How much should we pay?

[bekyboo44]

I'm sorry but I would have to challenge anyone in HK, of any nationality, to eat well and nutritiously off $300 a month, espec. with the way food prices have increased in recent mnths.
Even food in the mkts, especi. meat, for example, is more expensive.

The reason most eat really cheaply is because all they have is $300 a month!!

 

[Query]

$300 a month translates to about $10 a day. I think you could marginally live off 3 meals of instant noodles a day on that budget - which is un-nutrious to say the least if not inhuman. I would think that at least double of that amount would be reasonable.

 

[Gemini]

Doesn't the $300 just buy the meat and veg and they are allowed to use rice, pasta, milk herbs, pastes etc from their employer?
I think everyone gives more than $300 anyway. Our new helper is getting paid the min wage plus $300 food plus an additional $500 bonus each month, she lives in with us full time and uses most of our food anyway.
We got told to keep the bonus payment separate as if they have been with you a long time you have to pay the long service payment which apparently goes off the last months payments????? We are newish to HK so we are not sure about all this.
I have been to some markets though and asked my helper and her friends how much they pay for food, they said that $300 is fine as they often share meals anyway when they go out to lunch or dinner.
I think everyone gives their helpers different salaries and the government rule is just the basic. You can follow that guide and then give additional allowance on top.

 

[carang]

if you read the post... she is looking for LIVE-OUT so there's no way they can help themselves to rice, oil etc. also, as what she is looking to do (have the helpers live out) is illegal, i would NOT suggest calling the labour dept!

personally, we don't give a food allowance at all. our helper is MORE than happy to eat our food. there are some things she likes more than others (took her a few times to enjoy tacos!), but all in all she's happy having what we are. i don't think she'd change it unless forced to.

 

[Bear Lau]

Before I gave birth to my second one, I only had one helper and I did all the food shopping and she share our food most of the time. At that time I also gave her HKD500 for "household money" for her to buy food she wants to eat and I will replenish it with the "expense report". I normally only have to replenish every 3 months.
After I gave birth to my second one, I hired an extra help. I asked them what they want for the food arrangement.( I still get rice, oil, noodles, coffee...etc) And they told me they would like to cook their own food, so I gave them HKD1,000 and replenish it when they give me the "expense report". In average, I have to replenish every 4 weeks. I'm a stay home mum, so I know clearly what they eat, and it is nothing expensive.(most of the time they have the same dish for two days)
The point I want to make here is HKD300 is really not enough for an adult to buy food in HK if they aren't allow to use the oil, rice, noodle...etc. espically with the increases in food price.