Counting the Cost: October

3 weeks ago I promised to curb my spending for this month ... & I have had a pretty good go at that. Unfortunately, it was always destined to be an expensive month as we needed to get a skip in & do some major clearance in both the back garden (half filled with rubble from when we cleared the front), the shed (full with old shop fittings) & the loft (who knows/cares what is really up there).
Although we had spent a vast amount on trees, plants & seeds last month, I don't expect to have to that that much more in the future - if at all. The fruit trees might take a little while to establish but mostly we expect to grow loads next year & to harvest some seeds for future planting.
So, this month's expenditure:
Skip = £175

& where we saved money:
More recycling of jars for next year's preserves;
Collecting toilet rolls for long rooted seedlings (we'll use Di's newspaper pots if we need more);
Collecting veg trays (from pre-packed mushrooms) for seedlings;
FREE Allotment - which will allow us to grow soooo much more;
Harvesting the wood from our old sofa for future cold frames;
Borrowing a petrol strimmer instead of buying/hiring one.
I really wouldn't want to hazard a guess at how much that little lot would have cost us ... more than we have going spare I would expect! LOL

Harvested veggies: saving £19.13 - go me!!!

Counting the Cost: September

I have a bit of a spending habit (ask Di, she'll tell you! LOL), so I thought I better face the music & start keeping an actual record of what we are spending. I expect to have a deficit this year ... & that it will start to pay off next year ... but we will see! LOL
September is a bit of guesswork as I haven't really kept a proper record. So I'm gonna post a summary here & then update at the end of every month (gotta love scheduled posts - I will add to it thru the month & it will magically appear intact & on time!)
Here goes September:
*14 Fruit Canes from the 99p store = £13.86
*Seeds from Wilkinsons on a 3 for 2 offer (sweet peppers, cayenne peppers, chillies, runner beans, french beans, peas, moneymaker tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms) = £8.73
* Auryn's Gardening equipment (tools, pots, gloves) £6.99
* Marshalls Seeds (Chinese broccoli; Chinese cabbage; Broccoli Romanesco; Mini Lettuces: little gem, tom thumb, dazzle; red onions; swede; butternut squash; pickling onions; broad beans; turnips: Tiny Pal; borlotti beans; melon; trial cabbage) = 26.26
*Trees/plants from J Parkers (Damson Tree; midget fruit trees: 2 apple, 1 pear; 3 hazelnut trees; 3 goji berry; 3 tayberry; 25 strawberry plants; 9 rhubarb crowns; FREE tulips & perennial flowers) = £101.35
* Compost = £3.96
* Gardening gloves (2 pairs ... pink!!!) = £5.98

TOTAL SPENT (you might want to sit down for this) = £167.13

I guess I could try to make it look a li'l bit better if I quantified the free stuff/recycled bits that have saved us money? There's not so many opportunities in the UK tho' - no freecycle, little in the way of dumpster diving etc. But, I have collected packaging to use as seed trays, jars for preserving next year, egg shells for free slug deterrant, dried my own sweet pepper, chilli & tomato seeds (that's a saving of around £3.00 right there!), my mum gave me some rhubarb & a bunch of seeds (mung beans (yum!!), tomatoes, beetroot, pumpkin, spinach, sunflower, oregano, rocket, endive, chives, American cress, rocket - about £12 worth) ... she'll want a few plants & maybe some produce next year ... obviously, I'm happy to share! LOL - so I guess it's not all bad.
Look out for the next budget update on October 31st ... maybe I'll curb my spending before then huh?