Tips and resources on financial management for domestic helpers

Good money management and financial stability mean that a domestic helper can avoid distractions of financial stress while working in Hong Kong, support family members back home, and make a savings plan for the future.

Here are some resources and tips on money matters for domestic helpers:

 

Choose employment agencies carefully:

Excessive recruitment fees are a key cause of financial debt issues faced by domestic helpers. Domestic helpers spend on average 4-6 months paying off recruitment debt (Farsight, 2016; Justice Centre, 2016). See our articles before choosing an employment agency:

 

Stay organised:

Using monthly payslips can be helpful to both employers and domestic helpers. They can help in record keeping, tracking of monthly salaries, deductions, allowances, and other entitlements.

 

Use a savings account:

A bank account is a good tool for money management. Instead of cash, salaries can be paid directly into a domestic helper’s bank account. This also avoids the easy temptation of spending cash. Domestic helpers can take another step further by opening a second account for savings, and transfer amounts from the initial account regularly to set aside.

See: What is the best bank account for domestic helpers

 

Debt issues:

Enrich is a Hong Kong-based charity that provides financial management training for domestic helpers and a confidential one-to-one Financial Counselling service for domestic helpers in debt. Employers and/or domestic helpers can reach out to Enrich for help:

Tel: 2386 581; Facebook: EnrichHK

 

Financial management training:

  • Enrich is a Hong Kong charity that provides financial management training for domestic helpers on saving, investing and setting up a business. Employers can also sponsor domestic helpers to take Enrich courses and find further tips on their website.
    • Language: English, Bahasa, Tagalog
    • Contact:  Tel: 2386 581; Facebook: EnrichHK
    • Explore their FREE mobile app “Enrich Planner” which helps track finances and progress towards financial goals.
    • Watch their Video Series explaining important information about money management. HERE

 

  • Uplifters is a Hong Kong charity that provides online financial management courses. These are free for domestic helpers to enrol in.

 



Last updated on February 6th, 2024

If you found this article helpful, please consider donating today.

Fair Employment Agency is a nonprofit agency. We put a lot of work into producing high quality, accurate and updated information resources because when employers and domestic helpers are informed, they are empowered to make good choices. If you found this article helpful, please consider donating to support us through Fair Employment Foundation, a registered section 88 charity in Hong Kong, which builds social businesses (like us!) to make migrant recruitment fair to workers & fair to employers.

Donate now
person

plant