Desperation situation - I caught my maid of 12 years stealing from me toilet paper and food

[FuturoBA]

12 years and she's been good to you prior, I'd give her a little slack. Some are too prideful or scared to ask for a little help.

 

[Avocado]

That's very sad to read, @Avocado. It's good that you have a solution, albeit temporary.

The worst thing is that the trust you placed in her has gone.

The same thing happened to us about 7 years ago/ we had a girl who was great but then we noticed THAT SOME OF MY WIFES JEWELLEY WAS MISSING.

One piece came from Denmark and is not available in Argentina and it was fairly unique.

A week later, we spotted the piece on the girl's Facebook page.....

We sacked her immediately

Her husband, who looked after our garden, was also invited to leave.

Oh my. @GlasgowJohn did you confront her or call the police? Did your wife get her necklace back? I would think picture proof would help with police?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Oh my. @GlasgowJohn did you confront her or call the police? Did your wife get her necklace back? I would think picture proof would help with police?

The police didn't want to know, unfortunately.

 

[Vince]

The police didn't want to know, unfortunately.

You were probably better off not getting police involved. A few years ago a friend also caught their maid stealing stuff. They ran into her at Easy one weekend and saw her wearing one of my friends bracelets that went missing. They called the police and they did get the bracelet back but their apartment got robbed a few days later. They aren't sure if it was the maid or the police. 50/50% shot.

 

[Larry]

A question for you all. My maid all of a sudden demands a 100% increase. I told her I would go up but she said she will fix that cost for one year and it is less than inflation. What would you all do? Would you pay 100% more? Or fire her? It is not that easy to find a dependable good maid here.

 

[Sunny]

She must think that because what happened in the senate applies to everybody now.
I would counteroffer that you also are on a budget and that your income will not be adjusted so doubling her pay now means you could not afford to keep her, but that you are willing to adjust her pay according to inflation plus a bit extra.

It is, indeed, very difficult to find good maids, she knows it, but she also knows that a lot of foreigners have already left and more will be leaving soon and locals have never been generous. No local would give even a 40% raise.

 

[FuturoBA]

A question for you all. My maid all of a sudden demands a 100% increase. I told her I would go up but she said she will fix that cost for one year and it is less than inflation. What would you all do? Would you pay 100% more? Or fire her? It is not that easy to find a dependable good maid here.

Depends on how much she's worth and if you're able to afford it.

 

[Anchor Baby]

She must think that because what happened in the senate applies to everybody now.
I would counteroffer that you also are on a budget and that your income will not be adjusted so doubling her pay now means you could not afford to keep her, but that you are willing to adjust her pay according to inflation plus a bit extra.

It is, indeed, very difficult to find good maids, she knows it, but she also knows that a lot of foreigners have already left and more will be leaving soon and locals have never been generous. No local would give even a 40% raise.

This seems to be an issue everywhere. Here in Mexico City you would think with so many millions of people it would be easy to find a dependable,honest and most importantly hardworking maid but we have gone through many. We only hire now based on referral from someone we know. We don't like using agencies. @Sunny what happened in the Senate? Your advice is very good.

 

[Avocado]

She must think that because what happened in the senate applies to everybody now.
I would counteroffer that you also are on a budget and that your income will not be adjusted so doubling her pay now means you could not afford to keep her, but that you are willing to adjust her pay according to inflation plus a bit extra.

It is, indeed, very difficult to find good maids, she knows it, but she also knows that a lot of foreigners have already left and more will be leaving soon and locals have never been generous. No local would give even a 40% raise.

Depends on how much she's worth and if you're able to afford it.

Both good point. Many maid and other employee all ask for increase in wage. But no one I know give 100% now. They all slowly increase with inflation. Many local don't increase so much. But very true not only many foreigner people leaving but also locals also moving to Spain. It also hard to find very good employer. So same thing for them.

 

[Finance Prof]

Depends on how much she's worth and if you're able to afford it.

Mine this weekend asked me to bump it up to 4,000 pesos per hour. That is a big jump from before. But like you mention @FuturoBA I have used her for several years. I guess I have to pay it. The thing I am worried about is if the exchange rate continues to work against me and I have currency risk. Never thought I would see that. How are you handling it with your maids if 4,000 pesos all of a sudden equal much more than $4 USD per hour?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

4,000 is a lot of cash

Out here if the girl is working 12-20 hours a week , she will be getting 2,400-3,000 pe hour

If she is doing 4-5, add a couple of hundred to that

plus travelling expenses.

 

[Sunny]

This seems to be an issue everywhere. Here in Mexico City you would think with so many millions of people it would be easy to find a dependable,honest and most importantly hardworking maid but we have gone through many. We only hire now based on referral from someone we know. We don't like using agencies. @Sunny what happened in the Senate? Your advice is very good.

We lived in CDMX too, last year. The idea was to stay for a couple of years, but couldn't adjust to the culture. I miss the wonderful year-round weather, though, but that's pretty much the only thing we enjoyed there.

In Mexico, locals do not treat maids like we would, that's how they get them to work harder. And, yes, only by referral. A Mexican friend shared her maid with us, she said "You'll be happy with her, I've trained her well, but remember to be firm."

A few days ago the senators passed a scandalous pay hike (170% or so).

Senators raise their own pay as Argentines cope with hardship

Senators vote by a show of hands to raise their own salaries by 170%, while half of their compatriots live in poverty.

www.batimes.com.ar

 

[Anchor Baby]

4,000 is a lot of cash

Out here if the girl is working 12-20 hours a week , she will be getting 2,400-3,000 pe hour

If she is doing 4-5, add a couple of hundred to that

plus travelling expenses.

Is it cheaper there vs. Buenos Aires? I'm not sure where you live or how far outside of CABA it is? It is difficult to get a sense how much things are as I read things online and some things not too long ago say they are cheap and now a few short months later it says very expensive. I guess things there change suddenly.

We lived in CDMX too, last year. The idea was to stay for a couple of years, but couldn't adjust to the culture. I miss the wonderful year-round weather, though, but that's pretty much the only thing we enjoyed there.

In Mexico, locals do not treat maids like we would, that's how they get them to work harder. And, yes, only by referral. A Mexican friend shared her maid with us, she said "You'll be happy with her, I've trained her well, but remember to be firm."

A few days ago the senators passed a scandalous pay hike (170% or so).

Senators raise their own pay as Argentines cope with hardship

Senators vote by a show of hands to raise their own salaries by 170%, while half of their compatriots live in poverty.

www.batimes.com.ar

How wonderful you also lived in CDMX so you know what I am referring to. I agree with you that the locals treat the maids much different vs. expats. I think we are kinder to ours. My Mexican friends so I need to stay strict. When she found out I was giving her tips and extra stuff she told me not to do that. She said it will end up hurting myself in the end and they will always expect that.

Wow! Thanks for posting about that 170% rate hike. I am trying to learn as fast as I can but things change there so suddenly!

 

[GlasgowJohn]

@Anchor Baby , we live in Escobar about 55kms north of the capital / a one hour drive with normal traffic but it can take 2 and a half hours in the morning or in the evening. We average about two trips a month to the capital but we time our appointments there to mid-morning and mid-evening.

I will check with my wife's family in the capital to see what they are paying for their help at home / But I think its around the same as us.

 

[Scottishgaucho]

@Anchor Baby

I will check with my wife's family in the capital to see what they are paying for their help at home / But I think its around the same as us.

We live 100 miles frm the capital. Our cleaner and odd job lady who we've known for 20 years gets 2500/3000 pesos per hour. She's very good and honest and more like a friend than an employee. I have to tell her to slow down especially during the hotter weather!! 😁

 

[Anchor Baby]

@Anchor Baby , we live in Escobar about 55kms north of the capital / a one hour drive with normal traffic but it can take 2 and a half hours in the morning or in the evening. We average about two trips a month to the capital but we time our appointments there to mid-morning and mid-evening.

I will check with my wife's family in the capital to see what they are paying for their help at home / But I think its around the same as us.

Thank you for that frame of reference. Here is Mexico City it seems like people that work in the city make more than further out. It seems there too.

We live 100 miles frm the capital. Our cleaner and odd job lady who we've known for 20 years gets 2500/3000 pesos per hour. She's very good and honest and more like a friend than an employee. I have to tell her to slow down especially during the hotter weather!! 😁

Wow I didn't realize so many people live outside of the City. Is that common there? I would guess cost of living will be lower. I am told probably the best neighborhood for us would be Palermo.

 

[Betsy Ross]

Thank you for that frame of reference. Here is Mexico City it seems like people that work in the city make more than further out. It seems there too.


Wow I didn't realize so many people live outside of the City. Is that common there? I would guess cost of living will be lower. I am told probably the best neighborhood for us would be Palermo.

Some of my friends live further outside of the city or live in Olivos or Pilar. Most of those friends are married and their family already owned properties out there so they moved into one. Most of my friends all live in Palermo, Belgrano or Recoleta. One in San Telmo. You will enjoy Palermo @Anchor Baby. It is very central and convenient.

 

[Spend Thrift]

The worlds are colliding! My maid hasn't worked for me for too long and she just asked to go up to 4,000 pesos per hour plus the bud ride in from her house now! I don't have anyone else so probably will have to. Seems like all the maids are getting together and going to demand raises. I thought this was bad but I read on another forum one American paying $6 USD per hour which seems nuts to me for an uneducated employee. There is a point where probably you are paying too much. Or maybe I am being selfish?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Thank you for that frame of reference. Here is Mexico City it seems like people that work in the city make more than further out. It seems there too.


Wow I didn't realize so many people live outside of the City. Is that common there? I would guess cost of living will be lower. I am told probably the best neighborhood for us would be Palermo.

we decided to move out of the city when our boy stated primary school. He actually goes to school on his bike and he probably couldn't have down that in the capital.

My good lady wanted to see grass and trees and that is the main reason for our move. Even back then I worked from home , and my wife only went to her place of work one day per week.

So it all made sense.

 

[Sunny]

The worlds are colliding! My maid hasn't worked for me for too long and she just asked to go up to 4,000 pesos per hour plus the bud ride in from her house now!

How much have you been paying your maid?

A bus ride is around 300 pesos (with a registered SUBE card, otherwise it's around 500), if she has to take a couple of buses to get to your place, the second bus costs less per km. In any case, a 2,000 peso bus ride per day would most likely cover it.

Seems like all the maids are getting together and going to demand raises.

It is very easy these days for people to find out how much others are making 📲.