Everyone has heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” In many ways, of course, this is true. Research, though, shows that wise use of money in certain circumstances can make the spender happier. People can use their money to increase happiness by paying someone else to do chores that take time away from enjoying more fun activities. Here are some areas to consider spending cash to offload household tasks.
Laundry
For some families, outsourcing every aspect of laundry is a perfect choice. Maybe you live in an apartment and don’t have your own washer and dryer. Perhaps your schedule is unpredictable, and you find it challenging to create a laundry schedule. Possibly you just despise washing clothes. In most areas, you can arrange for your laundry facility to pick up your dirty items. They wash, dry, and fold them for you. They can keep track of everything with their dry cleaning piece manager, then return your clean items to you a day or two later.
Yard Work
Even if having a show-worthy garden isn’t one of your dreams, most people want the landscaping around their homes to look well-tended. Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds and trimming shrubs can eat up much of a weekend. If you work long hours during the week, paying someone to do these chores for you can give you back your precious weekend time. This is a win-win situation because someone else will earn an income doing this tedious work for you. Whether you hire a neighborhood teenager to mow your lawn once a week or contract with a landscaping company, you get to enjoy your beautiful yard instead of working in it.
Meal Prep
Having to prep and cook dinner for your family at the end of a workday can seem exhausting. One way to avoid this is to pick up takeout on your way home. Many families designate a takeout night each week but don’t find this sustainable for every day. Instead, you could take advantage of one of the popular mail-order meal prep services. These companies typically provide all of the ingredients for a full meal. They’re measured and fully prepared, saving you a bunch of time and still giving you the benefit of freshly cooked food. If you can afford to use some of your money to buy back time by hiring out chores, do so. You’ll find yourself happier as you enjoy more of your time off work instead of working at home.
