When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Instacart Instagram
Time is one of our most valuable resources — and some tasks just take up too much of it.
Luckily, if you're looking to save some time, there are plenty of services that you can count on to help you out with everyday tasks, from picking up groceries to waiting in a long line — for a fee.
Don't waste my time. Time is of the essence. Time is ticking.
The narrative around time cautions us to take advantage of it while we have it. And it makes sense; time is one of our most valuable resources and we can't get it back once it's gone. Sometimes it feels like there's not enough time in a day to complete every task on your agenda, and there just might never be. If you ever find yourself in this debacle, you might want to look into outsourcing some of your simple, everyday tasks.
These days you can find services to help you with all sorts of tasks — everything from picking up your groceries to building furniture for you. It might seem silly at first — why would I pay someone to pick up my groceries if I am able to do it myself? The answer is, to save time. Business Insider spoke with two financial experts who both agreed that spending on time-saving services is worth the splurge. Outsourcing small tasks is probably the closest you can get to actually getting back some hours in your day, and therefore, it's a worthwhile investment.
From meal delivery services to on-demand handymen, here are six great services that can help you complete your everyday tasks in less time:
This list includes a Sponsored Product that has been suggested by DoorDash; it also meets our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.*
How much it costs: $3.99 - $14.99 per delivery (price varies by store and delivery time)
How it works: Make an account on Instacart (don't worry, it's free) and browse the grocery stores in your area. They have a pretty good selection of stores, including more local specialty stores, as well as wholesale stores like Costco. In New York, Whole Foods is one of the more popular options.
Pick a store, and then shop for your groceries as you would shop for anything else online — simply add whatever groceries you want to your cart. Instacart also shows you all the promotions and deals going on at your local grocery store, so while the delivery fee for some stores might seem expensive, it ultimately could save you money with easy-to-find deals you might not have noticed walking down the store aisles.
When you're done shopping, check out and choose a delivery window — this is when your food will be delivered right to your door. Delivery prices vary by store, but you can often snag free delivery deals. If you have other tasks to complete at home, this is a great way to save some time and get all the food you need.
What it is: An on-demand handyman and cleaning service.
How much it costs: Price varies based on task, zip code, and service date.
How it works: Pick the service you'd like, then the date and time when you'd like it done. Handy offers a wide range of services including home cleaning, home painting, furniture assembly, and housekeeping, among others. Handy recommends the amount of time you'll need to get different tasks done (for example, a cleaner will likely need more time to fully clean a large home than a small apartment). After filling out all of the information, Handy will send you a price quote. You can then book instantly — Handy appointments can be scheduled as early as one day in advance.
From there, you can easily use the Handy app to pay, reschedule your appointment, and communicate with your Handy professional. All Handy professionals are vetted, not only to ensure they have experience in their given field, but also to make sure they have a clean background. Additionally, you can see reviews of your Handy worker on the app, including how many jobs they've completed and their rating out of five stars. If you like shopping at Wayfair, you may be familiar with Handy — the two brands have a partnership to make furniture shopping and assembly easy.
What it is: A service that delivers food from local restaurants right to your door.
How much it costs: Price varies based on restaurant, items ordered, and location.
How it works: You're hungry, but the last thing you want to do is cook and you sure don't want to leave the house to pick up takeout either. What do you do? DoorDash. It's a food delivery service that lets you order food from your favorite restaurants and delivers it right to your front door.
Place an order through the DoorDash app or website — both are pretty seamless to use. Start by putting in your current location and DoorDash will show you its partner restaurants in the area. Sort through your available restaurants by type of cuisine, menu price range, or by which are running deals at the moment. Find a restaurant you like, pick out some menu items, and place your order. A cool feature is that DoorDash lets you schedule orders up to five days in advance, as well as make ones for immediate delivery. When you place an order for immediate delivery, DoorDash gives you an estimate for how long it should take for your food to get to your plate.
Prices on DoorDash depend on a few factors. On top of the price of the menu items, you'll have to pay a service fee — a combination of sales tax, which will differ based on location, and other fees. If your order is less than $10, you'll incur a small order fee of $2. Then there's a delivery fee, which typically costs $2.99 or more. Additionally, DoorDash is offering $0 in delivery fees on your first order. If you're a frequent user, you can get DashPass. For $9.99 a month, it cuts out the delivery fee and lowers the service fee from a bunch of participating restaurants. With DoorDash your food will end up costing a little more than picking up takeout or cooking at home, but you save big on convenience. And after a long day, there's nothing better than satisfying your cravings with a meal from your favorite restaurant, that you can eat on your couch, in sweatpants.
What it is: A service that deals with just about any task you need done.
How much it costs: Price varies based on task, zip code, and service date.
How it works: TaskRabbit was one of the first time-saving services I'd ever encountered, and it's likely because of the breadth of the services they offer. You'll find the classic handyman and home cleaning services available, but TaskRabbit can also help you with a lot of niche tasks, too. Through TaskRabbit, you can pay someone to organize your closet, do research for you, help you move, build your IKEA furniture, bartend at your party, or even wait in a line for you. Once you choose the task you're interested in, you'll see a list of all of the qualified professionals aka "Taskers" in your area and how much they charge. TaskRabbit uses independent contractors who all set their own hourly rates — you can filter Taskers by their rates, number of positive reviews, and tasks completed to find the right person for the job.
Once you find the right Tasker for the job, schedule your appointment either online or on the app. You can usually find available appointments for the day of, or you can book further out — it really depends on the schedule of your Tasker. The day-of booking is particularly convenient in the case that you think you can do something yourself, but then realize you don't have the right tools or enough time.
What it is: A selection of home services offered on Amazon.
How much it costs: Price varies based on service, zip code, and other factors.
How it works: Just when you thought the list of Amazon's products and services couldn't get any bigger, you can now count on the e-commerce behemoth to help you out with housekeeping services, furniture assembly, technology installation, and home maintenance.
There are two ways to find the services and providers available in your area. You can search for services you need specifically at any time, but you can also choose to add installation to many of your Amazon orders.
When you pick the service you'd like, Amazon will give you an estimate based on your location and a few job-specific factors. Some services may not be offered in certain locations — it all depends on the pros that Amazon has available at any given time. Amazon is very transparent about exactly what the fee will get you, and provides information about how to change your appointment and what additional requests might be available as part your service. If you already have an Amazon account, using this service will be easy.
What it is: A service that pairs you with pros in all different fields.
How much it costs: Price varies based on service, location, desired appointment date, and other factors.
How it works: You can find professionals in all sorts of fields on Thumbtack. On the easy-to-use app (or online), search for the service you're looking for — Thumbtack offers a huge selection from event DJs to makeup artists, piano teachers to painters, and lots more. Once you've decided what you want and put in your zip code, you'll see the pros in your area. In order to get a full price estimate, you'll need to put in some more info about what you need specifically. Then, you'll get to see everyone in your area who can help you out. Each professional has a profile with ratings, reviews, and their typical pricing.
Once you've looked around, you can schedule your appointment right through the app or website. Lots of professionals have their contact information on their profile, so you can clear up any questions you may have before your appointment. The interface is very informative, making it feel comfortable to use for the first time. Thumbtack has roots in all fifty states, and not just in the big cities — you can find Thumbtack pros in small towns across the country too.