# What do you do for employment?



## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

I read on here a lot about some of you having maids, nannys, gardeners, cleaning ladies, etc... What do you people do for work / careers that you can afford these "luxuries"? Heck, I'm an average housewife (used to bartend years ago) and I am now a domestic jack-of-all-trades; I cook, clean, do yard work, raised the kid (moved out now), groom the dogs, chief pooper scooper , etc.... you name it! :faint: 

So, I am curious...


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

Well I am an actress and make millions LOL J/K!!! I WISH! LOL  

For me, I sell insurance but the only reason I have a cleaning service is A)I hate cleaning lol and B)I don't want to clean on my day off. I am able to afford cleaning girls but only once every other week. I do the easy stuff in between their visits. I don't have a landscaper b/c my DH gets the lucky job of taking care of the yard. He hasn't complained yet...so he gets to keep the job as of right now lol! There are definitley people who can do more than others and those that don't mind doing the upkeep themselves. I say if it's in your financial means to have help around the house and it makes ya happy, go for it! And if you are one of those people who don't mind and have the time to upkeep your home...kudos to you!  

If I had to give up my cleaning girls and do it myself I sure as heck would! I'd complain the entire time but I would do it! Rubber gloves and all!


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

QUOTE (mom2Bijou @ Aug 25 2009, 08:18 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=822196


> Well I am an actress and make millions LOL J/K!!! I WISH! LOL
> 
> For me, I sell insurance but the only reason I have a cleaning service is A)I hate cleaning lol and B)I don't want to clean on my day off. I am able to afford cleaning girls but only once every other week. I do the easy stuff in between their visits. I don't have a landscaper b/c my DH gets the lucky job of taking care of the yard. He hasn't complained yet...so he gets to keep the job as of right now lol! There are definitley people who can do more than others and those that don't mind doing the upkeep themselves. I say if it's in your financial means to have help around the house and it makes ya happy, go for it! And if you are one of those people who don't mind and have the time to upkeep your home...kudos to you!
> 
> If I had to give up my cleaning girls and do it myself I sure as heck would! I'd complain the entire time but I would do it! Rubber gloves and all! [/B]



Well, I must say ditto to this reply! LOL! All the way down to the Insurance part. I don't actually "sell" but I work in the Sales dept as support and well, unless you are in insurance you prob'ly won't know what I mean if I tell you what I do.  But for those "in the know" I get RFPs ready and send them to UW and then send the proposals on to the Sales AE and/or broker.  Hubby also does the yard work, I don't clean house, cleaner once per two weeks (although mine moved and am currently searching for one!) and I do cook every single night and on the weekends. I send Midis to the groomer about once per two months and I groom him in between. In addition, I help all of our grown, adult children who can't seem to manage to get by all on their own!!!! GRRRRRR!!! Love them all to death, though.  Thankfully all three are working full time, but somehow in this economy they just can't seem to make enough to get by. Oh, and must mention my husband is a graphic designer but really a lot more. He designs interactive websites, animated, 3-D so I couldn't do all this on my own salary. We would just probably barely squeak by. 

*hugs*
Cyndi


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Well, while I'm waiting to win Lotto or Megamillions . . .

I'm divorced, live by myself in a townhome, and manage a "corporate university" which is a fancy name for training department. My one luxury is my one time a month cleaning lady who I've had for about 15 years now. When I found her I had a job that required a lot of travel and six and seven day weeks so that was the only way I could get by. Now, well, I've got to admit I'm a bit spoiled that I don't have to clean every time myself. 

My "nanny" for my pups is my best friend who just lost her job and is going back to school - she comes over if they need a midday check. My "gardner" is the landscaping crew hired by my homeowners' association for the townhome complex, and if you ask Sweetness and Tessa, they'll tell you the maid is me!

I think one of the interesting things about SM is how there are people from all walks of life on here, everything from lawyers and doctors to folks who work from home or don't work outside the home. I always love hearing about what other people do.


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

I am an attorney at a finance company and my fiance owns his own business selling consumer electronics online. I do have a cleaning lady who comes one every other week or every three weeks. Cleaning my place is only $50 every few weeks so it, in my opinion, is money very well spent! Other than that no nannies or gardeners here! I should say though that I am young and don't have any children or other large financial obligations. I don't think that you necessarily need to be "rich" to afford some household help.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

QUOTE (maggieh @ Aug 25 2009, 09:22 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=822235


> Well, while I'm waiting to win Lotto or Megamillions . . .
> 
> I'm divorced, live by myself in a townhome, and manage a "corporate university" which is a fancy name for training department. My one luxury is my one time a month cleaning lady who I've had for about 15 years now. When I found her I had a job that required a lot of travel and six and seven day weeks so that was the only way I could get by. Now, well, I've got to admit I'm a bit spoiled that I don't have to clean every time myself.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you may have the VERY best deal in town!  Free babysitting (I have none for my pup, who gets carsick and so it poses a problem), and someone to clean your house AND the homeowners association for landscape! Sweet, sweet deals!  Congrats for sure. I've never been privy to the "elite" workings of a homeowner's association and certainly wish I had! 

*hugs*
Cyndi


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

If I worked full-time at a demanding job and had a large home I would probably try to fit a cleaning person into the budget.

I am a full-time writer who hasn't made any real money from writing so far. I work at home on my novel and keep Nikki company. She is happy about that, but It is a strain on the budget only having one paycheck. One has to sacrifice for art's sake, I suppose.

Anyway, my husband is self-employed. We get by, but we're on a budget. I do all the cleaning, food shopping, and cooking. My DH travels about the country and works his arse off. 

Many moons ago, I was employed in the field of international banking in NYC and after that I worked at Saks Fifth Avenue for a while. My standard of living was quite different back then, and I could afford many things, like regular trips to the spa and eating at the finest restaurants. Then a tragic turn of events and a very nasty divorce changed my circumstances. Life happens. There are no guarantees. 

But that was a long time ago....

So now I am very content with my life, much more than before. Life is good when we live simply and "bloom where we're planted!" :biggrin: 

So no, I don't have a cleaning person or go on extended holidays. I probably never will. That is, unless I end up publishing and selling a gazillion copes of one of my novels. Oh, I'd be spending all that money traveling the world, so I wouldn't need a maid!


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

I live in a developing country where labor is very very cheap. I work for an energy company my husband started 6 years ago. But it's pretty normal here to have help, as most people do here, even for the middle class locals.

We're not 'real' expats- those who get everything handed to them on a silver platter because we pay for everything ourselves and work for ourselves (well for the shareholders) rather than a MNC. Now I have a cleaner 4 days a week and another for the laundry/ironing. When I lived in the US, I worked in private banking firm and had someone clean the apartment just once a week. And I admit, one day when it's time to leave this country, I will miss this perks. how could I not?


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

^^ Andrea, I am envious of you!! I love living in the States but Asia certainly spoils you!! hehe..I grew up w/ a nanny too but it is still very different in Asia! lol!! The whole degree is so different..Asia kicks it up a notch! LOL.. I was talking to my DH's cousins last night and she told me that in Asia (she doesnt live in Mainland) she doesnt even own shampoo b/c she gets her hair done at the salon daily..lol..I was soooooooooo JEALOUS!! LOL!! :w00t: I would love a wash and blow dry daily too! Not to mention the drivers, nannies (each one for each kid), maids, body guards (where they live its needed.) I mean, its like a whole new scale in Asia! And yes, it is common and I guess the more wealthy families can hire more, it is like a status symbol there where as here, it is more for necessity I suppose.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Well, I am a housewife (no kids, just a husband & the 2 pups!) so I don't get any of those luxuries...I'm the one doing them all. LOL But, I never wanted to be in the workforce in the first place, and my husband LOVES be being home. I've thought about applying for a few part-time jobs, but he likes me being around while he's home more than he would like having the extra income.


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## LittleDogLVR (Oct 24, 2007)

I work in Commercial printing and My wife is admin support for a school principal in our local elementary schools.

She also sells Pampered Chef products in her spare time.

We are both sharing the jobs of Maid,Nanny, gardener......Pool boy and anything else thats needed to be done.
Both our dogs are home groomed.

We do everything together, granted it sucks to be cleaning the house on the weekends 


Thats us !


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I don't think you need to "rich" to have a cleaning woman , I just choose not to. Nobody can clean my house like I can :biggrin: 
My husband is district manager of metro New York for a large food corp. I never even had a babysitter let alone a nanny. Whenever we went out my kids only stayed with my MIL, didn't trust anyone else. I think it's nice though to have someone come in weekly to clean, it would give me a break, but I choose to do my own cleaning and I am quite content.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I work as a bookkeeper at a realestate office in a resort area so I work way too much in the summer months. I will have someone come in and help me clean once in a while if I get overwhelmed. I do most of the work outside and inside my home (I love my flowers outside) and take care of my four dogs. I also try to get to the beach once a week and go kayaking in the lagoon behind my house. It's easier once September gets here, then I try to attend lots of pet events and Ava and I are in training for her to be shown. The husband helps out, but he's a little older. I also run around doing errands for my mother who has dementia and a live-in aide who does not drive. 

Actually I look VERY forward to staying home for a day or two and doing....NOTHING!  
Today is my day off, instead of cleaning, I will be going out with a friend to lunch...by boat :thumbsup: 

Life is good.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (malahusk @ Aug 25 2009, 09:00 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=822192


> I read on here a lot about some of you having maids, nannys, gardeners, cleaning ladies, etc... What do you people do for work / careers that you can afford these "luxuries"? Heck, I'm an average housewife (used to bartend years ago) and I am now a domestic jack-of-all-trades; I cook, clean, do yard work, raised the kid (moved out now), groom the dogs, chief pooper scooper , etc.... you name it! :faint:
> 
> So, I am curious...[/B]


Well, I do all those things plus am gone 50 hours per week at work. Have two young daughters at home (7 & 10), husband, etc. The nanny is a necessity, obviously, AND actually MUCH cheaper than sending the kids to an outside daycare or camp. I was a SAHM for 10 years but went back to work 10 months ago because my husband was downsized to 32 hours per week plus hasn't gotten a decent raise in years. 

I am an acquisitions data/configuration manager for the dept. of defense (Air Force, to be exact) but right now am acting as a Sr. Exec. Assistant b/c I don't want the added responsibilities and stress of a management position--although they are pushing me that way again. 

No luxuries here, I'd say!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I work 30 hours a week as a vet tech. It was a huge hour and payment cut for me when we moved out here...but the upside is I get time to clean the house, be home in the evenings with hubby (instead of working until 8 pm or 1 am), and play with the dogs. I really enjoy spending an entire morning at agility class and able to take weekend trips. I miss buying any little thing or new clothes I wanted, but we're financially comfortable and we both enjoy the flexible schedule I have now.


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

We had a gardner till this spring. My husband used to work 70+ hours a week and it was cheaper to have someone cut the lawn and do small gardening than for him to stay home on saturdays to do it. With the economy being the way it is, this year we decided to forgo the garner and I now pay my 17 year old son to do the work. I work full time and am very active with my daughter's cheerleading gym and my son's soccer. Our hourse is rather large so having a cleaning lady would be great, but I'm pretty anal as to how my house is cleaned so I'm not sure it wouldn't work out.


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## linfran (Jun 24, 2007)

Hi all,
* This is a very interesting thread! I am a full time medical laboratory technologist. Doesn't clincal laboratory scientist sound much classier? I work in a large hematology lab. My husband is a retired math teacher and we bought Tyson over a year ago and he is the best dog in the world! So quiet. loving and good. No cleaning ladies or gardeners for us. Wouldn't it be nice though? Linda*


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## HaleysMom (Jun 4, 2009)

I have been a SAHM for the past 4 years....before that I was a Jewelry department Manager and then worked at a bank. My husband owns his own business and fortunately doing very well so that I am able to stay home. I thought about getting a job part time but then decided to get Haley. I want to be able to spend as much time with her as I can because you never know when things might change..
I have older skin kiddos(19B, 16B & 14G) but blessed to have this time with them since I worked when they were younger.
Anyway, you betcha I would hire a cleaning person if I worked full time!!! To me its worth it to have that exrta time but only if I could find someone that would do the job as well as me   :biggrin: 
I would also look into having someone cook meals.....not necessarily one everyday but off and on when I didnt feel like cooking B)


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## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Aug 25 2009, 10:51 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=822329


> Well, I am a housewife (no kids, just a husband & the 2 pups!) so I don't get any of those luxuries...I'm the one doing them all. LOL But, I never wanted to be in the workforce in the first place, and my husband LOVES be being home. I've thought about applying for a few part-time jobs, but he likes me being around while he's home more than he would like having the extra income.[/B]


Too funny, sounds just like me! My husband figured out years ago that:

I work = he has chores to do.
So, he did the math on this one, and figured out that if I don't work = he has no chores! He liked that a lot better!

I would honestly rather be at home anyways, I do all the yard work, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc... myself, and when he has days off, he can tend to his hobby of fishing or just lounging around doing nothing. 
Yes, the extra income would be nice, but we get by comfortably as it is now. 

It has been very interesting reading about how no 2 of us are alike, and come from all walks of life, but we come together on this forum with our pups in common. :sLo_grouphug3: How wonderful is that!


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I've worked for the gov. for a while, but most recently with environmental enforcement and now env. assessment.

I do the inside and outside work.... I will hire someone for some of the heavy outside work and interior painting, things that are just too much work.


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## Maisie and Me (Mar 12, 2009)

I am an Emergency Room nurse. Have been in this dept since I graduated :two thumbs up: Many many years!!!!
Our family has a maid and cook------ME


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## ann80 (Jun 13, 2009)

I work in outpatient physical therapy less then a mile from my home specializing in cancer rehab (I am a survivor myself). I am very fortunate to come home for lunch for an hr & is the main reason I was able to have a dog. Looking forward to doing the same in 7 days when we go pick up baby Zoey. CAN'T WAIT! Right now my partner is working from home so it is the best time to train a new puppy & not leave her alone. We live in a nice neighborhood, the same block I grew up in. My neighbor cuts our lawn & snow plows, he is the best! We cook him alot of food in return, lol. I absolutely love to do yardwork & sad when my vegetable garden is done for the season. Tough year for veggies this year with all our rain, but still able to manage a good crop. We both share our own house cleaning (although I rather be outside) & love to cook & entertain our good friends. I also volunteer for many local cancer organizations, my passion is with Casting For Recovery a no-cost 3 day retreat for breast cancer survivors...I am their medical facilitator & past participant. 

http://www.castingforrecovery.org/

Thanks for this thread, very interesting.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Aug 26 2009, 01:51 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=822329


> Well, I am a housewife (no kids, just a husband & the 2 pups!) so I don't get any of those luxuries...I'm the one doing them all. LOL But, I never wanted to be in the workforce in the first place, and my husband LOVES be being home. I've thought about applying for a few part-time jobs, but he likes me being around while he's home more than he would like having the extra income.[/B]



DITTO!!! I look after my hubby and my malty and the house.
I, too, was toying with the idea of a part time job and have been applying for one.
I also signed up at a gym for yoga, pilates, and swimming...
I stopped working when I needed surgery but I am healing great!!!  
In the mean time, it's half nice being home and half boring...


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## lawgirl (Jul 22, 2009)

I'm a 20-something who just graduated law school and moved to NYC to start work at a corporate law firm in October. I never had a dog growing up and wanted one dearly, so finding Darcy and joining this community of dog lovers has been wonderful! I've been working through school on scholarship most of my life and never took time off, so I felt that getting a pup when I moved to the city this summer was my gift to myself for finishing my degree.

I got Darcy while studying for the Bar so I could train him and get him suited to my lifestyle, and once I start work he is going to doggie daycare in my neighborhood. I do all my own errands because I'm so obsessive-compulsive about how I clean my apartment. I won't need to cook at all once work starts, because we have a pretty decent firm cafeteria serving food around the clock.

It would be wonderful to have a friend or sibling to check in on my dog while I'm at work, but unfortunately all my friends are lawyers and will be working too. But I really look forward to sunny weekends and walks in Central Park--there's a great meet-up for toy breeds on one of the lawns near the southeastern corner of the Park.


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## MoparDSM (Sep 5, 2009)

I'm an entry-level project engineer with a subsidiary of UTC trying to finish up my first bachelors (long time coming haha  ) No hired help for me, though I wish I could afford it!


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## pinkheadbaby (Jul 27, 2008)

I too have been waiting a long time to win the lottery :HistericalSmiley: !! hehe - hasn't happened yet ( I swear I'll share  ))
Anyway, I am an RN with a great variety of experience in many different areas, presently working in one of our nations busiest ER's. I work in Pediatric ER. Love my job, coworkers, the docs, even the patients!! I see am incredible cross section of the world, from impoverished people to the "upper crust". We are a referral center with many specialists. We are also the closest ER to Newark Liberty airport & so I meet people from all over the world. I try to take care of everyone, be nice, be real, be professional. I give every parent the credit for wanting their child to be OK, no matter how they act or what their culture is,(until they sometimes prove otherwise  ) 
I work 11A - 11P 3x/week, plus overtime when I can get it, may be 1-2 x / week tops. I also work in home care doing Infusion Therapy 1-2x/week. This only takes 2-3 hrs.wk. I have had 3 patients for 9 & 10 years with weekly visits.
My DH & I have been renovating an old house for the past 6 years. Wish we had knocked it down & built new. Too late now. We are 90% done. DH works as a professor in computer science @ a local university & runs a nonprofit which tries to help people better themselves.
I have little time for housekeeping. A lady comes to my house every 2 wks.My house is big & I'm sure I could do it better but something has to give. Megan is 17 & the only one of 7 (blended family) who is home now. I will pay her to do extra special jobs for us. The boys come & help with heavy things.
She helps alot but is an honor student & is in all star cheerleading. We travel around the country many times/year for that.

OMG this looks terrible in print! I swear we ae doing well!! There are times that I inform my family that they cannot ask the carpenter/tile girl/ construction worker/painter/sheetrocker/yardworker...etc. what is for dinner! As a result, Megan has become a great cook! My stove spent 4 years in the foyer!! We can bake an apple pie on the grill!
The baby doggies actually get alot of attention because our schedules overlap. One of my sister lives around the corner & helps.
This renovation project has taken long but we don't care. We live our lives & play with the dogs as much as we want. 
we, the dogs, & our families are much more important than a house!!! We have 5 Grands & 1 on the way!!
Interesting thread!


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## =supermanskivvies= (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm a web designer/graphic designer. I've been doing it for about 5 years. At the moment, I'm working out of my house for a small server and hosting company. I'm single and live in a condo with my sister as a roommate, so we both take care of the housekeeping duties.


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## Brunos_mom (Sep 9, 2009)

Up until a week ago, I was an functional tech consultant working out of my home. I did this for about 2 years for a company based in CA. Last Fri I quit my job to pursue my true long-term dream of becoming a hairstylist, and I will b starting school full-time next week! I'm single and live alone in NYC, as I have for the past 2 years... its great having a family of friends to help support me in life and in the "parenting" of Bruno! He has many aunts and uncles all over Manhattan and Brooklyn!


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

I'm an associate dean at a college and my husband is an electrical engineer. While I love working in education, it is my dream to open up my own business. I just don't know what it would be. I just want to be able to bring my dogs to work everyday! arty: For now, I'd love to live close enough to work so I could go home for lunch and walk the dogs and hang out with them, so that's my short term goal.


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## mpappie (Jun 28, 2005)

College librarian :biggrin: and dh works at a veterans homeless shelter as a Residental Advisor.

Pup and Ollie have no jobs, just servants to wait on them hand and paws.


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## jeannief (Aug 6, 2009)

Medical transcriptionist working remotely for local hospital. I do all cleaning and cooking. Husband does gardening.


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

I work for a media company in Times Square in the legal department. It's my first real job out of college and it's so much fun even though I think I have one of the more boring jobs at the company. I like my job but it'd be a million times better if they let me bring Lola to work! But on the bright side, there's always something going on whether in Times Square or in our studio. No maids or housekeepers for me, but I'm definitely Lola's maid/butler/nanny/chef/personal trainer/door(wo)man! :biggrin:


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## bell (Jun 4, 2008)

I am a teacher, no maids here lol. I am single and just got my first job as a teacher in a local high school.


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