[gardener247]

to be honest  i'd say i break even but does anybody find it a real moneysaver?

[Rangerkris]

Not sure, but i do try things i would not buy in the shops as they seem expensive.

[DD.]

Oh not that old chestnut again!

Are we costing purely on what you can produce or bringing the other considerable physical and mental welfare benefits into it that you don't have to fork out for?

[gardener247]

hmm probably talking about the produce, i'm starting out now ant there seems to be a lot of expenses

[DavidT]

How much money are you saving by not buying gym membership for goodness sake.

[DavidT]

You are investing for the long term, come back in 10 years and see what your figures work out at then.lol

[DD.]

If I could have a quid for everytime I've seen this thread!!!

[peapod]

No, I don't save money overall yet.  I'm only into my second year, and still needing to buy bits and bats.  Despite me having some great friends on here who send me free seeds and plants, I still have to buy odd tools, wood for a new shed, gloves, poultry pellets, BF&B and all the myriad stuff.


No I dont save any money (yet), but as the advert says, to me, with the friends Ive made, the fitness Ive earned, the conversations its opened up and the happiness of feeding my family with my own produce,  its priceless.

[DavidT]

As some of you may know, I have just taken over managing a largish veg plot for a client. I have spent several hundreds of pounds ( of his money ) on seeds, timber, pot`s/trays and other sundries. But this money will be recouped over the next 4 or 5 years. It cost about 4 grand for the greengouse.

[peapod]

Four grand!! Now thats my kind of luxury...s*d the foreign hols!

[mumofstig]

Yes I think you save money

Think about the humble courgette for example...how much do they charge for those in the supermarket and how many can you get from 1 plant...and how much does 1 seed cost plus the amount of compost for a 3 inch pot to grow it in?
and runner beans are also very generous, yet cost quite a bit to buy.

Admittedly at the beginning you can spend a lot ..but you don't have to.
A few tools a few seed and some general fertiliser and the soil is all you really need to get a crop, anything else are optional extras.

Talk to the old boys who grew their food during the war......if it had cost them more to grow than  than to buy they wouldn't have done it...simple as that  

[DD.]

OK.

Eighth year on this site, I think. Council in their wisdom have sold my previous ones and are now having to pay the price of finding new ones.

There will be a few things to buy on top of rent and seeds, like replacement canes, compost etc. but I reckon 50p a day, or around £180 for the year will more than easily do it.

Bearing in mind that there is very, very little I buy - including spuds for the best part of the year, coupled with £500 in donations for excess produce to church funds, I'd say that I'm not running at a loss.

As said, you have to look beyond the first year, if you're looking for short term savings, let someone else have your plot.

[Trikidiki]

Yes I think you save money

Talk to the old boys who grew their food during the war......if it had cost them more to grow than  than to buy they wouldn't have done it...simple as that 

I don't think it was that simple.

It wasn't the cost which prompted 'Dig for Victory'. It was lack of supply of imported food was the problem. People were willing to pay for food but it was rationed.

Anything you could grow for yourself was 'off ration' and therefore a bonus.

[Cavolo Nero]

And of course anything you grow yourself tastes about a million times better than the stuff in the supermarkets.

[lacewing]

It depends on why you are doing it. If you look on it as a hobby and you have a passion for growing things, then it's a case of how much you want to spend. If on the other hand you just want to grow vegetables with a minimal outlay, it can be very cost effictive. I think it's a matter of personal choice realy.