Sometimes DIY isn't worth it

Anyone who's been a reader of this blog for any amount of time knows that I'm a big fan of doing things myself. However, with baby on the way, and what feels like a million things to juggle, I feel some things are just better left to someone else. A couple of examples... 1. We recently started paying one of our tenants to do all yard work at the apartment building. He's doing a great job, and he even sends me a list of what he's done each month, as well as any expenses he's incurring. He even uses his own equipment for edging and weed whacking. He is so helpful, he even replaced some burnt out hall bulbs with CFLs just because he noticed that they were out. He could have emailed or called and I would have been over immediately to replace them, but he's just the kind of guy that does it himself. Sure, it cuts into our rental income, but it is well worth it and a win-win situation since he gets a discount on his rent each month. 2. Yearly fire extinguisher maintenance is something that is required by law in Wisconsin. I can save a bit of money and remember to do it myself... driving to the apartment, picking up the extinguishers and taking them to a shop that does maintenance, and then taking them back to the shop, but that takes time and I'd have to remember to do it each year. For an extra $25, I found a place that will come on site and do it automatically each year, without a reminder from me. The peace of mind that I get knowing it gets done correctly and on time, not to mention the time I save, is well worth it.