This is a terrific article by Laura Rowley on the value of time. My favorite nugget: "Cleaning is a non-core function. There are people who are much more skilled than me and outsourcing allows me to better utilize my resources." I feel the same way about many things, including cooking.

I never used to think this way about the value of time. However, I have two advantages now: one, as a consultant, my time has an identifiable value per hour (and not just an estimate based on a full-time salary); and two, I have a full and expandable pipeline of work. This means that, for example, it would be dumb to spend an hour trying to save $20 on airfare to Fort Lauderdale, so I've stopped doing that. Same thing for my Web and email host, EarthLink. They're not the cheapest, but I never have to worry about them, ever. I spend less than 5 minutes per year (and lose 5 minutes of work per year) on any concerns regarding EarthLink, period.

Of course there is a limit. You could easily rationalize wasting money by pointing to the supposed value of your time. In addition, performing non-core functions such as cooking may provide a different kind of utility: enjoyment. Precisely one of the things I like about making my own salad (and never buying premade salads) is that it's an opportunity for completely different creative thinking than the kind I have to apply for work.

Overall, though, a perspective like Laura's is useful to keep in mind.