Guest Author - Rhonda Cliett

If you are like most people, your to-do list is packed with more tasks than you can possibly complete. Many of the items on our to-do lists can be accomplished by either performing the work ourselves or by hiring a professional to do the job. How you determine which items you should do yourself depends on factors such as your enjoyment in performing the task, the money saved doing it yourself, and the time saved hiring a professional.

Most people tend to be extremists when it comes to do-it-yourself projects. Either they always hire a professional, or they always do the job themselves. Neither of these approaches result in the best use of your time or your money. Developing the habit of weighing the costs versus the benefits of the two approaches will ensure optimal use of your time and your finances.

A few examples from my own to-do list.

Dining on quick meals versus home cooking – For years I prepared a daily menu and shopped accordingly. My family rarely went out to eat and we rarely dined on frozen food; instead, I cooked nearly every meal from scratch. The benefits included cost savings, nourishing meals, and satisfying my enjoyment of cooking. The costs included the time required to prepare the menus and the shopping list and the time required to cook. I made the determination that the benefits far outweighed the costs. However, when I began graduate school a few years ago I realized that many things would have to change in order for me to allow adequate time for attending classes and studying. I still prepare menus and make a shopping list but I have integrated quick meals into the menu and spend much less time in the kitchen. At this point in my life, the additional money cost is worth the saved time benefit.

Yard Work – My yard is medium-sized and takes about two hours a week to mow. Additional time is required for edging, using the weed eater, pulling weeds, watering, planting annuals, and miscellaneous other tasks. Once the initial purchase of a mower and garden tools have been made, the only additional cost in doing the work myself is the gas to run the mower. Hiring someone to do the yard work would cost me about $50 a week. When I weighed simply the cost required to hire someone against the time required to do the job myself, I was tempted to hire someone (at least until I finish grad school). However, working in my yard forces me to get outside and away from the computer. Even in the hot days of summer (I live in Texas), I enjoy getting my hands dirty and being at one with nature. As a result, the enjoyment level of this activity weighs heavily and so I choose to do the job myself.

Making Homemade Ice Cream – I can make a small batch of homemade vanilla ice cream for less than a dollar. My ice cream maker is electric and does not require rock salt and ice. It only takes me two minutes to mix the ingredients, set up the machine, and clean up afterwards. A carton of ice cream from the store costs $6.00. Six batches of my homemade ice cream equals the size of the purchased carton. As a result, I do not save money by preparing my own ice cream. The cost would be the two minutes per batch for a total of 12 minutes per carton. Is homemade ice cream worth 12 minutes? You bet!

Developing the habit of weighing the costs versus the benefits for a project will help you gauge whether you should complete the task yourself or hire someone. Remember to factor in not only the time and money values but the enjoyment of the task or the dislike of the task. If both time and money are in short supply you might have to do some tasks yourself despite their low level of enjoyment. If this is the case, remember that situations change and nothing lasts forever. A chef or a yard person could be in your not-so-distant future.