![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i255.photobucket.com\/albums\/hh138\/beatlo\/Ladies\/Cleaninglady_zps1f37af04.jpg\" "\\"Claning")
One of many motivations for moving to Mexico is that labor here costs very little \u00e2\u20ac\u201c even paying a better-than-average wage is much less than what you would pay in the US or Canada. This is part of the more general benefit of a low cost of living.<\/p>\n
Even Americans who really couldn’t have considered hiring a cleaning lady or someone to mow their lawn back home, can do so without a second thought here.<\/p>\n
But then comes the question \u00e2\u20ac\u201c should I be paying these workers more?<\/p>\n
My Answer<\/strong><\/p>\n My suggestion is this.\u00c2\u00a0 Find out the range of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153going rates\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for the kind of work you are considering.\u00c2\u00a0 Pay at the top end of this range \u00e2\u20ac\u201c or very near to it.<\/p>\n For example, let’s say that wherever you happen to live the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153going rates\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for a full-time maid, 6 days a week are between 4000 and 8000 pesos per month (about $360 and $720 USD.)\u00c2\u00a0 I’d say go for the top end of that range and pay between 7000 and 8000 pesos.<\/p>\n Why?\u00c2\u00a0 These are my reasons.<\/p>\n 1. You Get the Cream of the Crop<\/strong><\/p>\n If you pay the better wages, you’ll be more likely to get the interest of the more dedicated and skilled workers.\u00c2\u00a0 Once they’re working for you, they’re also going to stay aboard and\/or give you priority.<\/p>\n This is true everywhere, but when you’re talking about wages this low, people will jump ship and change jobs over night for a 100 dollars more a month. You may not want to keep everyone you hire on, but when you find the right people, you don’t want such a small amount of cash to be the reason you loose a great worker.<\/p>\n As a Mexico real estate<\/a> owner, this means you’ll be giving your home the best attention, getting the best landscaping, etc.<\/p>\n 2. They Work Hard!<\/strong><\/p>\n No 8 hour days in Mexico! The Mexicans who do work hard (i.e. the ones you’ve kept on by paying on the upper end of the range) work really hard \u00e2\u20ac\u201c in all likelihood much harder than you or I have in our lifetimes. Besides long days, Mexicans are willing to offer dedicated work for those long days.<\/p>\n Instead of going for lower work ethic at a lower price, you’ll do better to keep and encourage that work ethic with a reward they consider substantial.<\/p>\n 3. You’re Giving Back to the Community\u00c2\u00a0 Mexico and your town has welcomed you into a new home; by paying workers a good wage, you’ll giving back specifically to them and their family, but also into the local community in which you live, where they’ll be spending that money.\u00c2\u00a0 It improves quality of life and keeps a positive relationship between expats and locals.<\/p>\n Some people would say I’m \u00e2\u20ac\u0153moralizing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d here, but I really do think it’s an important point.\u00c2\u00a0 Being good is \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 well, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n 4. This May be a Person You Get to Know Well<\/strong><\/p>\n It could be misleading to call this a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153friendship;\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mexicans have a much broader range of relationships that they recognize in day to day life.\u00c2\u00a0 One of these is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153patron\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153worker\u00e2\u20ac\u009d which indicates a greater degree of personal connection and responsibility than our \u00e2\u20ac\u0153employer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c employee\u00e2\u20ac\u009d concept.\u00c2\u00a0 While it’s not what we would call a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153friendship,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it can turn into a lifelong, positive and healthy relationship, even long after they no longer work for you.<\/p>\n (Of course, this isn’t true of one-time contractors, but is an important consideration if you’re hiring a maid, gardener, etc. on a long- or even medium-term basis.)<\/p>\n 5. It’s Still Very Cheap<\/strong><\/p>\n Even the top end of that range ($720 per month \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which may well be considerably above the top rate wherever you choose to live) is very inexpensive for full-time help with cleaning cooking, running errands, etc.\u00c2\u00a0 The same is true of other services you’ll pay for here.<\/p>\n If you can’t afford the top end of the going rate is, then pay what you can; so long as it’s above the average you’ll still enjoy the benefits listed here to some extent.<\/p>\n Or maybe you only need a maid for 3 days a week, and a gardener\/handyman for 1 or 2 days a week.\u00c2\u00a0 There is a good deal of flexibility with hiring long-term help here.<\/p>\n In any case, you’ll find that hiring good help in Mexico is inexpensive and will allow you to live more comfortably within whatever budget you’re living on.<\/p>\n — The TOP<\/span> Mexico Real Estate<\/a><\/em> Network; “Mexico\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Una de las razones principales por las que la gente decide comprar bienes ra\u00c3\u00adces en M\u00c3\u00a9xico<\/a> es por su clima. La ventaja inigualable de nuestro pa\u00c3\u00ads es la de su bondadoso clima. El 80 % de nuestro territorio cuenta con un clima c\u00c3\u00a1lido, lo que beneficia el mercado inmobiliario y el desarrollo de destinos tur\u00c3\u00adsticos.<\/p>\n El clima de M\u00c3\u00a9xico varia de regi\u00c3\u00b3n a regi\u00c3\u00b3n, sin embargo, algo que se mantiene constante en casi la mayor\u00c3\u00ada de los lugares, es su clima templado as\u00c3\u00ad como sus ciudades soleadas. Sin importar en d\u00c3\u00b3nde te encuentres, es raro pasar un d\u00c3\u00ada entero sin recibir algo de sol. El sol sale siempre, todos los d\u00c3\u00adas y en todas partes. M\u00c3\u00a9xico es un pa\u00c3\u00ads lleno de sol.<\/p>\n Aunque las temperaturas var\u00c3\u00adan con la regi\u00c3\u00b3n del pa\u00c3\u00ads, aquellos que buscan un clima realmente c\u00c3\u00a1lido lo pueden encontrar en las \u00c3\u00a1reas costeras y las playas del pa\u00c3\u00ads, donde las temperaturas diarias alcanzan un promedio de 25 a 35 grados cent\u00c3\u00adgrados. Vivir en estas zonas har\u00c3\u00a1n que r\u00c3\u00a1pidamente te olvides de los su\u00c3\u00a9teres, y los zapatos, y te acostumbres m\u00c3\u00a1s a las playeras y a las sandalias.<\/p>\n Las zonas boscosas en el centro del pa\u00c3\u00ads lejos de la costa son lugares mucho m\u00c3\u00a1s frescos. Usualmente durante el d\u00c3\u00ada el sol es brillante y las temperaturas alcanzan los 30-35 grados cent\u00c3\u00adgrados dependiendo de la regi\u00c3\u00b3n. Por las noches la temperatura se refresca alcanzando los 15 grados cent\u00c3\u00adgrados, y por las noches de invierno el clima se enfr\u00c3\u00ada lo suficiente como para usar un buen su\u00c3\u00a9ter o disfrutar de una c\u00c3\u00a1lida chimenea.<\/p>\n Aqu\u00c3\u00ad en M\u00c3\u00a9xico podr\u00c3\u00a1s sufrir de todo, menos por el clima. Es un verdadero para\u00c3\u00adso clim\u00c3\u00a1tico, rodeado de playas, lagos, bosques y fauna.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i255.photobucket.com\/albums\/hh138\/beatlo\/MexicanGardener_zpsc4e40438.jpg\" "\\"Mexican")
<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i255.photobucket.com\/albums\/hh138\/beatlo\/Money\/SavingMoney_zps764db470.jpeg\" "\\"Saving")
Can’t Afford It?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nDoug Morgan<\/strong> was born in Dayton, Ohio and went to college at Buckeye State. Moving to Louisiana after college, he became President of his New York Stock Exchange company at the age of 28. His later career shifted to Florida and the investment business, where he was a financial advisor and branch manager for over 30 years. He bought his first condominium in Mexico in 2008 (from Top Mexico Real Estate), initially as a vacation home, but a year later he retired and moved full time to Playa del Carmen. Contact Doug at (512) 879-6546<\/span><\/strong>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Mexico](\"http:\/\/i255.photobucket.com\/albums\/hh138\/beatlo\/Banners\/kit-c2a-investment.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.topmexicorealestate.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Quintana-Roo-Riviera-Maya-Playa-del-Carmen-Mamitas-Beach-Photo-by-German-Murillo-Echavarria-0406-300x238.jpg\" "\\"Quintana")
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