-24 13:01:38

I usually give her a nice box of biscuits and a card with money in which doubles up her pay

LovelyLady Sat 07-Dec-24 12:45:57

A Merry Christmas to you all.
My cleaning lady works hard because she needs the money. £15 per hour is above average in our SE., area but you get what you pay for. I was ‘fed up’ being short changed (leaving early and jobs not done) by cleaners who couldn’t do a good job. or understand what was being requested. eg., using glass cleaner to polish furniture or being on the phone whilst working, doing an online course when working. Or saying a deep clean was needed when it was anything other than polishing. It’s not easy finding a sensible, honest and reliable cleaner. With this in mind, my cleaner will get double wages for Christmas.
We who have cleaners are in a most fortunate financial position.
So sad to hear some don’t tip their hairdressers, who have trained many years to give their clients a decent coiffure. Be kind folk!

Rosalyn69 Sat 07-Dec-24 12:37:04

I always buy gifts for my ladies. Much more personal than money. I think money assumes the ladies are poor. That’s not the case with my ladies certainly.

Mojack26 Sat 07-Dec-24 12:27:57

£20/30 gift voucher Boots, M&S etc?

Milliedog Sat 07-Dec-24 12:25:04

I give our cleaner double wages and a small gift. Our lovely posties and window cleaner have a bottle of wine each. Never tip our dustmen as they leave our bins in the middle of our drive and I have to get out of our car to move them....Grr!

Brigidsdaughter Sat 07-Dec-24 12:11:44

sweetcakes our cleaner charges £16 ph. It may be more than others get but in London it's barely a living wage. She has to get from one job to another, pay rent and bills in a shared house.
The days of the poor 'char lady or man' are alive and well except perhaps those who are 2nd earners

heavenlyheath Sat 07-Dec-24 12:11:11

Ferry23 how about a voucher for M&S or similar she can treat herself then. I would say £25 would be appreciated and as you say she does a great job.

Summysoom Sat 07-Dec-24 12:09:51

We give our two fabulous ladies £50 each, a bottle of wine and some chocolates. They are worth every penny to us. I dread the day when they decide to stop.
I leave a tip for our paper delivery teen and our wonderful postie.

Frenchgalinspain Sat 07-Dec-24 12:07:22

Our cleaning lady loves scarves.

So, I always give her a winter weight scarf in her fave colors.

She is amazing and I also give a small token to take home of a Pannettoni which she and her husband enjoy or a bottle of Sparkling Rosé Wine such as Prosecco by Frexinet ..

She is a gem and most trustworthy and has been with us for 15 years and comes every Friday.

PaperMonster Sat 07-Dec-24 11:57:00

I do a bit of cleaning and one of my clients asked if I’d like a gift or money. I told her that she really didn’t need to give me anything but I’d prefer the money as I am saving for something special.

sweetcakes Sat 07-Dec-24 11:55:03

I don't tip. Most cleaners I know are paid an hourly rate of £15 and upwards more than a lot of people get, gone are the days of the poor char lady. As for Hairdressers the only ones that should get tips is the apprentice.

ninamoore Sat 07-Dec-24 11:54:30

Bloody hell £10!

Bazza Sat 07-Dec-24 11:54:09

We have our cleaner £30, she’s off home to Brazil until the middle of January 😱. She’s very sweet and reliable. Our hairdresser comes to our house so I don’t tip her but give her a Space NK voucher for £50 at Christmas as she has children and cash would probably just be absorbed. She’s looked after us really well for about 20 years.