Most two-career families can’t pay someone else to do everything for them. We’d go broke. I try to outsource strategically. Shopping online for kids’ clothes, kitchen equipment, and gifts, instead of wasting a Saturday or Sunday running from store to store, is usually free. During the week, when I realize we need something, I note it in my iPhone. Every so often, I order it all on Amazon instead of spending my weekend running to three different stores with a toddler in tow.
When deciding what to outsource, I do a quick time/cost/aggravation analysis. We enjoy cooking so we don’t spend a lot of money eating out. When I garden, however, I invariably contract poison ivy . . . And cleaning the house? A friend once said, “I could pay for marriage counseling, or I could pay for a housecleaner; I’d rather have a clean house.” I’d have to agree on that one.
In any event, find out what works best for you, and don’t try to do everything yourself.