Topic: Can you save money! by growing and eating your own?

[jimtheworzel]

 ;D

JTW

[Borlotti]

I have saved loads and loads of money because I don't go shopping anymore or just quickly for food I can't grow.  Shopping is boring, allotment is fun.  I don't buy clothes cause it doesn't matter if I wear old clothes at the allotment, and no point in wearing make up or having hair done whilst digging, so I am a happy rich bunny.  The satisfaction is in growing the food, and giving it away, thats the main thing, but must admit have spent quite a bit of slug pellets, seeds but apart from that not much.  Also save money on holidays as can't leave the allotment, might have a winter holiday next year.  ;D ;D ;D

[shirlton]

When you first start an allotment I think it can cost you money. It did us cos we had to buy loads of wire netting and enviromesh, canes etc. Now in our third year we don't have to buy so much so I suppose it is cheaper now. If not then its better

[saddad]

We have things you never see in the supermarkets... at any price.  :-X

[Ninnyscrops.]

Borlotti, a soul mate here  ;D with the make-up, clothes, seed saving (except the hair - don't like the impression of a ragged red-haired sheepdog I can do!). When there's a glut of a veg we just find different ways of using it, if it can't be frozen or jammed.

Linda

PS Winter holiday sounds a good idea, never thought of that as my lads are busy with cricket all summer!

[caroline7758]

Some of you might remember I started keeping a tally of what I've spent this year. I know I've missed a few things and I'm up to just over £100 so far and don't plan to spend much more, so if I've saved £2 a week on veg that's ok. If only I could make better compost- at least £40 gone there, plus £20 rent for the plot and £10 on bio control. And I haven't included petrol for the car or the strimmer.

[OllieC]

If you spent the time at McDonalds serving junk food on minimum wage & bought food instread, you'd have a lot more money at the end of the year than if you spent that time on the allotment... I certainly don't do it for the money!

[grawrc]

Quite honestly I don't care. I'm out in the fresh air more days than most and getting plenty of exercise, I'm eating prime produce every day. Why should I care?

[Tin Shed]

Hello, grawc - lovely to hear from you  :)
And by the way I quite agree with you - fresh air, fresh food and exercise and the company of other gardeners!

[lewic]

I've probably spent well over £1000 on the allotment in the last year, just in little things. But I am a bit of a shopoholic and cant seem to walk past a garden centre without spending at least £20..

Am spending less on veg at the mo, but dont have space for a second freezer, so lots will end up being given away. I love it though, and its cheaper than spending the weekend in the pub!

[Sparkly]

Counting just annual expenses I probably spend less than £100 including rent, seeds, manure etc

I have spent quite a bit on 'one-off/longer term' expenses though like a greenhouse, shed and tools...

Overall I think long term I will save quite a bit.

The enjoyment I get out of the allotment is priceless though...

[Digeroo]

I do not think that I save money.  But where can you get beans picked, cooked and eaten within the hour.  Yellow courgettes, golden beetroot, freshly pulled carrots.  

But if I had to buy them I would not eat a whole plate full of runner beans.  In fact I would not buy runner beans at all.

Am a comparing what I would make do with if I had to buy in the shops or the full value of what we eat.  We eat like kings all summer.

A friend of my daughter once said that other people eat a few veg but we eat the whole garden.

I am currently eating beans for breakfast, lunch and tea.  Yum

[Eristic]

The straight answer is no. The labour element alone makes anything grown dearer than shops. It does not matter if you are retired or otherwise not working, the fact is that if you can till the land for free, you could do a couple of hours a week for pay. Few people spend more on fruit and veg than 2 hours worth of labour per week.

It is also far too easy to price into the equation the 80+ artichokes and such like but unless you always used to buy like for like they do not save any money because you would not normally spend this cash.

[saddad]

OH is a manic knitter and made me some Arran jumpers... saving loads of money, no she didn't 'cos at that price I wouldn't buy them... but the principle is the same...  :-*

[lushy86]

Like others I don't really care although I'm certainly spending less on veg and have you seen the price of spuds lately? not bought any of those for weeks for a tiny outlay on Wilkos seed potatoes, and now onions, courgettes - price of a packet of seeds a couple of quid at most.  Peppers to come soon again price of seeds, same with beetroot, spring onions, leeks etc etc.  I haven't spent on anything big apart from a cheap wilko mini greenhouse and four bags of compost.  Its all very basic on my plot but hey it seems to be working  :)

Lushy x

[saddad]

Didn't buy spuds at all last year, even threw some away...  :-[

[elvis2003]

meant to keep a tally of costs when we started,but didnt get round to it with all the excitement! we have recycled sooo much,given a home to a greenhouse and shed(both free) which in itself has saved us what,600 quid? plus tons of free scaffold boards,so dont mind what we have actually spent in seeds/compost/petrol/canes /tools as its mostly been set up costs anyway.
as someone else said,its priceless anyhow

[Hector]

OH is a manic knitter and made me some Arran jumpers... saving loads of money, no she didn't 'cos at that price I wouldn't buy them... but the principle is the same...  :-*

Shh Saddad. I am a manic knitter also and you are blowing out the water my argument/rationale to hubby for buying yarn :)

This hasbeen an expensive year as it has had all our start up costs....will save on compost next year as we now have lots on the go.

[thifasmom]

When you first start an allotment I think it can cost you money. It did us cos we had to buy loads of wire netting and enviromesh, canes etc. Now in our third year we don't have to buy so much so I suppose it is cheaper now. If not then its better

I haven't got an allotment but have to agree with Shirl, I spent the most of my outlay 2 yrs ago when i was getting the veg plot started.

after joining A4A in june 2008 the winter seed swaps helped me save money this year re buying seeds and i only really had to buy a handful of stuff and potting compost for seed sowing.

So yes I'm saving money re buying veges, at least i think i am. I shop monthly and would then top up during the moth with veges and bread stuff. I have noticed that my shopping bill over the last few months when I make my main shopping has been reduced by £20 - £30 and since I'm not buying any veges during the month there's that saving as well.

i have a running post on my blog re my savings: http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2009/05/am-i-saving-myself-money-check-in-often.html.

[isbister]

Last year I kept a rough tally of the veg we got off our 5 rods and valued it at supermarket prices:


 2008                 Portion/weight         Supermarket prices

PSB                    24pkts         @1.49   35.76
Garlic               31bulbs         @30p   9.30
Rhubarb               8 kilo         @2.15   32.25
Parsley               1            @1.75   1.75
Beetroot               28 bunch         @1.50   42.00
Coriander               4 bunch         @75p   3.00
Courgettes            67            @1.78Kg   35.60
Onions               77            @30p   23.10
Runner Beans            17 kilo         @4.50   76.50
Potatoes               39.5 Kg         @1.00   39.50
Chard               22pkts         @1.50   33.00
Cobra Beans            12 kilo         @6.00   72.00
Red Kale               10 bag           @1.00   10.00
Raspberries            24 punnet         @2.00   48.00
Pattypan               28            @2.00Kg   12.00
Lettuce               12            @0.80p   9.60
Rocket               9 bags         @1.50   13.50
Turnips               2 Kg            @1.40   2.80
Sweetcorn               8            @0.55   4.40
Carrots               1.5 Kg         @1.70   3.00
Cucumber               15            @1.10 ea   16.50
Swede               3kg            @1.20Kg   3.60
Red Tomatoes            90 (10perKilo)      @4.00Kg   36.00
Green Toms            69            @????          ????
Pumpkin               19            @2.00 ea   38.00
Leek                  10kg            @4.50Kg   45.00
JA                  31kg            @£3.00   31.00
Cauliflower            3            @1.30ea   3.90

                                    £681.06

I reckon our outlay in rent, seeds, fuel etc at less than £100