A few years ago, I led my family through a financial experiment.
I used my financial designations and experience to create our own family money value system. It was at this stage in our life that we were ready to take the next jump into exploring our true family value of ‘freedom,’ where freedom means more time, more options, and more ways to free up the clutter in our lives. This experiment is what led to the stories and experiences that I share in my book.
I learned that money isn’t the only valuable resource in life.
There is proof that spending money to buy back time can make us happier. Studies in Canada, Denmark, and the Netherlands show that happiness and life satisfaction does not come from income or wealth. Instead, buying time promoted happiness.
Let’s face it, we are a society in a time famine.
Think about the one thing you hate most spending your time on. Now think of a way to buy yourself out of it.
Here are a few of the everyday tasks you can outsource:
(This is your permission to go ahead and try it. Throw your guilt out the window and see if you can create some ease. You deserve it!)
- House cleaning – Hire a weekly service or schedule a Fall cleaning.
- Assembly – If a cold sweat starts at the thought of building your IKEA furniture or your new BBQ, then pay the extra dollars and have it assembled.
- Home Organization Consultation – Sometimes a clean slate is all it takes to alleviate some of the clutter. This is money well spent.
- Tech Set Up – The TV, sound system and computer may have come with instructions, but do you really want to spend days figuring it out?
- Meal Service – This one is a must in my family. Half of our weekly meals come from a meal concierge service. I have even given up the pick-up option, and I now pay $8 a week for delivery straight to my door.
- Online Grocery Shopping – This option has helped with not only time but also cash flow. With the online cart, you can see your subtotal add up and make any changes to your cart to match your budget. It is a foolproof way to stay on top of the money. Bonus, they will deliver, and you don’t need to leave the house.
- Yard Care – Hiring someone to mow and weed does not make you lazy. The pressure of maintaining the yard after a long workday can make anyone cranky. I have even hired a company called, The Poo Crew in the Spring to help with the dog bombs in the backyard after the winter melt.
There are a few other ideas that I have spent money on that created more time for me and was worth every penny:
- Life Coaching – Five years ago I was feeling pressure and stress and felt like I didn’t have time for anything. I hired a life coach that helped me prioritize and get back on track. I had accountability that made me more productive and allowed me to add some more fun to life.
- Pre-Booking – When you are at the hairdressers, dentist… try pre-booking the next appointment. This will eliminate the missed phone calls and returned messages when trying to schedule appointments.
- Virtual Assistant or On-Demand Personal Assistant – I have outsourced all of the little time wasters that cost me hours. A virtual assistant can book holidays and appointments, update your calendar and make online purchases for you.
This isn’t permission to abandon all money sense and empty your bank account on whatever you want. The point is to use your money smartly to align with the things that are important to you.
Spending this way feels good and can leverage more happiness in your life.
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