[8doubles]

IMO you cannot beat backyard gardening , just so easy to do 10mins working or harvesting , slug patrols at midnight etc.
Definately less hassle in adverse weather when things need to be attended to and far less food miles !
Plus the fact i could not really cope with a larger long distance plot now all the joints are seizing up .

[Growster...]

We really had to give up 'The Patch' because of old bones, but the joy since then, has been gardening at home using 'mini-patches' - (almost as sq. ft. 'bits' as suggested by Mum and chums here), so the sorts of posh salads which cost a lot in the supermarkets are now in trays, buckets, big pots etc., and the value and taste of these exotic items is immeasurable! As for toms, we're even cutting back to 32 plants this year... (the freezer still has about twenty-five plastic bags from last year)!

But the cost is lower than when we had one and a half allotments, so I suppose we are in some sort of credit now, but I really miss the walk there and back and the long chats with chums on 'The Moor'!

[GraciesGran]

Think of the money we save the NHS!  Everyone I have ever known who had allotment is a well a adjusted normal(ish) human being with no major mental health problems.  Yes we have bits that ache and get a bit blue with the slug battle but on the whole we seem to be a pretty healthy bunch of nutters. 

[Christine]

Think of the money we save the NHS! 

Disagree on that - two replacement knees in the past 18 months.  Suspect it's been the digging.  Mind at least one bus driver I know has had both done and he's not an allotment holder. 

[mumofstig]

Our plot rent goes up year on year, I think it was £8 per half plot 15 years ago when I got mine, last year it was £26 per half!

It's about the same here, and that's with the pensioner discount 

Ooh did not know if we have a pensioner’s discount!

We get a 50% discount on the first 5 rods, after showing proof of Gov. pension or other benefits
Leaves me with more money for seeds!!!! 

[snowdrops]

I shall ask about a discount but since they moved the my pension age & added on a whopping 6yrs 5mths on to it (don’t get me started, I might get banned) I probably not eligible until I’m 6ft under!