Doing This One Thing Cost Me So Much and I Won’t Do It Again.

There are so many things we do thinking we’re saving time or money by doing them ourselves.

But in reality, they take way longer than we expect. And most of the time, we end up outsourcing or hiring help anyway, just later, after it’s already cost us more than we planned.

A big one I see all the time is building a website.

The cost of hiring someone feels daunting, so you tell yourself you’ll just do it yourself for now. You think it will speed things up and save you money.

But what actually happens?

You get stuck trying to decide how it should look. You overthink what needs to go on it. You can’t get clear on your messaging, your structure, and your visuals all at the same time.

What you thought would be a quick project turns into weeks, sometimes months, of starting, stopping, and second-guessing.

You didn’t save time. You delayed momentum.

Another example.

You buy the cheapest seat on the flight to save money. (GUILTY!)

But what does it end up costing you?

Your mental health. Your capacity. Your patience.

You’re cramped, uncomfortable, and exhausted. And the whole time, you’re wishing you had just paid a little extra to be happier and more comfortable.

Sometimes the upgrade isn’t about luxury. It’s about how you feel when you arrive. Now everytime I fly, I pay a bit more for better.

Here’s another one.

You need something done on the other side of town. You look at your calendar and don’t see how it’s going to fit.

Instead of paying someone $20 or $40 to do it for you, you squeeze it into your day.

And what happens?

Your schedule gets thrown off. You’re rushing everything else. Your whole day feels off.

That small task didn’t stay small.

What you tried to save ended up costing you far more in time and energy.

This is the part I really want to highlight.

What you try to save almost always gets paid somewhere else later.

If it’s not money, it’s time. If it’s not time, it’s energy. If it’s not energy, it’s momentum.

And often, it’s all three.

Hiring help doesn’t magically solve everything.

Sometimes you hire someone and it still feels expensive because you’re spending all your time teaching them how you want things done.

Or because you didn’t onboard them properly.

Or because you weren’t actually clear on what you needed help with in the first place.

The issue usually isn’t the person. It’s the lack of clarity.

So instead of asking:

“Can I do this myself?”

I’ve started asking:

“What will this cost me later?”

Because just because you can do something yourself doesn’t mean you should.

Sometimes the most supportive thing you can do for yourself is focus on the work you actually enjoy and trust that there are people who genuinely love doing the things you don’t.

That’s not giving up control. That’s protecting your energy so you can keep going.

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Michelle Gallant

Writer | Creator | Less Hustle, More Life

Cover Image Captured by: Amanda Rentiers Photography