[quote=svelte][quote=scaredyclassic]I feel the biggest gains come from just not spending money and investing that. How much have I saved over 20 years by not having a cleaning person. It’s staggering! 100k? No dry cleaning shirts ever, iron myself, hmm, 30k? Eating just cabbage and oats for a month? Cheapest vodka? I think one can get almost rich just being ridiculously frugal.
[/quote]

How old will you and your wife be in 20 years? Will it really matter if you had saved that cleaning lady money? I have a feeling you’ve socked away quite a nest egg as it is.

[quote=scaredyclassic]
I did just break down and hire a cleaning person recently because my poor wife can’t take it anymore. Man, the place looks clean…but is it better to have money in the account or dust on the shelves?[/quote]

We must be going on 20 years of having a house cleaner come in twice a month. 2 women x 2.5 hours x 2 times = 10 hours/month. We also have a gardener – 2 hours x 4 times = 8 hours/month. We feel it is well worth it.

Our free time is very valuable.

My goal is not to die with as big a pile of money as I can gather. it is to have enough to live comfortably the rest of my life and still leave a little something to the kids, not make them wealthy.[/quote]

I have never cleaned a bathroom or kitchen. I value having it done for me highly. My housekeeper has been with me for 21 years now and is like family. I paid her during covid and told her to stay home. I pay her when she is sick and cant come. I pay her an extra month each December as a bonus. When she can no longer come I have money set aside as a retirement gift. My goal is to leave a big pile of money and paid off real estate for my family but I can afford some conveniences and value those who provide them to me greatly.