If you both work (and can afford it), what jobs do you outsource?

[SnoopLabbyLab]

I’m just interested in what it is normal to outsource and thinking about the implications if we have a recession.

We live in a semi-rural village, and the local economy seems to thrive on local self employed workers (often born in the village, but sometimes from the next town) keeping busy professional working households going, while their occupants work on their own businesses, or in London jobs. I grew up in a suburb of a provincial city, and I knew no-one who had cleaners etc. Maybe I just live in a different type of area now, or maybe it’s become more common. We both work in professional jobs (me only school hours) and have three DC of primary/ early secondary age and two dogs. At the moment we employ a housekeeper (12 hours a week, she has 3 jobs like this), a gardener (2 hours a week), an odd job chap (as and when), a dog walker (twice a week), then visits from chimney sweep, range service etc.

I suppose all of these are choices we could drop at any time (although I’d prefer my chimney not to catch fire), but they do make life much, much better and I feel very loyal, especially to our lovely housekeeper, and one of her families has just halved her hours. I do wonder about the viability of these livelihoods as we enter a financially difficult time. Any thoughts?

We have a window cleaner once a month. That's it. Everything else is done by us. I do cleaning (a few hours each week). DH does the garden and the DIY (an hour most weeks in the summer for the garden and then odd jobs here and there for the DIY). We split the shopping based on who has time that week! We don't have a dog so no dog walker. Kids are either looked after by grandparents or before and after school club (we use a mix) so no nanny. No chimney so no chimney sweep.

DH family had a housekeeper, not live in. His grandparents on one side had actual servants but were incredibly wealthy.

I am retired now and would still have a cleaner but only like to employ by recommendation and mine left not too long before covid. I got my first cleaner when I had my first flat aged 21, I despise housework. The last one was with me for almost 7 years but moved away. Paid her well and gave her holiday pay. Took her out to dinner as a sort of works leaving do. She was the same age as me so mid fifties now. Her life had been very difficult and she was a single parent, very lovely woman almost too nice which was why life had been unduly harsh to her.

Since having my youngest 2 months ago we've hired a housekeeper. She cleans, hoovers, does laundry and things like changing beds, tidying my older DDs bedrooms etc. She's been my saviour and we get along so well. She used to be a nanny so loves seeing the kids too. We pay her more so she can work flexibly, I find she works best when there's no rush to get an amount of things done so sometimes she's here 3 hours, sometimes 6. She just tells us her hours at the end of the week.

We have a window cleaner once a fortnight, he only charges £1 per window.

A gardener who comes to mow the lawn and prune the front hedges etc, he comes about once a month but less in the winter

Gardener and dog walker here

Cleaner, window cleaner and mindful chef deliveries

I have a lady who takes the dogs out twice a week, a cleaner who comes in for 6 hours a week and a ironing lady. I would be lost without them all as I just don't have the time to do it all. If I had to choose just one it would be my ironing lady as I can't stand ironing

I would love a housekeeper. Like a previous poster I find it a pain to tidy up before the cleaner comes. DH and I both have senior/ busy jobs and struggle to keep on top of the house with young kids. Quite frankly I sometimes hate being at home because of the state it’s in and I don’t have time to sort it out, it gets me really down sometimes. I think I’d probably only need someone to help 6-8 hours per week.. maybe when my childcare costs go down I’ll consider advertising as you did!

Housekeeper is the best thing ever and I honestly don’t know what we would do without her. She started as more of a cleaner and the job has evolved. She is amazing.

We also have a nanny, gardener, window cleaner and ironing collection service. Both work more than FT jobs, 2 under 3, dogs and animals and very rural. Even with all this I’m still nonstop from dawn until dusk 🤷‍♀️

House maintenance, mostly.

We're both high earners, but it's a small house (Edwardian tenement) and we're childfree by choice, so no need for a cleaner or gardener.

We do pay quite a lot (over the odds if needed) for good tradespeople as we live in a quirky, rather needy Edwardian tenement (although we love it very much!).

I'm not completely incompetent when it comes to DIY, but we're busy, our free time is precious and I'd rather throw money at professionals to get things done properly to a high standard than spend hours doing a second-rate job myself.

Also, does a mobile car valet count? Smashing local firm that comes out every six weeks and cleans the car thoroughly - will also buff out scratches, apply protective coat to the paintwork etc.

I decided on this as an added expense because my current car is a 12 year old Mazda (notoriously prone to rust, although excellent cars mechanically). I need it to last at least another two years, so decided to do this as a prophylactic measure (on top of regular servicing etc, obviously).

A cleaner. Also food delivery.

Cleaner every week who also does some laundry and changes all the beds.
Use a cleaning agency twice a year to do a very deep clean (they even pull out the washing machine/tumble dryer to clean behind).
Gardener comes once a fortnight .
Gousto box Monday - Friday (then eat out Saturdays & Sundays).
Local dress maker to do any alterations.
Car valeted regularly.
DH's PA handles all our travel arrangements (haven't booked a flight, hotel or train in years).
Beauty therapist does all my regular waxing, facials, Shellac mani/pedi.

Two adult household, we have a house keeper one day a week and then the same person who comes to clean for 6 hours a week.

also have a chimney sweep but that’s annual.

nothing else

We don't work so do most things ourselves, although we have a gardener who looks after our cottage borders a couple of times a week, a window cleaner and various services on appliances, eg range cooker. We used to have someone look after our lawn but my husband found he can do a better job. I found having a cleaner made me rush around cleaning beforehand so I thought I might as well just do it!!

I'm on my own , work full time and more
I have a window cleaner and someone cuts my grass every 3 weeks

I like cleaning , ironing etc so happy to do that.

Because we both worth full time and are lucky enough to afford it, we have:

• house keeper and nanny
• gardener
• cleaner
• pet sitters for holidays
• house
• driver for dinners out so we can drink (housekeeper's husband)

We also do the usual:

• aga service
• chimney sweep
• regular tree surgeons etc

Obviously lots of the above won't be necessary when I stop working

Have a cleaner once a week. An absolute lifesaver.

Have no family nearby to help with childcare so pay local childminder for school pick ups 3 days a week.

About twice a year pay gardener to come in and do all the gardening jobs I can't manage (Have shonky foot which scuppers my mobility a bit.)

Also pay garden maintenance person to strim back very high evergreen hedges (10 foot high) once a year.

DH works 10 hour days and I can't do the full range of jobs myself. So buying in services is our only option really....

Cleaner once a week and a window cleaner once a month. Does taking my car to the car wash count?

DH works full time and I am a student teacher, so in school or training full time, but term time only.

We have 4DC, 2 secondary and 2 older primary. We also employ:
A weekly cleaner
Window cleaners
Gardener
Doggy Daycare x2 days a week.

We rent, so any house maintenance is covered by the landlord. I also outsource other things though, like having my nails done, (part time) childcare in the holidays so I can get styding/work done, only ever get the car cleaned when I pay for it etc.

Housekeeper (3 x a week for 3 hours)
nanny
gardener
car valet
meal delivery service

we’d drop the last two if we had too (luxuries) but the other three are the happiness in our home .

I get what people are saying about the importance of reliable childcare, especially nannies. We stretched ourselves to afford our nanny when I had babies and toddlers, one very unwell for a year. DH was pushing for a partnership promotion and I’d just gone self employed. I swear that woman was the main reason we stayed sane, fed and together.