How a Garden Can Help Busy Moms Save Money

How a Garden Can Help Moms Save Money

Spring has sprung in our area and I couldn’t be happier about it! When the days start getting longer, it means more time outside with my kiddo and an excuse to dig my hands into some dirt!!

I started gardening about five years ago, and absolutely fell in love with the hobby. My son gets to be outside with me and learn something useful. I learn something new every year. I get to be outside and off my phone. Plus, I get to eat what I grow! It’s the ultimate act of showing I care for my family. 

Today I’m sharing how gardening can help you save money — past just spending less on produce! I hope you find the inspiration to start your own garden, even if it is just some pots on your windowsill. 

Benefits of Gardening

A Happier Disposition

Gardening gives you a chance to reconnect with nature at a basic level. Studies have shown that digging into soil can release serotonin, causing lower levels of anxiety and depression. 

A Healthier Diet

It’s no secret that eating fruit and vegetables is good for you. Growing your own food means you’re more likely to eat more overall.

More Time in Nature

Having a garden means you’ll need to spend more time outside to maintain it. That means more vitamin d exposure and fresh air.

More Physical Activity

Gardening provides low intensity physical activity. This is great for those looking to ease back into regular body movement. If you are newly postpartum, a garden could be a great way to get some movement in while still being able to tend to your baby. 

It Could Increase Longevity 

 The Blue Zone Diet is a great read about longevity! It shares how each of the longest-living populations all had two things in common: they all spent the majority of their days in low-intensity movement, and they all had a garden!

Less Screen Time

If your hands are in the dirt, they’re not on your phone or computer. Having a garden in a great way to disconnect.

Great Reflection Time

Keeping your hands busy is a fantastic way to let your mind wander. Gardening allows me to think through any challenges I might have. Often, I’ll plan out things I might want to do on this blog, or activities I want to try with my son. I also like to think about ways we can save money so that our income can stretch a little further. 

How Gardening Can Save You Money

This post is all about how a garden can save you money, so let’s discuss how to do just that!

Lower Grocery Bills

When the food is in your backyard (or front yard, or patio, or windowsill), you don’t have to buy it from the store. This is probably the most obvious way gardening can save you money. You can also check out my post on how to stretch your grocery budget for even more ideas!

Pro tip: make sure you grow and dry your own herbs. This can save a lot as fresh herbs can be super expensive.

Less Paid Activities

Because we are so busy in the garden this Spring, we aren’t going to as many toddler events or activities. That means spending less on mommy and me groups, soft play places, or other activities. 

Less Time Inside

This means we aren’t using as much electricity. The lights don’t need to be on if we aren’t inside. We’re not running hair dryers or TV’s or game consoles. Every little bit adds up!

Seed Saving

During the first year of gardening, start saving seeds from what you grow. You can use those the following year, saving you money on expensive seed packets.

Composting

Again, after the first year, you can compost food waste (stems, rinds, stalks, etc…that you don’t eat) and garden debris (dried or dead leaves, stalks, and roots) to use for the following year. You’ll get a rich, healthy soil for your garden and the cycle continues each year!

How to Save Money Gardening

There’s a running joke on the internet about spending a ton of money just to produce a 50 cent tomato. See? They even made memes about it.

And don’t get me wrong, gardening CAN be expensive. You can buy giant metal beds and the latest watering system or order a million seed packets, but you don’t have to. 

I mentioned seed saving above, but check out more ways a garden can save you money below.

Start Small

Your garden does not have to be Martha Stewart-worthy to produce a decent amount for your family. Even though I may have dreams about Martha’s beautiful gardens, I’m working with what I have. 

Start with a small but manageable size. For you, that might mean one small raised bed. It might mean a few pots for herbs on your windowsill. 

Seed Swaps

Look online for local gardening communities. Seed swaps are a great way to trade seeds for free. If you find yourself with too many tomato seeds but no broccoli, you might be able to find someone who wants what you have!

Seed Libraries

If you’ve been here for any amount of time you will know that I think local libraries are *elite* institutions. They have so much to offer! And something I recently learned about was seed libraries.

It’s exactly what it sounds like: they have cataloged (usually local or heirloom) seeds for their community. You can ‘check out’ seeds, although you don’t give them back. 

The idea is that after you grow your garden, you can bring back even more seeds from what you grew, and thus, the seed library grows too. 

Shop Farmers Markets

You can usually find tomato and pepper starts for sale at farmers markets. The great thing about these plants is that you know they will grow well in your area. 

Shop Flea Markets

Similar to farmers markets, you know any plants offered will grow well here. Plus, the plants are likely to be cheaper than the big box stores. 

Plant Directly in the Ground

Don’t worry about fancy beds and buying soil. If your ground is manageable (not a ton of rocks, roots, or clay) you can plant what you want to grow directly in the ground. 

Build Cheap(er) Beds

I used this tutorial to build my beds and I love them! My ground is pretty much all clay, and I have a very nosey dog. So I was unable to plant directly in the ground, but I spent less than $100 for all the beds you see here.

XX insert picture of beds

Use Boxes

Use cardboard boxes to grow things like potatoes or sweet potatoes. You probably get them for free from your amazon shopping! You can fill them with soil and then simply tear them apart when you want to harvest. After you’re done with them, they can be composted!

Reuse What You Have

Have any planters lying around? Use them outside! Use an old storage tote or basket.

Buy Pre-Loved

Visit a consignment shop. You can find planters, pots, and even gardening tools at a fraction of the cost. 

What Should You Plant?

The easy answer is: whatever you like to eat. We are growing tomatoes, broccoli, celery, onions, garlic, potatoes, beets and spinach. 

The longer answer is: whatever you have the time and space for. 

If you only have a few minutes each day, focus on plants that don’t need a lot of attention, like garlic, beans, or lettuce. 

Depending on your space, you could grow sprawling watermelon and pumpkin patches, or a few rows of beets. 

So, have you decided to grow a garden yet? Growing a garden can save you money with a little forethought and effort. Give yourself (and your family!) the gift of love through food this year. You won’t regret it!