Time-Saving Services That Are Worth the Money

Not a day goes by when the words if only there were more hours in the day aren't uttered. Luckily there is a way to gain a few extra hours in the day. By outsourcing time-consuming chores, you could save hundreds of hours each month! As they say, time is money, and sometimes delegating chores is the best thing you can do for your pocketbook and your time. These seven services are worth the Benjamins in time, convenience, and-most importantly-sanity.

Laundry
Depending on the size of your family, doing laundry can truly be a never-ending task. The second you finally empty the hamper, you turn around and it's full again. (Ugh.) While it's traditional to outsource your dry cleaning, there are many services, like Laundry Locker in San Francisco, that will pick up your smelly laundry from your home or office building and deliver it back twenty-four hours later clean, fresh, and even folded. If you have to take your laundry (and a bag of quarters) to the laundromat anyway, this service is well worth the time you spend waiting for the spin cycle to be done. Truth be told, there may be no price too high to avoid holding another pair of smelly gym socks ever again …

Time saved: 2-8 hours/week
Price range: $1-$3/pound (Varies for larger objects.)


Housecleaning
A wise man once said the best way to save your marriage is to hire a maid. Many a war has started over less than a heap of dirty dishes. Whether you're married, single, or shacking up with roommates, there's no stress greater than coming home to a house covered in reeking clothes and crusted-over lasagna dishes. For as little as two hours twice a month, a maid service can save you not only time, but also your relationships.

Time saved: 2-4 hours/week
Price range: $50-$100/hour



Quick Cleaning Tips



Cooking
The biggest complaint of almost every person who's trying to stay healthy is the amount of time it takes to prepare nutritious food. Services like Munchery.com and Gobble.com (both local to the San Francisco Bay Area) and TopChefMeals (New York) offer fresh meals from local chefs delivered right to your doorstep-a healthier option than takeout or fast food. While a drop-in personal chef will run you upward of $300 per week, these services are a fraction of that.

Time saved: 5-10 hours/week
Price range: $12-$30/meal


Kid's Tutoring and Homework Help
As noble and sweet as it may seem to spend a few hours helping your child with his or her homework each week, it's not always that simple. Hours of reciting Shakespearean sonnets over tuna noodle casserole can be a recipe for tension and conflict. Plus, there comes a point when your high school algebra skills just aren't as sharp as they used to be. Hiring a tutor is a timesaving strategy that'll keep your kids' grades high and keep your home battleground free.

Time saved: 5-10 hours/week
Price range: $20-$50/hour


Taxes
Taxes are the government's version of homework that you have to pay to complete. While doing your own taxes may seem simple enough, if you own property or a business, were recently married or divorced, or have been through a big transition recently, it's wise to hire an outside party to file your taxes. Plus, a seasoned tax accountant can find plenty of places to save you money and make your refund check look a whole lot prettier.

Time saved: 1-20 hours
Price range: $100-$500


Personal Assisting
A personal assistant is someone you can hire for a few hours a week (or even full time) to help you do everything from write thank-you notes and pick up your dry cleaning to load your dishwasher and get your car washed. A personal assistant can be anyone from your neighbor's teenager to a seasoned professional. While it's mostly business executives who need personal assisting services, everyone from a busy mom to a sleep-deprived med student could use somebody to help them get stuff done.

Time saved: 1-40 hours/week
Price range: $15-$75/hour



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Random Chores
Scour sites like Taskrabbit and even Craigslist to pay people to do things that you just don't want to do. Don't have time to wait in line at the DMV? No time to pick up your groceries? Not a free second to book that second honeymoon to Tahiti? No problem. Websites like Taskrabbit staff reliable people at affordable rates to help you get your life done.

Time saved: 1-10 hours
Price range: $20-30/task


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5 Healthy and Inventive School Lunches

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