Where I live, it is finally spring. We might have a few more random snowstorms but the snow shouldn’t stick or need to be shoveled. When the snow melts, I want to get flowers in there as soon as possible. I love flowers but we have definitely overspent in our yard before. Here are some tips on saving money in the yard.
- Buy perennials instead of annuals. Perennials will come back year after year. They are more expensive initially. So, I suggest buying a few each year. In no time, you’ll have a beautiful yard of flowers that come back year after year.
- DIY Maintenance. It’s so tempting to call a yard service and have them take care of your yard all the time. But, you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself. If you don’t want to do that, you might find a teenager that would bring their own mower and mow yours for a lower price then the yard services. We also fertilize ourselves and use Miracle-Grow to help our flowers grow bigger and faster.
- Water Less. We have several neighbors that constantly water their lawns and they look green all summer. We cut back a little and are able to still maintain a nice lawn. Watering less also cuts back on mowing requirements. Check the acidity of your lawn with a pH kit at the hardware store. The acidity could have more to do with the color of your lawn then the amount of water it receives.
- Container gardening. Getting some of your flowers out of the ground and into containers adds texture, variety and volume. Fill your own containers that you can reuse every year. The cute pre-made containers at the gardening store are fairly expensive.
- Refurbish old furniture. Do you really need to buy new outdoor furniture every year? Most of the time, new chair pads every couple of years will do the trick. But, secure the pads out of the weather during the winter. We keep our furniture for a long time and then replace the pads occasionally.
Bonus Tip: If you like fresh flowers but not spending the money on something that gets thrown away, cut flowers out of your yard and put them in a vase. Gorgeous and FREE!
As always, a penny saved is a penny earned. This year is a good time to look outside and see what areas you could save money on. Then, use your extra money to build your emergency savings or pay off debt.
E-mail me for my free budget consultations at erin@e3accounting.com
E3 Accounting Solutions, LLC 