[jasonswett]

If my time is worth, say, $500/hr, it's economically rational for me to outsource practically everything that doesn't require my unique skills. I've paid people to fill my gas tank before as well as oil changes, laundry, dishes, etc.

[organsnyder]

You're assuming that any "downtime" is completely worthless, however. I find these sorts of small mental breaks to be incredibly useful, increasing the value of my "productive" time.

Of course, my time is worth an order of magnitude less than $500/hr, so maybe I just don't understand.

[jasonswett]

I've never really considered pumping gas to be downtime. It takes long enough to be annoying but not long enough to start thinking about anything meaningful.

[atwebb]

No argument, but segmenting the per-task service industry into the individual tasks seems a bit too niche. Maybe if it was a full service, vacuum/wash etc.

I've got a new one, PackOSmokes, don't have time to stop and wait with all the other addicts? Too drunk to get to the corner store? We've got you covered, with daily (or hourly at the premium level) cigarette delivery.

As an ex-smoker, I probably would've paid for that a time or two...

[Casseres]

Doing your own chores helps keep you grounded. I've worked with many rich (effectively making $1,000+/hr) people who think that they're above others. My theory is once they start paying people to live a majority of their lives for them, it warps their perspective.

[spiritplumber]

Pretty much. My father's take on that is "You are never too rich to clean your own ass".

I've stopped working with people like that after the second time I had to tell one of them (banker guy) that I'm an engineer, not a butler or a babysitter.

[smackfu]

True, but at that point, you should have a driver, since driving anywhere is a waste of your time compared to paying someone $30 an hour to drive. And that driver can fill up your car with gas.

[JonFish85]

If you're being paid hourly, sure. Are there enough hourly people that this affects to make it profitable?