Splurge on car wash?

[TexasHusker]

We pay $25 a month for unlimited washes for our household vehicles.

[TexasHusker]

I can have it done professionally in 15 minutes for under $20.
I earn $120/hour at my job.
Is it worth it to me to spend the time to do it myself? No. Does that make me lazy? I don't think so. I work pretty hard for my money. I have no trouble spending a bit of it to have stuff like this done for me.

How is it that, as a physician, you are earning half or less than your local mechanic?

[corn18]

I can have it done professionally in 15 minutes for under $20.
I earn $120/hour at my job.
Is it worth it to me to spend the time to do it myself? No. Does that make me lazy? I don't think so. I work pretty hard for my money. I have no trouble spending a bit of it to have stuff like this done for me.

^^^This. If I can buy time with money, I will do that. At least at this stage in my life.

[rennigade]

Exactly, 1.5 hours of my time is worth more than $25.

I can have it done professionally in 15 minutes for under $20.
I earn $120/hour at my job.
Is it worth it to me to spend the time to do it myself? No. Does that make me lazy? I don't think so.

Again...the argument is it worth my time, yada yada yada. I still dont understand the argument.

Does anyone here do anything besides work 24 hours a day 7 days a week. That time you're not working I guess its costing you. Do you guys sleep? Welp theres 5 or more hours down the drain. Do you ever talk to your spouse? Again wasted time where you're not making money. Forget about daily tasks like using the restroom, showering, brushing teeth, etc etc. Again time is money right?

Lets work on ending that statement...my time is worth x.xx. It doesnt make sense.

[disneysteve]

^^^This. If I can buy time with money, I will do that. At least at this stage in my life.

When I come home from work, I would much rather spend an hour going out for a nice run than spend it washing my car. There are only so many free hours in a week, and sometimes I suck up some of those hours with more work. Just last night, I got a text asking if anyone could pick up a shift tonight. I had nothing to do so I volunteered. The $480 I'll make will cover the periodic car wash for years to come. I'm okay with that.

Washing my car was never something I enjoyed doing. Just like mowing the lawn. I did that myself for the 1st 10 years after we bought our house. Once I paid off my student loans, it was the first household job that I farmed out to a paid service and I have never regretted that decision.

[disneysteve]

Again...the argument is it worth my time, yada yada yada. I still dont understand the argument.

My point isn't about what my time is worth. My point is that what good is working and earning money if I don't get to enjoy any of it. We work to make our lives better. For me, not having to wash my own car or mow my own lawn is a "perk" of earning a good living.

[corn18]

Again...the argument is it worth my time, yada yada yada. I still dont understand the argument.

Does anyone here do anything besides work 24 hours a day 7 days a week. That time you're not working I guess its costing you. Do you guys sleep? Welp theres 5 or more hours down the drain. Do you ever talk to your spouse? Again wasted time where you're not making money. Forget about daily tasks like using the restroom, showering, brushing teeth, etc etc. Again time is money right?

Lets work on ending that statement...my time is worth x.xx. It doesnt make sense.

You are quite judgmental, aren't you? Perhaps you could offer up something that you pay for that we could ridicule?

[disneysteve]

You are quite judgmental, aren't you? Perhaps you could offer up something that you pay for that we could ridicule?

rennigade, do you grow your own food? Do you bake your own bread? Do you churn your own butter? Do you sew your own clothing? There is an endless list of things that we all pay for as conveniences in our lives. It's fine if you don't consider paying for a car wash to be worthwhile but it makes no sense for you to insult and criticize those who do.

[rennigade]

^^^This. If I can buy time with money, I will do that. At least at this stage in my life.

That is an illusion when you break down what time is and how time works. Whether you throw money at it or not...its linear (for now.) You cant stop it...you cant buy more of it...it just exists how it is.

[AJ444]

rennigade, do you grow your own food? Do you bake your own bread? Do you churn your own butter? Do you sew your own clothing? There is an endless list of things that we all pay for as conveniences in our lives. It's fine if you don't consider paying for a car wash to be worthwhile but it makes no sense for you to insult and criticize those who do.

I was going to post pretty much this. We all make decisions of what is and isn't worth our time based on our income, net worth and available time outside our jobs.

There are many things I used to do myself when I was in debt but now am in a financial position I can pay someone else to do:

1. Wash my car
2. Clean my house
3. Walk my dog at lunch so neither of us has to go home

If that is "lazy" I'll take it as a badge of honor.

Still cut my own hair though, I can't justify paying someone to give me a buzz cut.

[rennigade]

rennigade, do you grow your own food? Do you bake your own bread? Do you churn your own butter? Do you sew your own clothing? There is an endless list of things that we all pay for as conveniences in our lives. It's fine if you don't consider paying for a car wash to be worthwhile but it makes no sense for you to insult and criticize those who do.

Im not trying to insult. I do purchase all those things you listed. I dont view it as time vs money though.

[disneysteve]

how lazy are people that they no longer wash their own cars?

Im not trying to insult.

Perhaps you don't think calling people lazy is insulting them but I'd have to disagree with you.

[AJ444]

Im not trying to insult. I do purchase all those things you listed. I dont view it as time vs money though.

You are paying someone to bake your bread so don't have to take the time to do it yourself. You can then use that time for whatever you want. It absolutely is a payment for time/convenience. Just like I pay someone to wash my car so I can spend that time doing what I want (it isn't working).

Let's say you want to watch the Super Bowl because your favorite team is in it, I guarantee there would be a price someone could pay to take that time from you, it may be 10k but there is a price point. You can absolutely buy someone's time with money.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Every Sunday I fill up bucket of water and wash it myself, been doing it 25+ years. Just recently I bought a pole washer ($12) which makes it way more easier. I use a chamois rag to wringe dry. 15 minutes tops. Before the pole washer maybe 20 minutes.

[Milly]

My toddlers (3.5, 2.5, 1 years old) would be heart broken if I washed the car without them and they lost their chance to earn an otter pop and spray the hose.

On the other hand, it usually didn't look that much better after we were done.

Recently it has been pretty good quality though because a friend of ours moved out of country and he was all about his truck. He left us with amazing window spray, wax stuff, and a sprayer full of distilled water for a final rinse with no water spots.

Van is looking good today =)