# If You Were Wealthy, Would You Hire Servants? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408 "2018-04-14T13:45:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/1 "2018-04-14T13:45:48Z")
In another thread someone jokingly suggested hiring a maid for the sole purpose of fetching them a beer whenever they needed one. Kidding aside, if you had the cash, would you hire servants? I would definitely hire a landscaper and a cleaning person, but both of those hirings would be in the sense of entering into a contract with their business to provide _x_ service _y_ times per month at _z_ cost, and not actually making them my employees with W-2’s and all that. I don’t mind driving, so I’d have no need of a chauffeur; don’t have kids, so no need for hired childcare (nor would I hire one anyway, being of the belief that people should raise their own children\*); and I rather enjoy cooking, so no need for a personal chef. \*This isn’t a dig at people who hire childcare. Everybody’s situation is different, walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, yada yada yada. But for me, there is absolutely no scenario in which I would ever consider hiring outside help for my kids. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/2 "2018-04-14T13:56:33Z")
Absolutely! And they’d be well compensated. The first one I’d hire is a clothing shopper. I don’t like shopping for clothes and have a hard time finding things that look nice together. So, here’s a credit card. Go. Find clothes. Have them made if you have to. I want a full closet for each season and the more commonly encountered occasions. Then I’d hire a personal trainer and a running coach. Could be the same person, I guess. And I would never, ever clean anything in my house ever again apart from wiping up spilled beer and rinsing my toothpaste down the sink. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/3 "2018-04-14T13:59:11Z")
Besides someone to keep my house perfect, inside and out, and my clothes clean, I would hire a personal trainer, a personal dietitian/cook, and a driver to take me wherever I wanted to go… ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/4 "2018-04-14T14:01:14Z")
Not a chance. The reason wealthy people got that way are because they don’t spend money on frivolous things. Read “The Millionaire Next Door”. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/5 "2018-04-14T14:04:57Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Not a chance. The reason wealthy people got that way are because they don’t spend money on frivolous things. Read “The Millionaire Next Door”. The premise of the thread is that you’re ALREADY wealthy. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/6 "2018-04-14T14:05:39Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Absolutely! And they’d be well compensated. > > The first one I’d hire is a clothing shopper. I don’t like shopping for clothes and have a hard time finding things that look nice together. So, here’s a credit card. Go. Find clothes. Have them made if you have to. I want a full closet for each season and the more commonly encountered occasions. > > **Then I’d hire a personal trainer and a running coach.** Could be the same person, I guess. > > And I would never, ever clean anything in my house ever again apart from wiping up spilled beer and rinsing my toothpaste down the sink. _jumps up, waves hands_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/7 "2018-04-14T14:12:18Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > _jumps up, waves hands_ > > 😃 You’ll be the third person to know if I win Powerball tonight! ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/8 "2018-04-14T14:12:48Z")
We already have a weekly maid. And yes I would have other servants if I could afford it. I don’t yet know what they would do other than tend the critters. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/9 "2018-04-14T14:18:31Z")
Hell yeah. Cleaning persons would great. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/10 "2018-04-14T14:24:08Z")
Having a cleaning service come in every other week is pretty inexpensive. I’ve been doing that for years. But I don’t like anyone in the house when I’m home. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/11 "2018-04-14T14:29:19Z")
I would. When we were posted in Africa with the Department of State, household help was not only cheap, we were pretty much expected to provide employment to locals. Having someone to take care of the house and grounds was a real luxury and I’d do it again if I could. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/12 "2018-04-14T14:40:02Z")
No. I was raised to clean my own damn messes. And if I’m that wealthy, I’ve got plenty of time to clean, cook, garden, launder, etc… Also, I don’t want complete strangers in my house, touching things. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/13 "2018-04-14T14:42:32Z")
If I were to hire servants I’d consider a housekeeper, a maid, cook, and a “personal assistant” - someone to organize my shit, do my filing, run errands, and so forth. Also, a mechanic for my collection of airplanes. But in reality, I probably would still continue to mostly take care of my own stuff, only occasionally hiring help as needed. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/14 "2018-04-14T14:48:04Z")
I would. I doubt I would have the time to do some errands as well; unless I’m enjoying a wealthy retirement I’d probably have a job with lots of overtime and a requirement to be “on call” pretty much all the time. (My much higher superiors where I work are like that. They get paid much more, salaried, but it’s almost like they get paid the same per hour as I do.) Stuff I don’t want touched (personal papers, jewelry, etc) would be kept under lock and key, the bedroom and home office would have a lock that they don’t have a key too (I can clean my own bedroom, thanks, and the computer needs more than just a password) and there would be internal cameras in areas they’re not locked out of (no need for one in the bedroom or washroom). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/15 "2018-04-14T14:50:52Z")
Cleaning service and cook. Absolutely. Three square meals a day ready on my table, and not having to do my own grocery shopping? Yes yes yes. And no more vacuuming, dusting or cleaning the shower? Sign me up. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/16 "2018-04-14T14:57:13Z")
I guess the implication of ‘servant’ here is people who work only for you, and/or live on your premises. Except some responses refer to personal trainers and people to clean the house, who are now usually not exclusive or live-in. People even in the top half of income IME often pay others to clean, do laundry, landscape, help them work out, childcare, etc. That’s not limited to the ‘wealthy’ unless you define it very broadly (the rich countries of the world are very wealthy societies on the whole compared to all previous human history). But it’s much less common for those service providers to be exclusive to one person or family or to live in. Not being poor, we like a lot of people could afford to engage say a cleaning service without winning the lottery. We don’t happen to. If we had a bigger place or were more neat freakish maybe we would. I personally would never want to directly employ somebody exclusively for my personal service if it was avoidable. I just wouldn’t want to deal with that kind of personal relationship. It’s not a matter of money. I suppose at some point having a personal service providing company might be unavoidable, if one/both of us are still living, not fully able to take care of ourselves, and don’t want to move. Possibly even an exclusive person in that case not ‘Visiting Angels’ etc. Then again maybe we won’t directly be making those decisions. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/17 "2018-04-14T14:57:40Z")
I guess I’m comfortable, not exactly wealthy. I have a housekeeper coming 2x a month, and a gardener coming 4x a month. Not exactly servants, per se, but the time I gain is worth the cost to me. In the spirit of the OP, I’m envisioning the Anthony Hopkins character in _Meet Joe Black_, and yeah if I was wealthy like that I’d have some servants like his. Except I’d rather have a helicopter license and fly myself around, with a seasoned copilot with me so I don’t F it up and screw the pooch. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/18 "2018-04-14T15:00:14Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Cleaning service and cook. Absolutely. > > Three square meals a day ready on my table, and not having to do my own grocery shopping? Yes yes yes. > > And no more vacuuming, dusting or cleaning the shower? Sign me up. I like this too, a cook who shops and provides 3 squares a day. Sign me up too! ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/19 "2018-04-14T15:10:09Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > In another thread someone jokingly suggested hiring a maid for the sole purpose of fetching them a beer whenever they needed one. > > Kidding aside, if you had the cash, would you hire servants? I dunno. with the caveat that it’s easy to say what I “would” do since I’m not actually doing it; if I had the scratch I might just do something like you and just pay for a cleaning service periodically. I don’t see myself wanting a huge house or anything despite being loaded, so it really wouldn’t make sense to hire anyone full time. a condo is fine for me so landscaping isn’t a concern. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408/20 "2018-04-14T15:12:57Z")
Here in Latin America, even lower-middle class people have maids, even live-in maids. Once you’re firmly in the class, your house/flat has a “cuarto de servicio” were the maid lives. I had a maid/nanny plus a nanny/maid when my three kids (born in a four-year span) plus a replacement for Sundays. Now I “only” have one five days a week, live-out. All my kids are in their mid to late teens, so they can help more around. I’ve never washed my clothes nor cleaned my house. I’ve never been anything close to wealthy. I cannot imagine being rich and vacuuming. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-wealthy-would-you-hire-servants/812408.md?page=2)