Far Out Friday: Mom’s worth up after two years of “declining value”

Insure.com takes a rather stark look at the value of Mom just days before Mother’s Day. PLUS: what she wants most on Sunday.

Hospitality

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In an analysis worthy of Gordon Gekko, Insure.com has revealed how the worth of a mother has fluctuated over time. This year, Mom is bucking the trend of two consecutive years of declining value, up 5% to $62,985.

“Mothers across the nation have something to cheer about: They just got more expensive to replace,” Insure.com announced.

The company analyzed the labor value of a mother by consulting wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on common household duties like cooking, cleaning and keeping kids healthy and entertained. Thanks to the recession, Mom had previously bottomed out at $59,862 in 2013.

“Wages typical for Mom tasks took a big hit during the recession,” said Insure.com consumer analyst Penny Gusner. “This year, nearly all of them increased.”

It’s difficult to discuss Mom’s worth without highlighting the gender pay gap. Insure.com found that while the value of these tasks are increasing, they are valued even higher if performed by a man:

•    Cooking: The median weekly wage for male cooks is $411, compared to $382 for women.
•    Helping with homework: The median weekly wage for men working as teachers and other instructors is $1,055. For women, it’s $729.
•    Cleaning up: Men working as housecleaners make a median weekly wage of $467 per year, compared with the $401 women earn.
•    The family finances: A male accountant or auditor earns a median weekly wage of $1,268, compared with $1,029 for women.

Despite the disparity, Gusner added that these figures present a convincing argument for mothers to get life insurance, whether Mom earns a paycheck or not.

“If you have more than one child to care for, a special needs child, or Mom working outside the home, then having life insurance on Mom is even more important,” she stressed.

To accompany the study, Insure.com also took a quick poll to divine exactly what mothers are hankering for this holiday weekend. Based on a selection of 16 potential gifts, 1,001 mothers with children living at home chose the following top five Mother’s Day gifts they’re hoping for this year:

•    A day at the spa: 38%
•    A weekend getaway with the whole family: 32%
•    Gift card: 25%
•    Dinnter at your town’s best restaurant: 25%
•    A weekend getaway with husband: 25%

Insure.com also looked at Mom’s least favorite gifts, which were:

•    Room remodel: 9%
•    Electronics: 7%
•    Household appliances: 5%

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