part time vs full time helper

Hi, we are still debating whether to get full time or part time help. Does anyone out there have a part time helper that seems to work and if so, do you have set hours/days each week? how much do you pay? I would like to find someone to clean, do laundry and occassionaly watch my 9 month old son during the day and maybe one evening per week. It seems like part time help ends up being more expensive than full time live in help.......we are still torn with the idea to get full time live in although everyone says you get used to it pretty quickly! thanks so much, Melissa

full time live in is way forward - def much cheaper. and, yes, you do get used to it very quickly - no two ways about it - esp if you have a child - you have a built in babysitter!! The helpers are quite good at keeping themselves out of your way if you want them to.

and of course you have to remember that it is illegal to hire non HK PR on part -time basis and HK PR (the only person who legally can do part time) will cost you an arm and a leg.

there are so many filipino residents here in Hongkong works as a parttime. post an ads. goodluck.

OK Starlionblue, I am very jealous of your helper. She sounds perfect!


Ours is good, but I would not lose any sleep if she decided to go back home tomorrow. missfitzy, not everyone ets used to sharing their home with somebody who is not a member of their family. I adjusted to the help with cleaning and cooking etc. almost overnight. We had always had part-time help before we moved here, so I never did all of the housework myself. I still have not bought into having someone around us all of the time though. I find myself spending as much time ouside of the house with the children as possible, because when we're home, our helper is always hovering around us. She reads our mail, asks very personal and financial questions etc.


I am looking for a workable part-time solution once her contract expires, because our current situation does not work (she is bored and I cannot adjust to the lack of privacy). I think it's a personality thing; most people think the upsides of having live-in help far outweigh the privacy issue, it just does not work for me. Only you can decide what will work in your home.