If you aren’t used to having domestic help in the home, you may wonder why so many expats are hiring helpers here in Singapore. Here are a few reasons many expats hire live in help, from an American Expat:
It’s affordable. Total cost is around $1400 SGD per month. In the US, I used to pay my housekeeper $125 USD, or about $160 SGD for 4 hours of cleaning a week. Now my house is always clean.
They are a tremendous help with the children, particularly when you don’t have family here. They will watch your kids, pick your kids up from school, babysit in the evenings, and do all of the household chores you don’t enjoy like scrubbing toilets. It’s a working parent’s dream, and it’s like having a member of the family.
It frees up your time to spend more quality time with your family. We don’t have to spend Saturdays doing laundry and cleaning the toilets. We can go to the zoo, or just hang out relaxing in our pool. It makes for a happier family life overall.
They do your laundry and ironing. I used to send things to the dry cleaners,, and my husband would have his shirts laundered and ironed. I haven’t used a dry cleaners here except for ball gowns.
They will receive your deliveries, or wait around for the cable guy, the air con cleaners, the repairman, etc. If you’re working, this is great because you don’t have to take time off work.
If you have a sick child, you don’t have to take time off work, you have someone trusted in the house who can look after them.
They can run errands for you. If you need to buy stamps, or pick up some lemons from the grocery store, they are happy to get out of the house and run your errands.
They help with pet care. If you have a dog they will help you with dog walking, and many of them enjoy living with pets. One of my helpers got really homesick, and my dog would snuggle her to cheer her up.
Some helpers like to cook, and they will cook your meals for you using your recipes. My helper can cook curry, roasted chicken, homemade macaroni and cheese, and chicken noodle soup.
It’s convenient.
You know that the salary you pay her is so much more than she would have earned at home (a taxi driver in Manila makes about $250, whereas a helper from the Philippines makes between $600–800 on average), and you are supporting an extended number of relatives back at her home, and even sending her children to a proper school. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
I am an agent with White Glove, EA 19C9581, R1982364, UEN 20190149Z.
If you are a helper interested in learning more about working for Expat families, we have a free Facebook group for you too:https://www.facebook.com/groups/SingaporeExpatHelpers
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