> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://cje.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Outsourcing My Life — Week 1
- URL: https://cje.io/2010/02/25/outsourcing-my-life-week-1/
- Published: 2010-02-25T13:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-04T04:24:37.000Z
- Author: Casey Ellis
- Tags: Building, Thinking, Hot Takes

I mentioned [in this post](http://iamtallpoppy.com/2010/02/outsourcing-think-outside-the-box/?ref=cje.io) about getting a [concierge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concierge?ref=cje.io "Concierge") service, delivered through a flat fee, through my [credit card provider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit%5Fcard?ref=cje.io "Credit card"). Here’s an update on some of the tasks I’ve put them to in the past week:

- Sourcing [Adobe Creative Suite](http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/?ref=cje.io "Adobe Creative Suite") at the lowest possible price
- Determining routes, pricing, and schedules for a coast to coast trek across the [USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.8833333333,-77.0166666667&spn=10.0,10.0&q=38.8833333333,-77.0166666667%20%28United%20States%29&t=h&ref=cje.io "United States") in the next few months (which, incidentally, I am totally pumped for)
- Finding and booking a van of sufficient size to pick up some furniture that my wife bought on [eBay](http://ebay.com/?ref=cje.io "eBay") for our new house (plus all of the requisite “find us the best price”)
- NEGOTIATING A BETTER PRICE on the rental of the ute… This was a pleasure to [outsource](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourcing?ref=cje.io "Outsourcing")
- Chasing up [Microsoft](http://www.microsoft.com/?ref=cje.io "Microsoft") to find out about their rebate program for people who’ve inadvertently purchased counterfeit [software](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer%5Fsoftware?ref=cje.io "Computer software") (yep… I got scammed. I will post on this shortly – lots of lesson learnt.)
- Booking the nicest hotel possible for the lowest possible amount for a romantic one nighter in Sydney next week

All up, I’d say we’ve used about 40 hours of their time. At $2USD per hour that’s $80USD of value ALREADY REALISED in the first week against a $265AUD annual fee. Not bad…

The best bit has been watching my wife get used to the idea of outsourcing… Her and the concierge service operators are on “known by voice” basis now.

Oh, and another benefit I realised over offshore outsourcing, all of the concierge services provided by my card provider are managed right here in [Australia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia?ref=cje.io "Australia") by native [English](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English%5Flanguage?ref=cje.io "English language") speaking operators.

Whether the actual grunt work is farmed out to India or the Phillipines I am not sure, and to be honest I really don’t care – It’s just nice not to have to clear a communication hurdle when downloading our latest requirements.

Next week – I’ve already got plans. This is SO MUCH FUN!