Cleaners, gardeners and dog walkers now seen as necessities

Once seen as luxuries for the rich, 59 per cent of consumers in the Midlands now think cleaners, gardeners and dog walkers are a necessity.
Cleaners are now seen as necessitiesCleaners are now seen as necessities
Cleaners are now seen as necessities

On average, consumers are spending £82 on these types of services each month, totalling £984 over a year, research from TopCashback.co.uk, the UK’s most generous cashback shopping site reveals.

Popular services in the Midlands include hiring a gardener (23 per cent), cleaner (19 per cent) or handyman (18 per cent) to help around the house. Consumers are also investing in smart tech including robotic hoovers and devices such as Amazon Echo and Hive (13 per cent) to help with chores at home.

In a bid to keep up with the Joneses, 58 per cent of consumers try to bring the cost of these services down so they do not have to go without. Nearly three-fifths (58 per cent) look for discounts and offers and 54 per cent opt to use the services less frequently than they would like.

Yet, only 31 per cent of people can afford these services from their disposable income. Forty-five per cent of consumers in the midlands have to plan their finances carefully, 16 per cent need to follow a strict budget and eight per cent admit to struggling but still paying out.

Natasha Rachel Smith, Consumers Affairs Editor for TopCashback.co.uk, said: “Who wouldn’t want to make life a little easier if they could? Especially if you’re short on time, looking for a little help can be extremely tempting. Despite these services becoming a lot more accessible with most available at the click of an app, they can still be expensive.

“Our research shows it’s important to live within your means, but that doesn’t have to mean going without. More and more services are going online, meaning you can make the most of voucher codes, discounts and cashback offers. Cutting back on how often you use these services is also a really easy way to cut costs.”

When asked if money was no object, would they pay £50,000 to never clean their home again, 55 per cent of people in the Midlands said yes. Forty-six per cent also said they would pay the same to never hoover again.