Im Home Early

In the past, good help was expensive. Then came the internet and ushered in the concept of personal outsourcing. Now, outsourcing your worries to a virtual assistant has never been easier or cheaper…especially if you are outside the United States.

Over the past few years, the US Dollar has gradually declined against several major currencies. The graph below shows the value of the Australian Dollar against the US:

What this means is that - as most outsource providers charge based on USD - the cost to hire a virtual assistant has declined in proportion to the rise in the value of the AUD.

Compared to 5 years ago, the value of the AUD grown by over 40%. Thus, the cost of hiring assistants has fallen by almost over 40%. To show you how much an impact the exchange rate can have, consider my example:

At the start of this year, I hired a personal assistant for US$10. This amounted to roughly AU$13.5 an hour. As of now, the same assistants fee only costs approx AU$10.5. A saving of $2 per hour. This amounts to a saving of 22% or $70 per week.

Still think finding good help is expensive?

Recently, the Australian Federal Government has stalled the distribution of Blackberries into the country for fears that it could jeopardize work/life balance.

Perhaps there is some genius behind this madness. After all, Australia has the second highest working hours amongst OECD nations. The influx of Blackberries might just make it number one.

Weekly working hours have increased consistently in all major countries since 1980.

However, I think the Australian Government is overreacting. Gone are the days where working late was a badge of honor. Blackberries may increase working hours, but more importantly, it gives people freedom. Freedom to choose when and where to work.

Welcome the age of the new-rich. Where working less but working smart is the aim.

If you are an executive, a business owner, a working parent, or just a busy person, then this site is for you.

This blog is all about living the new rich lifestyle and outsourcing away life’s annoyances. It will detail my own experiences in personal outsourcing and how you can do it too!