Outsourcing Cooking with Craigslist for $60/week

[sidsavara]

Hi Guys,

This post of mine has been pretty popular with friends and readers, and I thought other 4HWW fanatics such as myself might enjoy it:

In it I talk about how the 4HWW influenced me, and my approach to some aspects of my life - specifically food preparation. I no longer cook my own meals, I have outsourced it:

http://sidsavara.com/personal-productivity/the-price-of-my-dreams-60-a-week

I hope this doesn't come across as spam - it is my first post, but this is an article I wrote that I think you guys would enjoy. It is also a bit of an introduction to me and who I am =)

[TinaD]

That is so cool!....Love the idea...you gotta figure out a way to make money on this...maybe you should take it off your blog;)

[nghs22]

That is AWESOME! Can you please post your CL ads so I can get some ideas of what worked for you :)

Thanks

[sidsavara]

Here is the ad in it's entirety:

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Not sure what the appropriate description is, as it's not really a true housekeeper. I am trying to make some more time in my life, and I want someone to take care of some very specific tasks for me which are especially time consuming, preferably during the 4-7 p.m. time frame 2-3 times per week. What would be great is if you could come over and handle the tasks while I then try to catch up on business/reading or go work out.

1) Cook a large amount of food that will last for 4-8 meals. Typically this should be some sort of meat based dish (chicken curry, baked salmon or chicken, some vegetables etc) and rice. I have a lot of tupperware/pyrex and the ideal situation would be for the food to be cooked and then individually packed (sans rice). Nothing too fancy, just plentiful and it should keep for a few days in the fridge.

2) Unload/load the dishwasher, hand wash items that cannot go in the dishwasher (some of my knives and frying pans).

3) Wash and fold/hang up laundry. I can throw the load of laundry in before you come over, the folding and especially the hanging is the tedious part.

4) Purchase the food required for cooking. You will be compensated for time and of course reimbursed for the purchase.

So I am looking for about 2 hours of work, 2-3 times a week. Does anyone out there offer these kinds of services? The time I have specified is flexible. One weekend day is possible though I prefer mostly weekdays.
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Thank you also for visiting and your comments. I hope you enjoyed some of the other posts I wrote also =)

[webgal]

That is cheaper than dream dinners. However, I have a family of four so maybe it's comparable.

[padma]

Interesting idea, but it seems to me that we are getting close to the fine line between handling our own business and outsourcing life itself. I find a satisfaction in cooking my own food that I couldn't give up, I guess for others this may not be the case.

This whole "outsourcing" thing just gets me a little uneasy at the rate it is going.

What do you do in this time that you couldn't before?

[TinaD]

Everyone has a mundane area of their life they would like to outsource (mine is cleaning). If you love to cook, don't give it up (I like cooking for others but not for myself...I'm one of those people who enjoys feeding people). :D But if there is an area of your life you would like to get rid of, why not outsource it?

[TimW]

Mine would be sleeping, showering, um...constitutionals, and eating (most of the time)....I find all these items to be useless. Too bad they can't be outsourced, as I'd try and find a way to do it.

Of course, if I could get paid to sleep for someone else, I'd be rich. :)

[padma]

Can I outsource my 9-5? Now that would really save me some time and aggravation :)

[froldt]

Sidsavara, I enjoyed reading through some of the other posts on your blog. This is an interesting idea and I'm glad to hear that it is working out so well for you.

Like some of the others who have replied, I enjoy cooking and shopping (my wife and I do this together, it's one of the routing things that we make special by doing it together.) I hate doing laundry and don't enjoy cleaning. One day I will have someone to take care of these for me (either a housekeeper or children, whichever comes first :D ).

[sidsavara]

First off, I agree with the sentiment that some people enjoy cooking =). As an example, I enjoy walking dogs - even though that requires picking up their business when they are done (which, by the way, is the one portion of the walk I WOULD outsource if I could).


What do you do in this time that you couldn't before?

I try to use that time productively, since it's "bought" time. I realize though that I also spend some time just relaxing =)

I just published a related post this morning about that, how I am now using my morning time for personal goals (guitar, reading, working out, etc) and there is a nice symmetry: 10 or so hours saved by not cooking/shopping for food/dishes/etc, 10 hours spent weekday mornings on my goals.

http://sidsavara.com/personal-development/more-important-than-money-paying-myself-first-with-my-time

[sidsavara]

Sidsavara, I enjoyed reading through some of the other posts on your blog. This is an interesting idea and I'm glad to hear that it is working out so well for you.
... I hate doing laundry and don't enjoy cleaning. One day I will have someone to take care of these for me (either a housekeeper or children, whichever comes first :D ).

Thanks a lot. I am glad you enjoyed it =)

My parents own The Maids franchise in Honolulu, so I may have them send the maids at some point. I like to keep picking up after myself all day though, so I am not sure it'll help that much.

Housekeeper or kids eh? Nice grouping ;)

[froldt]

Housekeeper or kids eh? Nice grouping ;)

I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason that my parents had me and my sister. If it wasn't the reason, it became one! :D

[webgal]

Interesting idea, but it seems to me that we are getting close to the fine line between handling our own business and outsourcing life itself. I find a satisfaction in cooking my own food that I couldn't give up, I guess for others this may not be the case.

This whole "outsourcing" thing just gets me a little uneasy at the rate it is going.

What do you do in this time that you couldn't before?

I have recently outsourced kissing my kids good night. I don't have time for this! (that's a joke). I'd have to tie them down at this point to get a kiss good night since I am simply a walking wallet with keys. (they are teenagers). I feel sure I'm about to become background noise which is a demotion from walking wallet with keys.

[padma]

I have recently outsourced kissing my kids good night. I don't have time for this! (that's a joke). I'd have to tie them down at this point to get a kiss good night since I am simply a walking wallet with keys. (they are teenagers). I feel sure I'm about to become background noise which is a demotion from walking wallet with keys.

:D That was pretty funny

I'm not looking forward to the days when my kids see me that way, but it will be here soon enough I'm afraid. I guess on the positive side you are closing in on having the house to yourself ;)

[webgal]

<grin> Boys are easier. Mine are actually pretty easy as teenagers go.

[sidsavara]

I have recently outsourced kissing my kids good night. I don't have time for this! (that's a joke). I'd have to tie them down at this point to get a kiss good night since I am simply a walking wallet with keys. (they are teenagers). I feel sure I'm about to become background noise which is a demotion from walking wallet with keys.

LOL. I like the walking wallet with keys ;)