Housewife

Each year . . . usually around Mother’s Day . . . people try to figure out how much mothers would make if they earned fair-market value for all the services they provide.

For some reason, Investopedia decided to get a four-month jump, and calculated how much a stay-at-home parent is worth in 2012.  And if you’re a homemaker that doesn’t have a paying job . . . someone owes you $96,260 a year.

Here’s a breakdown of all the jobs a homemaker performs, and how much that job pays in the real world.

–Private chef:  Stay-at-home parents are responsible for preparing meals, but they’re more than just a cook.  They also plan the menu and shop for the ingredients.  Private chefs earn about $1,005 a week, or $52,260 a year.

–House cleaner:  Vacuuming, dusting, dishes, and other cleaning services would run you about $118 a week, or $6,136 a year.

–Child care:  Nannies generally earn at least $600 a week, or $31,200 a year, plus benefits.

–Driver:  At an estimate of about 8,000 miles a year taking the kids to school, activities, and other errands, that’s $4,168 a year.

–Laundry:  Getting someone to clean your clothes would be about $936 a year.

–Lawn maintenance:  It’s a stretch to say that ALL homemakers take care of the lawn too, but it only adds $1,560 to the bottom line.