Whether it’s mowing the lawn or assembling a cupboard, there is someone ready to take it on
Let’s be honest, nobody actually enjoys housework.
Yet assuming you weren’t raised with a butler, housekeeper and chambermaid, for most of us it’s a necessary evil.
Until recently, that is: the rise of online outsourcing sites, such as Airtasker, Oneflare and ServiceSeeking, has seen an explosion in households subcontracting their chores and bores.
In fact, approximately half of our household activities are currently outsourced, with an estimated cost of almost $500 billion for the last financial year, according to the Ruthven Institute.
“The average household now spends over $51,000 per annum paying for chores and activities that were then do-it-yourself, but are now do-it-for-me,” says John Nguyen, socio-economic analyst for the Ruthven Institute.
So why have outsourcing sites taken off so recently? Are we, as a nation, getting smarter or lazier?
“We’re simply more connected,” says Kate Browne, managing editor at financial comparison site Finder.
“Twenty years ago we were limited to the classifieds, word of mouth and ads on telegraph poles. Online outsourcing sites [today] allow us get in touch with people, suburbs or even oceans away.”
How outsourcing websites work
Essentially, these sites act as a marketplace for our local odd jobs. Post your job online; you’ll then receive quotes from those willing to take it on.
You can access a bidder’s profile, read previous reviews and ask questions before selecting the right candidate for the job.
Most sites are free to use for the poster (bidders pay a commission fee or membership costs) and you’re under no obligation to engage anybody’s services at any stage.
Click to read more https://moneymag.com.au/cost-outsourcing/