[angelavdavis]

Well, we don't buy veg for at least three months of the year.  As mentioned, we concentrate a lot of our growing on expensive to buy items such as strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb, but also on salads which seem SOOO expensive and are so easy to grow. 

I also think some home grown vegetables cannot be beaten for taste.  I don't eat carrots, unless I grow them - they taste like nail varnish remover to me (don't ask me why!?!)

[allot2learn]

Speaking of Rhubarb, I can't remember the shop price last summer but I know it was high, I still have 29lbs in the bottom of my deep freeze so I must have saved a few bob. 

[Muls]

Think  I will be running at a loss with all the money I have spent on seeds and bits but the enjoyment factor has been worth its weight in gold 

[RJR_38]

Speaking of Rhubarb, I can't remember the shop price last summer but I know it was high, I still have 29lbs in the bottom of my deep freeze so I must have saved a few bob. 

29lb  how many crowns have you got for all that?!  I absolutely love Rhubarb and have hate paying shop prices. I have planted 4 crowns in my new plot so hopefully I will start getting a fairly decent amount for crumbles, fools, stewed with custard, eaten raw... I am drooling already

I will be concentrating on vegetables this year but I intend to have plenty of 'expensive' fruits as well. I have ordered 5 autumn raspberry canes so might get some this year. Also plan to have some strawbs.  I have space left once i have finished clearing the jungle so will be investigating blackberries and dessert gooseberries.

I am having to think long term as this year I will definitely be running at a loss once I have bought all the plants/seeds/compost and a shed! Hoping to break even after 3 years or so

[devonbarmygardener]

Think  I will be running at a loss with all the money I have spent on seeds and bits but the enjoyment factor has been worth its weight in gold 

It can be a bit of an outlay to start with, but once you have everything it becomes more economical.
The enjoyment is everything of course - if we didn't love it, we wouldn't do it!

[Madame Cholet]

I guess it depends on what extras you buy and what you eat.

I spend very little on food being a vegetarian and I also swap preserves and hopefully veg when I have a surplus for eggs singing lessons ect.

In the summer I live on salads for lunch with a little hummous or cheese or eggs soup in the winter, so all I buy there is bread, cheese and chick peas ect.

Also depends on what sundries you buy or womble.

I'm spending on fruit and nut bushes and trees which will take longer to recoop the cost.
 
If you just do it to save money and don't enjoy it it could be a bit of a chore though.

[angelavdavis]

When I first took over my allotment, I agreed with my Hubby a £1 per day budget for plot rent, buying a shed, equipment, etc.  Year one, I spent it, year two I had £30 over and year three, I am unlikely to spend half of it, despite taking over an additional half plot.  

When we first took over our allotment, I was a bit obsessed with "return on investment" so kept a bit of a record.  Since writing my initial post on this thread, I found the spreadsheet I maintained that year and thought I would share.

In 2011, we didn't buy any fresh produce, other than root ginger, some apples and bananas, and a couple of cucumbers for four months!  

We grew more fruit and vegetables than we purchased for two further months (we ran out of potatoes and onions quite quickly and were limited with the amount we could grow by the growing space).  We continued to subsidise our shopping with our allotment for the remainder of the year, mainly through freezing and storing produce.  I was pleased with this result considering we only took over the allotment in June 2010.  

Whilst I don't believe my £365 y1 and y2 budgets was covered by the reduced vegetable cost (despite there being four adults and two children in the family), I think it is still worth growing and over time I do believe the overall return on investment will mean it will offer more value for money.

That, of course, is aside from the life enrichment it offers myself and my family but I am fortunate that we all love being at the site - my children complained when we had to go home yesterday after being at the site for 6 hours because it was getting dark!