Two full time parents - what services do you buy in?

[Grannyannex]

Both work 45-60 hours a week. Kids. Need to buy in services to create balance/ reduce stress.

What services do you buy in and how’s often? What difference has it made?

Cleaner once a week, nanny.. That's it.. I have money for more but can't think what would work best because often it's organising extra help that's more annoying than just doing it. Laundry we do ourselves because putting away is the hardest part.

We have a cleaner and get supermarket delivery. I live very close to where I work and the evening activities are doable for me as DH commutes.

None.

We have a cleaner who comes in for 2hrs a week.

We have a woman that does our ironing for us, but we call her as and when (usually 2-3 times a month).

Our window cleaner comes every 4 weeks.

We also have a painter and decorator that does just that. My DH is more than capable of doing a decent job but there simply isn’t the time for him to do it so it doesn’t end up getting done.

I’m also looking for a gardener who can come and get the garden looking tip top in Spring so that it’s easier to maintain.

Basically, I out source as much as I can. The up side is that we don’t argue about it and the house is pretty much always presentable. The downside is the occasional pang is guilt that we are spending money we could be saving but I give my head a wobble and realise how much better life has been since we started all of the above.

cleaners, cook, driver, childcare, party organisers, tutors, pet groomers, online deliveries, decorators, handymen, ironing, gardeners.

6 hours of cleaner a week (she also changes bed sheets, declutters, and organises us in that time).
Babysitter as and when. She's fab and will cover inset days
Dogsitter occasionally

That's it apart from normal stuff like supermarket deliveries, online shopping, window cleaner

Currently just our childminder, but I'd love to have a cleaner.

Youngest DC is 16 now but still use cleaner, ironing service, gardener. Grocery shopping from ocado. Selfridges next day delivery pass is £15 annual cost well spent as you can specify a timed delivery within about 1.5 hr slot and between amazon prime and selfridges you can cover a huge number of eventualities.

Cleaner two hours a week.
Gardener two hours a fortnight.
Childminder for wraparound care.
Weekly shopping delivery.

Cleaner, gardener, regular babysitter 2 nights a week, tutor, all DIY and painting tasks etc.

Oh yes, decorator/handyman. We had the sitting room and dining room redecorated when we were on holiday this summer and it was fabulous to miss out on the disruption and just come back to it all lovely.

Things like carpet cleaning and dress alterations/repairs more than something small are also outsourced

Cleaner - weekly reduced my stress hugely
Gardener who does a big tidy every few months
Online shopping
Amazon prime!
Afterschools Club - this is a necessity though
Three nieces willing to babysit for payment
Doing whatever I can online eg booking hair appointments / waxing

Watching with interest as my hours go up from feb...

Cleaner, after school child minder and breakfast club st school, amazon prime and painter.

DH works 37.5 hours and I work 17.5.
We have a weekly cleaner and fortnightly gardener (mar-Oct with a clear up of leaves in the winter). If I was ever to go back full time I think I'd get my cleaner in a few more hours a week to do laundry and tidying but as it is we're pretty happy. We generally get to relax in the evenings for 2-3 hours after ds goes to bed.

I assumed uou meant two stay at home parents :o
We have a cleaner once a week. But the main 'service' which we are lucky enough to receive for free are willing, flexible and able grandparents.

Oh and window cleaner and some diy is outsourced. I do mainly online shopping but DH likes to do the foodshop himself once a week.

We usually order 3 meals a week from eat fresh too

Oh yes and breakfast club (paid for for DD but older ds's school open at 7.30 and they're expected to be there for about 8 to 8.15ish.

Cleaner, ironing lady, window cleaner, and always get supermarket deliveries.

Cleaner!!! And I work part time!! I get a 2 hr clean on a Friday so all ready for the weekend. If I could afford it I'd get it on a Tuesday too ready for my day off!!

I also pay for breakfast club on work days so I can drop kids off at 7.30.

I also buy adhoc services such as oven cleaner, carpet cleaning, window cleaning etc but they're not unusual!

I'd love to use a food service of some kind. Hate cooking after work.

Cleaner 4 hrs/week, who also irons/tidies - a general superstar.

Makes a huge difference - there are always clean clothes, beds, house presentable and hygienic. So less stress, never any arguments about housework.

Forgot to add I don't do ironing. Hate it! But I don't have an ironing service as I don't care about it. If I was bothered about goat clothes I'd probably pay an ironing service!

*flat clothes!!

Childcare. Which means we can't afford anything else.