A Helping Hand: Outlet for Personal Assistants and Hired Help

Youth Services

Summer is a great time to seek out affordable help from a trusted neighborhood teen. Perhaps you already have a list of babysitters that you call regularly. Why not contact them and ask if they would be interested in working as your personal assistant a day or two each week? As a point of encouragement, you could mention that "Personal Assistant" would be fantastic item to list on their resume when they go out into the job market. Some of their tasks could include light cleaning, office or closet organization, shopping assistance, birthday party preparation, garage sale assistance, lawn care or even taking phone messages so you can focus on housework. You'll be surprised at how much time you will gain, in addition to the list of your accomplishments by the end of the summer. Be sure to offer a fair price and pay a small bonus at the end of the summer based on their efforts and reliability. This will give them incentive to say YES when you ask for their assistance next year!

Delivery Services

Do a quick internet search to find out which services in your area offer front door delivery for your dry cleaning, groceries, dairy products, etc. For a small fee, you'll save time and help conserve our fuel resources!

House Cleaning Services

This has become quite a competitive market, and if you thought you could never afford a cleaning service, check again. The average U.S. cost for private home services is $60 - $80 per visit (3 hours on average) which will clean a 3BR/2BA home. To get the most from your service, hire out only the tasks that are most cumbersome to you. This will vary from person to person. Make a list of which chores are easy for you to keep up with and which you tend to fall behind with. This will help you decide what you can continue doing and what you are willing to pay for. Then ask the cleaning service for an estimate of those tasks only.

For referrals in all 50 states and Canada, visit Service Magic.

Errand/Personal Concierge Services

These services are no longer for celebrities only! Growing in popularity over the past 10 years, you can now find quality errand services in most cities. A wide variety of services are available, from simple errands such as grocery shopping to the more complex, such as event planning. Some will even keep an eye on your home while you are on vacation. Most services charge between $25 and $45 per hour and many offer discount packages.

For a service near you, check with your local Chamber of Commerce or visit any of the following sites:

International Concierge and Errand Association

Concierges Connection

Errand Services Portal

When Hiring a Service

Ask to see insurance and bonding certificates.
Ask for and verify references.
If interested, let the service know, but ask if they will permit you to try their service one time for a discounted price to see if it will be a good fit for you.
If you like and decide to use the service ongoing, remember that these businesses rely on word of mouth advertising. Recommend them to your friends and family!