I’m an organized person and I can accomplish much in a day, but to be honest, I’m lazy. if I could hire someone to breathe for me, I would. My ideal life would be to lounge on a Caribbean beach with a good book in one hand and a rum and coke in the other. I’ve never been to a Caribbean Island or tasted rum and coke, but I’m pretty sure I’d like both.
Moving to a retirement center has freed me from a number of annoying chores, I’m happy to say. I don’t clean the hair out of my drains. I don’t weed flower beds. I don’t clean up poop left behind by a stray dog out for its constitutional. I don’t even have to drag my debris to a recycling bin. It’s an easy life. Still, jobs remain that I hate. I hate to go grocery shopping, clothes shopping or looking for condolence cards. Most of all, I hate going to the post office. The post office is my idea of a gulag. I see people go in but few come out. The lines are long and there’s one person behind the service counter even if customers are as plentiful as confetti at a Macy’s parade.
Cybele Weisser, a writer, has figured out how to reduce some of the little annoyances in her life. (“How I Outsourced My Life,” by Cybele Weisser, Money Magazine, March 2015 pgs. 71-73.) Would she be caught dead in a post office? Never. She uses Shyp, Postmates or Shipster, companies that will pick up outgoing mail at her residence. The fee runs between $5 to $10 above the cost of wrapping materials and the price of shipping. She figures the time spent avoiding the post office is the worth the price.
Weisser doesn’t grocery shop, either. She uses companies like Safeway, Peapod, Fresh Direct and even Amazon that deliver to her door. (Ibid pg. 74) Once in a while she may get a bruised banana, she’ll admit. But overall, it’s a fair exchange, given the time saved. Her on-line experiences with personal shoppers haven’t been as satisfactory as shopping for groceries. Despite filling out detailed questionnaires that ask embarrassing questions about her hip and bra size from companies like Trunk Climb and Bombfell, what she receives in the mail for approval either dooesn’t fit or is styled for Milly Sirius. Experience has taught her to browse for herself on-line and avoid the personal shopper fees. Ditto for meal planning services. True, when she uses the service, meals come already prepared but the instructions for heating, thawing and serving can be complicated. For an easy dinner, she orders takeout.
With Weisser’s dos and don’ts behind me, I’m prepared try a few outsourcing services. Sadly, no company on her list will brush and floss my teeth. But, never mind. Knowing how to avoid the post office makes me happy. Time to celebrate with rum and coke. The question is, shall I order from Amazon or Safeway?
Courtesy of www.carefulcents.com
(Oringally posted 4/1/15)
