This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
One of my favorite quotes is, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” We grew up without much money, so making the most of what we had was extra important. I learned my frugal, DIY, upcycling skills from my momma – and even today, when I have a much bigger income than I ever had when I was younger, I’m still always looking for ways to make my resources go farther.
And that frugal mindset is one of the reasons I love our garden so much – not only is it an inexpensive way to spend quality family time together – My mom, me, and my daughter – but it also means I can save huge amounts of money on things my family needs.
- Flowers: I don’t have to buy flowers from the florist to decorate my house – I can simply pick an assortment from my gardens, put bunches in empty jars I use as vases, and brighten up my house on the cheap.
- Food: We grow our own herb garden, loads of fruits and veggies, and can things like pickles, pasta sauce, and salsa. This is a HUGE savings in my grocery budget.
- Learning: Kids learn SO much by helping in the garden. They get to see where food comes from – and growing their own veggies that they get to pick make them much more likely to eat them too. Abby loves to smell all of the flowers, feel the textures of different leaves, and discover bugs as she digs in the dirt. And – it’s free entertainment!
- Gifts: Things like a basket of fresh fruit that grown organically in my own garden, jars of homemade pasta sauce added to a basket filled with an assortment of pastas and cheeses, or a bouquet of flowers from my garden all make amazingly thoughtful, frugal gifts for my friends and family.
- Decor: Instead of spending big bucks on seasonal decorations, I can get them right out of my garden! In spring I of course bring in lots of pretty flowers. Summer means beautiful bowls of fruit in the kitchen, and more bright blooms around the house. In fall we bring in our pumpkins and craft with fall leaves and dried flowers – and use our corn stalks out along the fence line at Halloween. Even in winter there are things to be found – interesting branches gathered from the yard and painted with glitter spray look awesome in a big vase on the mantle!
What ways to use your garden to save money? What are your favorite frugal garden tips? I’d love for you to share in the comments! And – one thing that will totally help in any garden is to be sure to use Miracle-Gro – it SERIOUSLY makes a difference. Sure, it’s an up-front expense, but you’ll be amazed at how much quicker your flowers bloom, how much bigger your produce grows, and how much better your gardens look. Uh-may-zing, for reals.
Follow my Grow a Garden and Frugal Tips for Moms boards on Pinterest for more amazing tips and inspiration, and be sure to sign up for my daily email updates so you never miss an awesome idea to help spruce up your garden – and home – without spending a ton of money.
And – be sure to check out the Gro Something Greater section on the Miracle-Gro site for more expert tips too!
