Household can provide themselves with services in different ways. Generally a household can produce a service itself, or buy it on a formal or informal market. On an informal market services are sold at a price substantially lower than on a formal market, because of tax evasion by both consumer and producer. This article investigates the choices made by Dutch households with respect to three services: small home repairs, car repair and maintenance, and ladies' hairdressing. The analysis shows that the mode of provision of the services is influenced not only by financial considerations, but also by the ability of the household to engage in home production, skills for and attitudes towards home production and the availability of informal market services in the local area.