This week is 'mother and baby week' and Halifax Financial Services has taken a light-hearted look at the cost of replacing household duties and parental roles in the home.

Even though women are now on an equal footing in terms of childcare and household responsibilities, say Halifax, the cost to outsource these responsibilities would be some £14,000 a year.

The cost of outsourcing a mother's main household duties and parental roles are as follows:

• Taxi driving services £2,340
  Based on a 39-week school term, a mum could make up to 390 trips a year taking her children to and from school. As the average fare for a taxi driver is £6.00, this equates to an annual total of £2,340, even before any social trips are made.
• Household chores £6,023
  According to the UK 2000 Time Use survey, women spend three hours a day on household chores. At the cost of £5.50 for a cleaner, the annual cost of mum's cleaning service is £6022.50.
• Private tuition - £1,768
  A home tutor or teacher at primary school level can cost anywhere between £14 to £17 per hour. Based on two hours reading a week or help with that dreaded maths homework, it could cost £1,768 to replace mum's educational help each week.
• Sports training sessions - £520
  With the average leisure centre charging £2.50 per hour for sports training sessions, mum's regular trips to the park (for four hours) could cost £520 a year.
• Gardening £2,000
  With the average gardener charging £10 an hour, it could cost £2,000 to replace mums green-fingered ways in the garden for two hours each week.
• DIY around the home £1,200
  Whether it is plastering, painting, plumbing or sorting out the electrics, mum's DIY skills could be saving a small fortune each year.

Total cost per year is £13,851.

With £14,000 being kept within the household budget each year, it is an ideal time for parents to put this money to good use and address their short term and long term saving plans.

Ray Milne, managing director of Halifax Financial Services, comments: "Saving is a habit that many people seem to have lost."