I make way more than yoour combined HHI and i still prepare my own meals and we have 2 kids. What i dont do is housework. I have a housekeeper 5 days a week. She does all laundry, grocery shopping, errand running, and basic meal prep (such as washing and chopping veggies, defeosting, and marinading). My life is very easy. For 25hrs of work, i pay $450/week.

Anonymous wrote:You must live deep into flyover country to be considering hiring a personal chef at that income level. You should spend that money on traveling to more interesting parts of the world and get out of whatever backwater you currently inhabit.

This is just rude and obnoxious. I'm guessing you're not from "flyover country" and that you haven't spent much time there yourself. Maybe *you* should get out more.

OP, if you don't really enjoy cooking, then by all means hire a personal chef and don't think twice about it. It's all about using your money in a way that allows you time for what you value most. Some people love cooking and shopping. Others do not. It's the same reasoning that people use for hiring a cleaning service or lawn service, but no one on this board blinks an eye about that. Give it a try and see if it makes your life better. If so, then don't feel ashamed of it. I have no idea why some people on this thread are being so holier-than-thou in their responses to you.

Is it a sin that I enjoy cooking?

You can afford it, if that's how you want to spend your money.

Anonymous wrote:HHI is $5 million a year, and we would never do this. We still eat Ramen noodles and 7-11 Big Bites 3x per week.

Grossssss! Enjoy getting cancer. You are poisoning your family.

I've been thinking of the same thing for years, but I have 4 kids and make $300K. I still haven't done it. Partly because I would have to look for the right person and then have another someone in my house. I already have an Au Pair and a bi-weekly housekeeper. I don't want to manage anyone else.

My solution- I cook 1-2 big meals on Sunday and have some leftovers for the week.

I've also found a few restaurants where I can order a catering size platter of something, like chicken parmesan or pork cutlets, and just have that with spaghetti and a package of frozen vegetables.

If you have only 1 kid- just go to Whole foods and get some dinners off their buffet.

Anonymous wrote:HHI is $5 million a year, and we would never do this. We still eat Ramen noodles and 7-11 Big Bites 3x per week.

Lol good one.

HHI is $5 million a year, and we would never do this. We still eat Ramen noodles and 7-11 Big Bites 3x per week.

I wouldn't do it unless I had enough money to really live a life of complete luxury. At least $800k/year.

There are a lot of chores I'd outsource before cooking. Laundry, cleaning, lawn, sure. Cooking I actually enjoy.

Anonymous wrote:You're trying to be something you're not.

You don't earn enough for a personal chef, but you really want to convince yourself that you do.


Let me make another guess: you've vacationed in Davos within the last 5 years, too, haven't you?

Stop. This is a silly waste of money that you need to be putting towards your future. Your HH earns enough to be somewhat comfortable, yes, what you're proposing is just another version of someone making working class wages who chooses to live in a cheap apartment so they can drive a car that is otherwise beyond their means.

Not everyone can be wealthy, and it's a waste when people who aren't, try to appear as though they are.

I know a few wealthy people, relatives and none would ever do that. Invest in a crock pot, get take out....be a little more creative.

I haven't read all the responses, but I imagine with her income, she is way more comfortable financially than many of us who make more, but are paying for childcare, kid activities, funding 529s, and higher housing costs.

We all have things we splurge in that others may find ridiculous. I don't see how splurging on someone to cook a few healthy meals each week is more $$ wasteful than throwing money at takeout when you're too tired to cook or hiring an after school nanny who does some light meal prep. I'm sure the person who is hired will appreciate it too.

I say do it OP and you can always cancel/cut back if it's not working out.

No chef here, but we did subscribe to a meal/recipe service. We get a list of recipes each week and select 4-5 of those to make. It comes with shopping lists so we just pop over to Wegman's and grab what we need. I usually spend 3 hours or so on Sunday cooking everything while DH does the dishes. Then we eat all week on what I made and then usually go out at least once or twice over the weekend. It works for us since our main problem wasn't so much the cooking, but figuring out what to cook without getting in the same old rut every week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have have over a million dollar income and many millions in assets and I would never do this. I still go to cheaper grocery stores for better buys on produce when possible, so this would be way out of my comfort zone.

So what is your point? You need therapy perhaps for excess stinginess?

The point is she ASKED in her title at what income would I pay for a chef to prepare for my meals. I'm saying I would not.

Anonymous wrote:We have have over a million dollar income and many millions in assets and I would never do this. I still go to cheaper grocery stores for better buys on produce when possible, so this would be way out of my comfort zone.

So what is your point? You need therapy perhaps for excess stinginess?

You must live deep into flyover country to be considering hiring a personal chef at that income level. You should spend that money on traveling to more interesting parts of the world and get out of whatever backwater you currently inhabit.