> If you're broke, it may very well make sense to clean your house yourself even if someone else is willing to do it for $1/hour and you make $20/hour. Unlikel

> If you're broke, it may very well make sense to clean your house yourself even if someone else is willing to do it for $1/hour and you make $20/hour. Unlikely. I could clean instead of spending $1/hour... or I could spend $1/hour and then use that extra free time figuring out how to improve my skills (and thus earning potential) or find a better job that pays more (thus better leveraging my existing earning potential) or even just to recharge (and thus be able to work harder - earning future raises in the process as my hard work is noticed.) These aren't as direct and immediate as literally being able to immediately work more hours as a freelance contractor, but are no less invalid a means of improving my profits in the long run, even if it means more short term debt. I'm certain I could drum up extra work or self improvement for myself that has a higher return on investment than $1/hour now. I very strongly suspect most people who earn $20/hour or more can. Borrow a mower! Offer to clean other people's houses for $2/hour! Then, after an hour of cleaning someone else's house instead of your own, you'll be out the same amount of work but have pocketed an extra $1 in the process! A valid point is raised here: Just because you've profited in extra free time, doesn't mean you'll convert said free time into additional $$$ at your job's hourly rate. You might earn less. However, you might earn more over the long term, by investing in your future in a way that results in compounding profits. A broke college student might reasonably still end up spending $1/hour on a cleaner, so they can have more time to study! Even if that means more debt, and even if their current unpaid internship pays them $0/hour!