Frugal Retirement-Will a Garden Save Me Money?

Confession:  I do not have a green thumb. It's not black, but to grow things I need to work at it.  Most of my life I've had a yard with some flowers, but no garden.  That yard was thanks to my husband who at one point in his life managed a group of golf courses. On more than one occasion would he sit and and "be one with the lawn".

I've increased my yard and tree knowledge a bit with ownership of this house-I understand the difference between grasses. I don't have a lawn service (I have a healthy college student), and I've learned how to weed, feed and so on.

When it comes to growing other things, last year I began with some flowers in large pots, a single (potted) tomato plant and a squash plant.  While the flowers thrived., I only was able to harvest about four crook necked squash. The tomatoes bloomed and had lovely flowers but never came to fruition. (it's been suggested that this was because they were on a patio that was protected on three sides and there was not enough wind to cross pollinate-what do i know).

This year, as you can see from the "before" photos, we need to begin some serious landscaping that will probably require a three year plan (both in terms of budget and labor). I lost a willow tree and need to do something with that corner. The beds need to be extended  out from the fence (after the fence is repainted and sealed) and I need to slowly change over to low water plants. One of the considerations is whether to include a garden, and if so, what that garden should be. Extremely raised beds (to eliminate kneeling)? Add many large containers for vegetables and berries?  Both?  None?

The the question I'm asking myself is this-why would I be expanding my garden, and is it worth the expense and effort.  Obviously, the things I grow that I have managed to harvest have been extremely fresh. On the other hand, I live in an area where local farm markets abound, and fresh produce is almost always available. My last frost was a month ago. With a couple exceptions, what I grow will not be enough to feed me-I'll still need to purchase throughout the summer.  I certainly will not be able to grow enough to can extras-at least this year.

I'm pretty sure that the costs of gardening go down from year to year. Whatever tools I might need to invest in would last other years. I could learn how to save seeds  I'm sure that I could learn many frugal techniques.

So I guess my question to other small gardeners is this?  Do you save money? Do you garden because of the freshness factor?  Is it a hobby? Is it a combination of all three?  Now is the time to begin planting, so I guess a decision is due.  I expect that Ill never be a hobby gardener.  The question is, will I be a gardener at all.

Living richly In Retirement-Spring Is a Frugal Girl's Dream

As I mentioned earlier on, spring has sprung here in Texas-in reality,  its been here for most of the month of March.  Every season has frugal advantages and costly situations.  While energy use is high in many places during the winter, one can also cook frugal soups and stews and freeze them, and post holiday shopping can save on gifts.  That said, in this part of the country, spring is generally a frugal gal's dream. How can I count the frugal ways to enjoy spring in north Texas?

• Energy Savings:  For the most part, I'm neither cooling nor heating my house. Once in awhile, there is a brief blast of AC late in the afternoon if the house temperature has gone above 80 degrees.  Meanwhile, I'm cooking on the grill at least twice a week, saving on cooking energy (I have a covered patio and I do cook on it year around, but much more often in the warm weather). The days are getting longer. Because I have a house with lots and lots of windows, this lowers my electric bill, as well as being a psychological boon. 
• It's garage sale season: This is a plus for two very good reasons in my household. I always first try to purchase items on the used market.  This means that  small household items, replacement items and even some like new gifts are purchased during this time of year. Yesterday I got brass candle holders for my mantle and decorated pots for a couple of dollars. I have a list of items I am looking for. Here in Texas, yard sales can run from Thursday through Saturday, or any combination thereof.  Since I work at home, I generally go Thursday and Friday and stay home on the weekends.
• It's garage sale season, part deux:  My son has a book selling business online, and I buy and resell collectibles and other things online as a side business. This means that this time of year is good for business as well as our personal financial bottom lines. On the resale front, yesterday I bought a signed book of poetry published in 1930, collectible Avon plates and a lighted Easter village house, all of which will be resold.
• It's planting season:  Although I'm planting and not eating as of yet, planting even small amounts of my own produce, especially herbs, can save a bundle and add to my creative cooking. My patio pots are fertilized and this season I will put starter tomatoes, peppers and the like (bought on sale with a coupon) in the pots. Although this doesn't mean I will never buy produce, it does mean that I will have some fresh items, and a start of a larger garden that will continue year to year.
• In Texas at least, it's spring festival season:  This means lots and lots of frugal to free entertainment.  Many festivals are free, and those that aren't have a very reasonable entrance fee. So for a small fee and perhaps the cost of a drink, one can have hours of free entertainment as one explores these festivals. I go with friends and we generally take a picnic for before or after the event. It's also the season when free outdoor concerts and the like begin to appear in this part of the country. In today's weekend section there is mention of a free fun run, a free outdoor art festival, a pinball festival, a swap meet, a jewelry making open house, and many free concerts. That's just in my area of the city.  There's also a garden show for a mere $2.00 and lots of other cheapies.  I haven't even mentioned the kid friendly choices.
• It's time to exercise outdoors:  Although my six months membership to my city natatorium facility is extremely reasonable, now I will be walking outside. As summer approaches and it gets hotter, I'll use my local pool (which is free) early in the morning.
• Local, seasonal produce and meats begin to appear more at my local grocery stores:.  While food is not going down in price anytime soon, I do find that for the most part local produce and eggs are cheaper (I don't get to the farmers market every Saturday because I'm often yard saling or going to craft fairs).I am a spring a summer veggie person (as opposed to squash and the like) so this is perfect for me. This is just the beginning of the growing season and things become more plentiful day by day.
• As a direct result of the above, this is the very beginning of preserving season:  Obviously, this goes well into summer and even early fall. I don't can as much as I should, and frankly, canning store bought produce is not always a money saver.  However, I make many gourmet and giftable type items (barbecue sauces, relishes, mojito jelly and the like) that save me piles of money. This year I will also look for a source of bulk tomatoes   Last year I purchased a water bath canner and one of those "new skills to learn every month or so" on my list will be in play.
• I feel more energetic as the days get longer and the weather warms:  While this may not necessarily be "frugal" in the sense of the rest of my list, it means that I spend less time wrapped in a blanket in front of the television after dinner and spend more time doing other things. Admittedly not all of these are frugal endeavors as I consider after dinner to be "my" time.
• I have less pain, which allows me to accomplish more:  I have an injured knee with residual effects on top of arthritis. This means that cool and damp means more pain, and less activity.  Again, this probably doesn't fall under the "frugal" sphere in the overall scheme of things, but certainly increases my energy.Since the two streams of income I am trying to establish are errand/concierge services and quilting, this is an overall financial plus for me.

These are just a few of the reasons I see spring as lowering my bottom line. I know that Texas weather has not reached the rest of the country.  Which is season is your favorite for frugal endeavours?

Me vs The Yard

I've tried avoiding it for the last few weeks, but it has been warm a few days and I can no longer deny it...

I have a yard. A yard that needs mowing, weeding, landscaping and planting.

Don't get me wrong, I love my yard, just as I love my new house. I just have no idea what to do with my yard!

I know, I know, here I am a grown woman sounding totally helpless.............well...........

First I lived in a townhouse, with minimal patio.

Then I lived in a brownstone duplex, with a back and a front yard. In this house, my husband was the guy in charge. At that time, he was managing a golf course and would sit on the front porch and stare at the yard, as if they could be one. He planted grass, he trimmed dead branches, he bought shrubs and planted them and he tilled under an unused garden plot in the back yard and made it all grass for the pooches.

THEN I lived in a lovely German house, but again, it was in an urban village. Once you had the patio, left some grass for the dogs, there really wasn't much left to do. I had LOTS of planters, big huge ones, little small ones, hanging flowers and planters on the fence. But no digging into the ground, for lack of a better phrase.

Now, here I am with a yard, and shrubs and plants, some dead, some just needing trimming and some ready to rebound in spring. And me? I have no idea which is which is which. Never mind the fact that kneeling and getting back up is an hour's chore in my life these days.

So, first I'll start disposing of what I know is dead, second I'll put my teenage son to work mowing and trimming, and lastly, I will hit the library. They must have a "Grass and Gardening for Dummies" book, musn't they?

And my frugal side will pray that some gardening gloves, edging scissors and a couple other tools will get me through my first spring with just me and a yard. Oh, and I will also say a little prayer that at the end of the day it's me that wins and not the yard.