I like to put a dollar value on what I achieve in the home week by week.
It makes me feel I'm contributing something important to our life, and gives me a real sense of satisfaction.
It also allows me to put actual money saved away, for something more exciting that a cleaning lady or a takeaway meal. Things like our Mediterranean cruise, which departs in just nine weeks. We can't wait. Insourcing went a long way to helping us save the substantial sum required not just to cruise, but to fly to the departure destination, enjoy a stopover on the flight home, and provide spending money for us all. That's a lot-a-dollars saved and a lot-a-insourcing!
Here's the dollar value of my work in the home this week....
* I prepped at least a weeks worth of bargain fruit and veges and stored them in the crisper in ziplock bags. This saved not only on buying ready prepared salad and vegetables for the week, but also made staying on track with our Michelle Bridges plan very easy and smooth, and prevented any random shopping. My savings at the fruit shop were already substantial on similar buys at the supermarket, so I'm going to say I saved a bare minimum of $50 by doing this.
* I spent $35 on remnants at Spotlight, but those remnants have the potential to save me up to $400 in gifts for family and friends, and formal wear for DD15. So I'll subtract the $35 I spent, from the $400 I WOULD have spent, and call that a $365 saving.
* I made 5 gathered ball cushions, the same as the one I saw in the posh homewares store for $59. Actually I think mine are nicer due to the fabric and embellishments I've used. Total spend including embellishments was $54. Total spend if I'd bought five similar cushions, $295!! So I saved $295 - $54 actual spend....actual saving $241.
* Savings on purchases at the fruit market, freed up money in the budget to buy some bargains on toiletries this week. I got toiletries to the value of $80 full price, for just $30. Saving of $50.
* We're sewing a tulle skirt refashioned from a bustle on a vintage wedding dress bought some months ago for under $50. We bought the dress as it has the potential to be a semi formal dress next year, and the bustle had so much fabric, we just knew we'd get one if not two tulle skirts out of it. Saving of $100 on two similar tulle skirts and gosh....lets conservatively say $150 on the semi formal dress. Value generated $250, from a $50 spend. Savings of $200.
* Cleaned, decuttered and ironed, saving $200 on a cleaning lady and an ironing lady (or man!).
* Rejuvenated herb garden, and sowed some seeds to generate a new crop. Saving up to $100 in bought herbs over the next three months.
Total insourcing value this week $1206.
Even when I was at my career girl heights, I never had a take home pay anywhere near that, and I still had to accomplish all of those cleaning, gardening, meal prep, gift buying, and clothing goals.
I'm very happy with that :)
What did you insource this week, and more importantly, how much money did you save?
The monetary value of what we save by 'doing at home' is often overlooked. Thanks for reminding us of just how much we save and of our value as dedicated homemakers.
ReplyDeletePatsy, this is the very reason I started doing this and posting about it. I think homemaking is such an undervalued skill nowadays. Especially when you truly CAN outsource just about any task, so we're all brainwashed into thinking that's the life to have. We've forgotten how to value ourselves, and it's so sad. Young women think the only way to have self worth, is to study, work, farm their babies out to someone else to nurture, and rejoin the career girl ranks. They're exhausted, constantly under pressure, and often don't have family to turn to. I'm just trying to show, that it doesn't have to be that way, and that everything we do has an inherent value attached. Mimi xxx
DeleteDear Mimi,
ReplyDeleteI have to say insourcing dollars add up very fast once we are talking things like evening wear, special occasions etc. And DIY and op shopping are awesome for both!
Wendy and Fiona last week made hundreds of sausage rolls between them... Fiona made 50 so that is $160 worth? Wendy made even more! So I am guessing thats an afternoons work. That is good money! I love hearing these things! So its sausage rolls for me thins week to add to my big pastie cook up.
I know I save $60 or more by sending my husbands lunches and coffee everyday to work, I know we save at least $50 a week by having easy meals instead of takeaway we once had once a week. I propagated several hundred parsley plants... I wonder what that is worth!? Some will be gifts.
It all adds up! Treating homemaking as a very profitable job as well as rewarding is very revealing. I still say I could not earn less tax less expenses what I save at home. This is such a win win!
Hope you are having a great weekend! Love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel. Yes things like evening wear, special occasion catering and gifts certainly push that Insourcing value right up into the stratosphere, don't they? I actually cannot believe what a budget saver simple things like roasted tomatoes can be. Toss them through pasta, gnocchi, risotto or salad, and they're restaurant worthy, and when in season, cost next to nothing to make. But this is only something that can be done when you have the time to spend doing it. Time is something everyone seems short of. In trying to make more money to support a lifestyle of outsourcing, they no longer have time to perform the tasks that make life worthwhile, like reading to your child, teaching an heirloom skill, or baking for a friend that needs cheering up. I'm not diminishing the value of a career as I know I gained much joy from my own career girl days. But for those who have to seek work just to keep body and soul together, I'm trying to say 'there is another way'. Your efforts are always impressive and I just looked at your herb pots on your blog today. Awesome! Thankyou for your wonderful comment. Mimi xxx
DeleteHi Mimi, great week congratulations! Hey I'm just wondering, when you have done something to save money, do you literally put the money into a separate account or do you just keep a record of it? I have been making quite a few presents lately, some even for Christmas ( I always run out of time so started in February this year lol) and I don't 'do' anything with the money as such. It has just meant I can pay a bit more off our mechanics bill. Which I guess is doing something with it, but I just thought I'd ask what you do. I quite like the idea of having an account for something special that I could transfer money into when I feel like I've made a genuine saving by doing something myself. Obviously paying off bills is important, but to be honest I will do that anyway and it doesn't really feel like much of a reward for saving money! Also, made your caramel date fingers the other day, what a beautifully easy and impressive recipe! Thanks, Jen
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, and thanks for the question, as it is one that's come up from time to time. In your case, I think being able to free that money up to put towards a bill is the whole aim. Once that bill is paid, then you can 'save' the money in whatever way you feel is most appropriate at the time. When we were young and my Mum was a single Mother (unheard of back then), she used to 'save' by paying a little extra on the rent each week. This allowed us to have a three week holiday at the beach every Christmas with no debt incurred. By the time December rolled around, she'd be six or eight weeks ahead in the rent (or later the mortgage) on our suburban home, and she'd be in a position to rent the holiday house, and use her meagre income to fund our holiday food and fun. She was the ultimate 'Insourcer'. For me, it depends where we are with things. Sometimes I use the savings I've made to stock my pantry or purchase school requirements ahead of time or buy my DD a new dance uniform for ballet because I see one on sale. Things that aren't strictly speaking 'necessities' at that time, but things that would ultimately have to be bought eventually, perhaps when cash is not so readily available (we don't ever use credit cards for day to day expenses!). These are savings in and of themselves, as good as money in the bank for me, as it means I can source many items on sale, buying when they're at their best price, and not at a premium. This last year or two, the savings truly have gone in the bank....or rather STAYED in the bank. I challenge myself to withdraw as little as possible to start with, meaning that the dollars can mount up without ever having to be 'banked'. It works for me. I love your idea of having a special account too, and if that inspires you to insource more, then I say go for it! Those bills still need to be paid though, and there's not sense in saving money in a special account, if you have a nasty outstanding bill to pay! Believe me, the sense of freedom and relief you'll get from getting that mechanics bill out of the way, and then being able to save in your special account, will be well worth the pain. I'm glad you made and enjoyed the Caramel Fingers too. Thankyou for your lovely comment. Mimi xxx
DeleteHa, Annabel just read your comment, my 50 sausage rolls is piddly compared to what Wendy made. Ours all got eaten and my daughter in law said to me, omg Fiona these are delicious, I think these might be the food I ask for when you offer me a choice. I must say Mimi I have been reading your posts/blog for ages and ages and I think I might just add up my value this week and see what happens. The pillows you made are simply magic too. What a saving on them. Your family are very lucky to be the recipients of your gifts.
ReplyDeleteFiona, 50 sausage rolls is far from 'piddly'....lol! I'm dying to hear what value you placed on yourself this week. Promise you'll let me know! The pillows did work out well, didn't they? Thankyou. Mimi xxx
DeleteThough we don't "pull a paycheck", the savings in what we do are quite substantial... there are so many little things also... and yet they add up nicely.
ReplyDeleteThat's it exactly Gentle Joy. I'm on a mission to help young women and young men too, to see that there is value in DIY. We've lost that message somewhere along the way. Mimi xxx
DeleteWhat a wonderful way to see in print what you're contributing to your home! I need to do this. I often get discouraged with not bringing in more of an income. I've never had a career and sometimes get that sense from others that I should be doing more than raising children and managing my home but I love to manage and enjoy my work at home. Thanks so much for the encouragement, great post, I'm going to have to see what I make in a week too. What a fun challenge.
ReplyDeleteOh Jeannie! Never ever be discouraged in what you do. You're performing one of the hardest and most unrelenting jobs in the world, and with little acknowledgement or thanks. Promise me you'll come back and let me know what value you've placed on your week. I look forward to it. Mimi xxx
DeleteHi Mimi,
DeleteSo I made a post of my insourcing, thanks to you and had so much fun thinking about the past week and what I'd contributed.. it's not exact but probably around $800! I was so surprised! If you go to www.teamgerhardt.blogspot.com you'll see it on today's post. Thanks so much for the challenge!
Plus, it is tax free dollars you "earned" :)
ReplyDeleteExactly JES. Not to be sneezed at. If I placed a 'before tax' value on that, we'd have to add another $250! Mimi xxx
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