[Swing Swang]

Yes - and quite a lot once you're 'up and running'.

All my outgoings are costed (except 'time'). All the savings are 'true savings' too. What I mean is this - if you would have only bought (in season) carrots, sprouts and spuds for a meal but you replace these with home-grown out of season exotics then the saving is what you would of bought, not on the cost buying the stuff that you actually harvested (although your quality of life may be far better).

So based on these criteria for family Swang, we 'save' very little during the winter, but up to 90% of the green-grocery shop in the height of the summer. And of course there's all the stuff you give away 'for nothing'/home made presents etc/preserves for the winter.

SS

[mandycharlie]

I reckon I save alot of money.  Just in my raspberry production alone must have covered the cost of my shed and greenhouse in the last three years.  How much are the silly little punnets in the supermarkets? 

I'm always terribly shocked when I have run out of onions and potatoes and I have to buy them..  It almost makes me want to put them back on the shelf!

[BostonInbred]

It always a win/win for me, partially because i get composts  and fertilisers virtually free (I pay 70p for a 70L bag of m/p compost and £1 for a 25 Kg bag of pelleted chicken poo). The allotment is 17 poles and would cost £44 except my wife is 61 so we get pensioners half price concession, £22 a year.

So you need to be a genius at that outlay not to grow veg cheaper then the supermarket.

[davethespread]

is that what its about,saving money? i beg to differ,i grow my own veg because they taste far superior to supermarket produce,you know whats been put on them,you get exercise and fresh air whilst doing your plot and sometimes its nice being somewhere quiet and stress free.

[DD.]

That's what I said - I think - in the third post on this thread.

[Sid]

For me, all the hard work and watching them grow and harvesting is priceless .
We do it because we want some control over what we put into our bodies minus chemicals..
But also we are passionate about growing fruit and veg and then cooking with them.
I have recorded all outgoings for first year,mainly out of curiosity,but it won't change my views on GYO .

[davethespread]

That's what I said - I think - in the third post on this thread.

great minds think alike then DD,or is it fools seldom differ

[DD.]

Sadly, I think it's the latter!

[davethespread]

 

[newatthis]

hi, as for the question does any one save money, well it's a hard 1, i've been lucky so far we got our shed free from ice, the greenhouse was free(saved from a next door neighbour's son when he went on a smashing fit, all glass that was re-placed was free from the tip, my other half works there..), the horse poo is free, seeds was given to us(some out of date but we still keep fingers x the grow), the only thing we have payed for is the plot and some of the tools..ie rotavater, new hand tools and gloves,
we do get a lot of stuff from freecycle and the tip.. sorry if im showing off.. 
this is the first full year

[fletcherbaker]

Well as this is my first year i have found there is a bit more expense than i thought but to be fair once i get going i think it should all pay for itself may take a few years but its also a hobby not doing it to save cash really,its also good as it gets the kids out of the house and get there hands dirty 

[Yabba]

Outgoings : Nil (except time )

Veg : Supplied May -> Nov last year

I'd say I'm winning, but I'd say that anyway because as others have mentioned it's not about money

¥

[Pompey Spud]

I personally don't give a fig about the money as its a hobby and I/we love it.  Time spent down there with my family is great. Our neighbours are envious, all on the waiting list.

As DD has said..if its a saving money issue go to poundland.

Hardly play golf now which does need time. Seriously thinking of selling nearly new Ping irons and bag so I can get a nice new shed.

[plum crumble]

Pompey Spud - I presume you will be saving money on a season ticket as well??  

[madcat]

Naughty!!!  You shouldnt make a grown man cry!