Time Valuer / Do it yourself or pay someone?
Do it yourself, or pay someone?
If doing something yourself costs more than you'd earn in that time, or more than your goal says your time is worth, pay someone to do it. Then spend the hours on what moves you forward.
Price your time, activities and goals.Free on iPhone. Private by design.
The rule
Delegate when the price of paying someone is less than what the task costs in your time, and you'll use the time you get back well.
Time Valuer gives you the first half of that comparison for any task: its length times what your time is worth. Use your current profile to see what it costs you today, or your goal profile to see what it costs your progress.
Worked examples at a $250,000 goal
At $250,000 a year, an hour is worth $120.19.
| Do it yourself4 hours | $481 |
| Pay a cleaner | $160 |
| Goal time kept on track | $321 |
| Do it yourself1 hour 30 minutes | $180 |
| Delivery fee | $12 |
| Kept on track, every week | $168 |
| Do it yourself6 hours a month | $721 |
| Pay a bookkeeper | $400 |
| Kept on track$3,854 a year | $321 a month |
| Do it yourself12 hours | $1,442 |
| Pay a preparer | $500 |
| Kept on track | $942 |
When doing it yourself is the right call
- When you enjoy it, and the time is rest rather than work.
- When the time you'd get back wouldn't go to anything more valuable.
- When paying someone costs more than the task is worth in your time.
Time Valuer doesn't decide for you. It makes the trade-off visible in dollars and cents, so the decision is clear. How delegation fits an income goal
Questions and answers
How do I decide whether to do something myself or pay someone?
Compare what the task costs in your time with what it costs to pay someone. At a $250,000 goal your time is worth about $120 an hour, so four hours of cleaning costs $481 of your time. If a cleaner charges $160, paying keeps $321 of goal time on track, as long as you spend those hours on work or rest that matters to you.
Should I compare with my current pay or my goal?
Both. Your current pay shows what a task costs you today. Your goal shows what it costs your progress. If paying someone is cheaper at either rate, delegating keeps you on track.
Does delegating always save money?
Not in cash. It trades money for time. It's worth it when the time you get back goes to work, rest or people that matter more than the money.
What is Time Valuer?
Time Valuer is an iPhone app that prices time. It turns your pay and your income goals into a value for every hour, minute and second, then shows what purchases and activities cost in time, how much working time is left today and this year, whether to do something yourself or pay someone, and what projects and meetings cost a business.
Price any task in your time before you do it.