The worth of a homemaker
(Image source)
I read a news article that got me thinking. It was talking about all the different duties a homemaker does (for free) that many people do as jobs (and get paid for). I am perfectly happy to be a homemaker, and I’m perfectly happy not to get paid for it (in money…the joys of a clean, happy household are reward in itself!), but it was nice to see a price tag and a projected yearly income placed on these ‘jobs’ we do in our daily lives. So this is for all of us homemakers out there!
I also have to add here that Josh is so good at noticing and praising all that I do around the house. He doesn’t take housework for granted like some people do. He doesn’t think the housecleaning fairy makes things magically clean and cook themselves. He realizes that this is all hard work that someone has to do! And let me also add that the burdens of being a homemaker do not fall solely on my shoulders in this household…especially since I became pregnant with Lillian and now that she’s here…Josh helps out a LOT!
The job of ‘homemaker’ is huge. It can be all-consuming, and you don’t get nine-to-five hours. You are ALWAYS on the clock…and always on call (if you try to take five minutes of ‘me’ time)! Some of the many tasks a homemaker does in a day:
(The article only spotlighted duties that can have monetary value, and they used the lowest value in each instance.)
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House Cleaner: A clean household is a happy and efficient household. (I have really let this one slack since Lillian’s been born. We just don’t have the time!! But watch out Spring Cleaning, it’s still Winter and I already have the urge!) Cleaning includes vacuuming, dusting, dishes washing, sweeping/mopping, tidying rooms, scrubbing toilets, mirrors, and windows, to name a few. Professional maid or cleaning services charge either by the hour or by the size of the home. What equals more money for them equals more effort and time and consumed for the homemaker! The article said: “A 2,200 square foot two-story, three-bedroom home with nine rooms averages $104-$180. Additional tasks such as oven or refrigerator cleaning and dusting mini blinds can run an extra $20-$25.” Total cost for services: $118 per week x 52 Weeks = $6,136 per year.
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Private Chef: Most homemakers prepare meals throughout the day for themselves, their spouse, and their children. Not only is there the act of cooking or baking itself, there is the meal planning and the grocery shopping. From the article: “The American Personal Chef Association reports that its personal chefs make $200 to $500 a day.” If you drive to the store and deliver the groceries to your home, that must be factored in. A grocery delivery service usually charges a fee of $5-$10 per delivery. Total cost for services: $1,005 per five-day work week x 52 weeks = $52,260 per year.
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Laundry Service: Professional laundry services charge by the pound, with heavier items that take longer to dry (rugs, quilts, blankets, etc.) ranging from $12-$15 dollars each. If you just go by the price per pound, and say the service charges $0.90 per pound: Total cost for services: $0.90 per pound x 4 pounds of clothes per day x 5 days per weeks x 52 weeks = $936 total per year.
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Personal Driver: A homemaker may feel like a chauffeur almost every day! The more children you have, and the more activities those children have, the more you’re driving. A chauffeur is a luxury that many would never indulge in, yet members of the household benefit from this daily service. Professional companies that provide drivers that use the client’s car as the means of transportation charge about $1,000/year with anywhere from $0.33-$2.03 per minute on top of that for 365 days of unlimited round-trip service. Total cost for services: $1,000 per year + [(estimated miles driven 8000 miles / 50 MPH) x 60 min/hr x $0.33 per minute] = $4,168 total per year.
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Child Care: Yep, full time live-in child care! If you were a professional doing this, you’d probably be getting health insurance, sick days and holidays off, not to mention vacation time. Nannies also make an average of $600-$950 per week. Total cost for services: $600 a week plus perks/benefits x 52 Weeks = $31,200 per year.
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Lawn Maintenance: If you exclude gardening itself, you might have at least a lawn to mow and maintain. Companies who offer these services may charge about $30/week. Total cost for services: $30 per week x 52 weeks = $1,560 total per year.
If you add all that up, the total for a year of these services is:
$52,260 + $6,137 + $31,200 + $4,168 + $936 + $1,560 = $96,261 per year.
And that is for all the tasks that usually have monetary value. So many other countless tasks get done by a homemaker as well. In a word though, what a homemaker provides is PRICELESS. Though it’s good to see it would have a sizeable monetary value as well!
Can you think of any other services a homemaker may do that a professional service charges for that isn’t listed here? Let me know in the commments. 🙂
