[KT]

Ok my OH is not as struck with this whole "veg gardening" idea as i am just yet.

tbh he's always been a man of fast food and convienience and he just doesnt see the point in going to all this effort for "a few veggy's he could buy in asda".

I don't have an allotment (YET!!) but i am blessed with a huge south facing garden. The OH hasn't let me dig it all up *sulk* but i have been afforded as many pots as i can squeeze onto the side patio and 2 (3ft by 30ft) raised beds.

We are financially struggling as a family and i came up with this idea to initally try and save a few penny's but i must say im hooked i love watching all my little plants grow.

My OH wasn't convinced and was concerned it was gonig to become a money sink we couldn't afford, so in order to convince and calm him down a struck him a deal.

Year 1 (this year) i would start with a budget of £50 to buy EVERYTHING!!!

When harvesting started i would put 50% of the value of the veg/fruit(comparible to asda) in a pot. This way we would be saving 50% straight away by not buying these items in asda hence bringing our shoping bill down.

The other 50% that was going in the pot would slowely mount up allowing us to watch our savings grow so we'd have something to track.

The deal is that this saving pot isn't touched untill next years sowing season starts (feb) in feb i will count it up.

Hopefully we will know a) how much we saved (ie how much we didn't spend in asda) and b) i will have enough money in the pot to finance next years growing!!! in the hope that in a year or two i can convince him that an allotment is a good idea 

I guesstimate that so far this pot has about £15 in it, not bad concidering most things haven't cropped yet.

What did everyone else do to convince reluctant OH's?!



 

[joyfull]

I've got raised beds in my garden (1st year for me and late starting as well), plus new tates in tyres. OH not said anything - I think he thinks it's just another fad I'm going through  , he has helped with any heavy lifting thats needed doing and reaching things that are too high for me like putting netting up for my beans though as I'm only 5 feet tall. So far we have just had new tates and he thought they were delicious. I got chickens without telling him first which he wasn't over keen on having but now he loves watching them and loves the eggs as they are far tastier than shop ones.
Like the idea of putting money saved from food bill into a pot - might try that myself 

[zazen999]

I'm sure The Dobbys won't mind me posting this link - but have a look at their budget sheet - they cost out and weigh everything on their plots [bigger space but same principle].

For me; If I buy a bag of leek seeds at £1.50 - only 3 have to be harvested to make a profit on the seeds - and probably only 10 to pay for the whole year's allotment rent. That's how I look at it - then I just get on with the fun of growing my own.

Anyway - the linkie to the Dobbys' blog

http://dobbyspumpkinpatch.blogspot.com/2008/10/time-for-update-methinks-sorry-i-havent.html#links

[poppie]

hi kt,
my oh didnt need any convincing,but however he's not so keen on the chickens.he reckons they get treated better than him.
if you have any seeds left at the end of sowing this year,offer them up for swaps,its a greatway of trying different things.
or if like me things are tight try gardenbymail.co.uk
they have organic veggie seeds from just 19p,(p&p 99p)
i had my first delivery this week,they are very good value,i think

[noshed]

Courgettes are 50p each in Tescos at the moment

[Ice]

Get a divorce and turn the whole garden into a veg plot.

Why not get an allotment just for yourself?  Does it matter what the OH thinks if he won't be required to help? 

[mumofstig]

Courgettes are 50p each in Tescos at the moment

so i'm saving £2/wk ...........nah i wouldn't buy this many ever........still 50p counted as saved everynow and then, though!

[KT]

Get a divorce and turn the whole garden into a veg plot.

Why not get an allotment just for yourself?  Does it matter what the OH thinks if he won't be required to help? 

Oh if i get my heart set on it i'll get my allotment don't worry 

I think he's just concerned it's something im going to end up pumping loads of time and money we can't afford into.

I've explained that there is a HUGE waiting list for these things and that if i put my name down i might not get one for a couple of years so we have plenty of time to see if i get bored with it haha.

[Elcie]

My OH suggested I go and get a hobby.  I got an allotment and the rest, as they say, is history!  Allotment, greenhouse, front garden growing veg, chickens in the back garden, where will it end!

I think some things you save money on and others you don't.  One of the things I have saved most on is not buying bags of salad leaves.  I always used to buy them, eat about a third and throw the rest away.  Now I never buy them.  Even in the winter I use my spinach in salads.  Have saved probably £30 this year just on that!  Not bad for seeds which cost less than £3 (few varieties of lettuce and a spinach!)

If you are looking to save money though, buy seeds cheaply too.  Half price sales in lots of the garden centres at the moment, and sites like Alan Romans are very cheap if you are looking for standard varieties without fancy packets.

[poultrygeist]

I'm with Ice.

The fast and convenience food must cost more than growing your own. We are both mad about fresh and home-grown food and have dug 3 beds in the lawn plus the veg plot and bits in teh borders.
We're very cash-strapped (as are many on here) and there's no comparison. Next step is home-brew although I spend about £10/year on booze so it won't actually save anything 

Rob

[mumofstig]

Well how much would my salad for lunch cost and my dinner, if i'd bought all the veg.............Sorry don't keep sheep in the garden  so couldn't do the lamb mince
But i did do the peas, green beans and charlotte potatoes. 4 raspberries and 1 strawberry for afters Luverly!
Don't it make you feel good, hope it does my body good too

[Lardman]

I don't think you can really look at is as a way to save money - yes you'll save cash if you would actually buy the amount of courgettes your plants will produce but who buys 180 courgettes a season? I would never dream of buying fresh peas Id just grab a packet of frozen - far cheaper.

From a purely financial side I very much doubt its cost effective. I would love to see figures to the contrary. 

Having said that my shopping list had 3 items on it last week cheese, bread and milk.  Everything else came from the garden/chickens - or (like rice & pasta) is bought once in a blue moon.

[mumofstig]

From a purely financial side I very much doubt its cost effective. I would love to see figures to the contrary. 

Right.....next year we'll all have to turn into accountants :blink: and cost our veg growing out, to proove it one way or another...what do you reckon? 

[Lardman]

Right.....next year we'll all have to turn into accountants :blink: and cost our veg growing out, to proove it one way or another...what do you reckon? 

Don't joke about it - THEY  could be listening and there will be a "home grown produce" section on my tax return next year !!!!

I just don't think that for the first couple of years theres any way to make it pay. Im sure my diet is better  but my wallet isn't. 

[mumofstig]

I know..but it's cos we buy stuff we want......not really only the stuff we need
Well i do anyway