Snail Pace Transformations

30 Christian Fiction Authors That Need To Be On Your Summer Reading List

Victoria — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 03:55:50 +0000

Are you looking for uplifting and inspiring books to add to your summer reading list? Check out these top Christian fiction authors and their must-read novels!

30 Top Christian Fiction Authors To Add To Your Summer Reading List

(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

What is a good summer book? The definition is pretty loose. Some consider it to be any book that you read in summer. Others think it is a book that is lighter to read, such as short novels that cover light-hearted topics.

In this article I will cover light reads for those who have kiddos old enough to swim, but still need an eye out for them. I will also throw in titles with lots of twists and turns in their plots for those who indulge in extra reading time during their summers without needing to keep an eye on anyone.

I list authors instead of new releases or classics because I wanted to give you a list that will stand the test of time. One you can return to summer after summer and discover a new good read every time.

Under each author, I have listed a book or a series of books I have read and liked or my friends have, but feel free to visit their author pages on Amazon to dig deep into all the different books they have written and start with the one that calls out to you the most.

I also listed many series because, in my opinion, the lazy crazy days of summer are the best time to binge on a series of books.

I end with a few narrative nonfiction choices, tips on finding more time to read this summer, and advice on acquiring books without breaking the budget.

Authors You Will Find In My Beach Bag

1. Suzanne Woods Fisher

Summertime makes me want a good story about living the plain life, and Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers just that story.

I read and enjoyed her Lancaster Country Secrets series.

If you have kids, her Lilly Lap series would be great to read aloud to children 6 to 12 or to enjoy yourself as a summer beach read that you can finish in the afternoon.

2. Susan May Warren

I discovered Susan May Warren’s books through My Reader Rewards Club years ago. Although they are not currently offering any of her books, many are part of the Kindle Unlimited library on Amazon (at least when writing this post; that could change).

My favorite series of hers that I have read is the seven book long Christiansen series.

I would consider this series a light read, but you might want to save the last few chapters for a time you can read uninterrupted.

3. Lisa Wingate

I fell in love with Lisa Wingate’s writing when I read The Prayer Box. She always knows how to bring me to tears and get me thinking.

Her book Before We Were Yours is an emotional roller coaster inspired by a true story. It is perfect for a day with few interruptions, followed by a morning when you can sleep in it because you cannot put it down once you open it.

As I write this, her latest title is Shelterwood, and it looks like quite the page-turner.

4. Karen Kingsbury

If you are unfamiliar with the Baxter family, you need to get to know them. Kingsbury’s books about the Baxter family are so relatable that whenever I pass through Bloomington, Indiana, I wonder what the Baxters are up to. Then, I kindly remind myself that they are not real people, but characters from a series of Christian fiction books.

Karen has many other books that are not about the Baxter family, but my favorites are those that do and thankfully, she has yet to stop giving her readers glimpses of their lives.

If you want a summer-watching suggestion, I recently binge-watched the first three seasons of The Baxters on Amazon Prime Video and enjoyed them. Like any other book or TV series, the shows do not follow the book’s storyline perfectly, but I honestly thought taht for the most part the changes they made were still in line with the overall plot.

5. Becky Wade

A Sunday afternoon on the swing chair on the front porch and one of Becky Wade’s novels go together like sugar in iced tea–delightful. Her books are filled with romance, laughs, and a great message of faith.

Two I have read and liked are My Stubborn Heart and Undeniably Yours.

Her latest series is Sons Of Scandal, which currently has two books: Memory Lane and Rocky Road. This series combines romance with humor and mystery.

6. Gina Holmes

I have read all of Holmes’s books that are currently published. Although I liked them all, my favorite is Crossing Oceans. I read it years ago, yet I still get emotional just thinking about the story within its pages.

Her book Driftwood Tides is available for 150 points on My Reader Rewards. My Reader Rewards is a book club offered by Tyndale House Publishers that rewards book lovers with books when they answer short surveys and leave reviews. The books they offer their members are Christian. You can redeem your points for both nonfiction and fiction books.

Use my referral link to sign up and you will get 25 points toward any book of your choice (book selection and offer can change at any time).

7. Courtney Walsh

If you have a Kindle Unlimited membership, many of Courtney Walsh’s books, including The Sweethaven Circle Series, The Harbor Pointe Series, and the Nantucket Love Story Series, are available. All these stories contain romance, making for a great Christian beach read in my books.

The second book of her Harbor Point Series, “Just Let Go,” is available for 150 points over at My Reader Rewards (that could change at any time).

If asked to pick a favorite of the three Walsh series I have read, I would pick the Sweethaven Circle Series.

8. Chris Fabry

I have read many of Chris Fabry’s books and there isn’t one that I wouldn’t recommend. Most have an element of mystery, love, and devotion. Narrowing it down to one favorite was hard, but I am going with June Bug because it drew me in from the first chapter and kept me guessing until the last.

Warning: if you decide to read June Bug outside on a sunny day, set a timer for sunscreen breaks because it is incredibly captivating.

9. Beth K Vogt

I enjoyed Vogt’s The Thatcher Sisters series, in which three sisters are led to Christ, each with a unique story of redemption.

As I write this post, the series is free to Kindle Unlimited members. Book three is available for 160 points at My Reader Rewards.

10. Robin W. Person

Person’s book Til’ I Want No More, set in North Carolina, is a story full of Southern charm, food, and secrets.

11. Lindsay Harrel

With the setting of a bookshop in summer, Harrel’s The Secrets Of Paper And Ink couldn’t scream summer read any louder. The three main characters go on a treasure-hunting adventure that bonds them for life.

12. Lisa Samson

Samson’s A Thing Of Beauty is not an overt Christian romance read. The message of Christ is not prominent in words, but in the character’s actions and how the book’s plot unwinds.

My friend, who has read more of Samson’s books, recommends Club Sandwich and Quaker Summer.

13. Valerie Howard

Last summer, I binged on Howard’s New England’s Inspiration Series. The series includes six books.

Only with one book was I able to guess the ending, which is a sign of an incredible book series and a fantastic author, at least to me.

She recently added another book to this series, Carrying Hope. It is number 2.5 in the series and continues the storyline of book two, Carry Me Home.

14. Kathryn Cushman

Tomorrow’s Promise Collection is eight books long–one book for each week of summer break.

15. Kimberly Stuart

Grab one of Stuart’s books if you love a funny story with a happy ending. I haven’t read them all yet, but my favorite is Operation Bonnet.

16. Kim Cash Tate

I have read two of Tate’s books set in the small town of Hope Springs: Hope Springs and The Color Of Hope. Both are great, but The Color of Hope is my favorite.

17. T. I. Lowe

What could be more fitting than a summer-read series of books set in an oceanside town? Lowe’s The Carolina Coast Series is set in the town of Sunset Cove and follows the lives of three long-time friends.

The three books in the series are:

18. Robin Jones Gunn

While researching this post, I stumbled upon Gunn’s Sisterchicks series and am now partway through book one, Sisterchicks On The Loose. I have laughed so hard in parts that I feel comfortable recommending it even though I haven’t finished it.

This series of books would be great to load up on your Kindle before tossing it in your suitcase as you head out on your summer vacation. Many titles in the series are part of the Kindle Unlimited library. They are heartfelt stories full of friendship and adventure.

The series is eight books long, which makes it an excellent summer-long binge series.

19. Neta Jackson

Neta Jackson is known for her Yadda Yadda prayer group, but I haven’t read that yet. I have read and loved her Yadda Yadda House Of Hope Series. I found it to be believable, relatable, and hope-filled.

Beach Reads Recommended By My Friends

I thought you might appreciate more recommendations so I contacted my book-loving friends to ask them for help making this list even longer.

I have read some of these authors, but didn’t find them to be authors I want to rave about. However, I know that each reader is unique. What I like you might not, what my friends like you might love.

20. Connilyn Cossette

The King’s Men two-book series.

This is a historical romance, biblical fiction series.

21. Cynthia Rucci

Afraid Of The Light
Facing The Dawn

These two book suggestions are contemporary fiction, which is my favorite genre. After reading their book introductions, I added both to my “read” list.

22. Charles Martin

Chasing Fireflies
Send Down The Rain

After seeing Charles Martin on numerous book lists, I grabbed Chasing Fireflies when I saw it was available for Kindle Unlimited members. Sadly, Send Down The Rain is not included, but other titles by Martin are.

23. Sean Dietrich

The Incredible Winston Browne

This is a historical novel set in the 1950s. When this post was written, this novel was in the Kindle Unlimited library, but remember that could change.

24. Francine Rivers

This is one of my best friend’s favorite authors so hopefully she doesn’t take offense if she reads this article and sees my following confession. I have liked the Francine Rivers books I have read, but I haven’t LOVED them. I think it is because I have only read one or two of her books and both were historical fiction, while I prefer contemporary.

That said, Rivers’ was on the list of all the friends I consulted for book recommendations, so many of her book titles are below.

Mark Of The Lion–A trilogy
And The Shofar Blew (contemporary fiction–so perhaps I will have to read it)
The Last Sin Eater
The Masterpiece (contemporary)

25. Colleen Coble

I binged on numerous Colleen Coble romantic suspense novels one summer to the point that I started to be able to figure out the ending a few pages in. After that, I haven’t touched them again. To me, a good book should keep you guessing until the end, so Collen Coble’s books are not something I rave about.

Her most popular series is the Annie Pederson trilogy.

26. Melody Carlson

The Happy Camper

I immediately looked up this suggestion since my husband and I are big-time campers. When I saw it was included in Kindle Unlimited, I grabbed it and read it immediately. It is a fun book in which vintage trailers and humans are given a second chance.

27. Dee Henderson

Full Disclosure

If you like crime books, Henderson looks like an author you will want to check out.

28. Nancy Rue

Rue has written 120+ books! My friend recommends her Sullivan Crisp trilogy.

29. Jenny B. Jones

There You’ll Find Me
The 2021 movie Finding You was based on this book.

30. Lynn Austin

The Restoration Series is a historical fiction series made up of three books.

BONUS: NonFiction Reads For The Family Beach House

Often, in the heat of summer, my husband and I rent an Airbnb close to the water. We will spend the cooler hours of the mornings and evenings on, in, or near the water and spend the heat of the day reading side by side.

These summer getaways always seem perfect for enjoying a nonfiction narrative book.

So, if you like me and like to read non-fiction stories and fiction, here are a few of my favorites.

Beth Guckenberg

I have read three of Beth’s The Storyweaver Series and have the other two on my to-read list. Although the series is meant for older children, these stories have moved me so much that I recommend them to my adult friends. These stories will tug at your heartstrings yet leave you in awe of the fantastic creator we serve.

This series can be read in any order

Rachel Anne Ridge

Flash is my favorite, but I could not mention it without its sequel. Be prepared to let funny stories about a donkey and his friends teach you about life, faith, and hope.

Katie Davis Majors

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption

I have yet to read Majors’ other titles, but her first left a lasting impression on my heart. This gal is significantly impacting the lives of the poorest children in Uganda.

Bob Goff

Reading Goff’s books has opened up my eyes to what loving others truly means. The stories this guy has to tell of his life will amaze you!

I suggest you read every book he has ever written, but if you are wondering which one to start with, start with Everybody Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People. It will give you a clearer picture of what grace, forgiveness, and courage should look like in our current world.

Melanie Shankle

If you haven’t read Shankle’s The Big Mamma Collection, you must! These memoirs of friendship, motherhood, and marriage will make you laugh and cry–which are the makings of a great read in my books.

How To Read More Books This Summer

Now that I have shared a generous sampling of great Christian authors with excellent reads, you might wonder how you can read as much as you want over the busy summer months.

Here are my top three suggestions:

A. Don’t Just Read

Reading isn’t the only way to enjoy a great book. You can also listen to books when you can’t read, like when you are doing chores, taking a walk, or driving. You don’t have to be a member of an expensive audio club to enjoy audiobooks. Chances are your local library offers its members free access to audiobook apps such as Hoopla or Libby.

B. You Always Carry This Around: Put A Book On It

Nowadays, smartphones go everywhere with us. Download an ebook app like Kindle or one that offers audio and ebooks like Hoopla and Libby. Keep an ebook downloaded to enjoy reading in unexpected moments, like a long wait at the doctor’s office.

C. Always Have More Than One Book On The Go

Have one physical book or e-reader on your nightstand and an ebook and audiobook downloaded on your phone. That way, no matter where or what you are doing, you are ready with a book.

How To Afford All Those Books

A. Use Your Library

I know you are saying, “Yeah, duh!” But sometimes we forget all the ways our library offers to enjoy books for free.
Libraries offer paperbacks, hardcover books, and access to apps that provide audio and ebooks. As if that were not enough, they also have books on CD.

Plus, most have a yearly book sale selling older titles for super cheap prices. And don’t forget to sign up for the adult version of your library’s summer reading program–sometimes the prizes include free books

B. Join This Rewarding Book Club

I talked a lot about My Reader Rewards in this article, I have been using it for years to grab free Christian fiction and nonfiction books.

The best-known way to get free access to Christian books on Amazon is to sign up for a free Kindle Unlimited trial. But there is another way and it allows you to keep the books.
If you are a Prime member, you are sometimes offered a digital credit during checkout if you take the no-rush shipping option. I do this 95% of the time they offer it to me and then spend that credit on deeply discounted Kindle books.

Read 11 more ways to get books for free or cheap over here.

I hope this list gives you enough Christian author book ideas to keep you reading for many summers.

The post 30 Christian Fiction Authors That Need To Be On Your Summer Reading List appeared first on Snail Pace Transformations.

21 Thoughtful And Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Victoria — Sun, 05 May 2024 22:00:09 +0000

This list contains thoughtful, yet affordable Mother’s Day gifts that moms and grandmas will love.

21 Thrifty Ways To Honor Mom This Mother’s Day

(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

1. A Coffee Date

One of my favorite things to do with my daughter several Mother’s Days in a row was to participate in the Starbucks 1/2-price frappuccino sale that always occurred over Mother’s Day weekend. We grab one together, sip, and chat away.

Starbucks hasn’t done this for a while, but even if you get a Venti drink each at full price, you are looking at under $20.

You can make a coffee date even more affordable by earning your Starbucks gift cards using one of these eight places to earn Starbucks gift cards.

2. A Reasons Why I Love You List

I wrote about how a “top 10 reasons why I love you list” impacted my mother over at Money Saving Mom. These lists cost nothing but a bit of time and they mean so much to the receiver.

If you need help, Amazon sells several different fill-in-the-blank books that provide plenty of prompts for expressing your thoughts on paper, including this one titled “Mom I Love You Because: 21 Big (and Little Ways) You Are the Best.

You can find more books like these in my Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Idea list on Amazon.

3. A Bouquet Of Fresh Flowers

If you have a green thumb, you can pick your own; if not, you can buy an inexpensive, great-looking bouquet from Aldi or Trader Joe’s.

If you need a vase, your local thrift store probably has several great ones for just a few dollars.

4. Flowers That Will Last All Summer Long

If your mom loves to garden, you might want to skip the fresh bouquet and opt for perennials or annuals. For several years, every Mother’s Day weekend, my husband and kids would take me to a locally-owned greenhouse and let me pick out annuals for the flower boxes that line our front porch. It was a gift that lasted all summer.

If your mom lives far away, you can still add to her garden by sending her a seed packet in her Mother’s Day card.

5. Pictures

Moms love pictures of their loved ones. Dollar stores sell a variety of simple frames she is sure to love. Pick one and fill it with a photo of her kids or grandkids.

If you want to take this Mother’s Day gift idea further, head to Shutterfly. There, you can personalize just about anything with photos, from a coffee mug to dozens of home decor items like pillows and blankets.

Thrifty tip: Promo codes and cash back offers are almost always available to cut the cost of items on Shutterfly. One great way to find them is to use the Capital One browser tool, which will apply codes and cash back during checkout with just one click.

6. Art Made By Loved Ones

Pinterest has ideas for using little ones’ hands, feet, or fingerprints to make thoughtful gifts for mom or grandma.

But kids are not the only ones who can make crafts for their moms and grandmas; we adults can, too! Homemade items are some of the best cheap Mother’s Day gifts around.

My 20-something daughter made me a portrait of each of my pets using an app on her iPad and had it printed and then put them in dollar store frames. It probably cost her under $10 to make, but I love it more than gifts that others have spent ten times that amount on because it is made by someone I love and features the pets I love.

If grandma’s fridge gets too full of the grandkids’ art, consider purchasing this frame. It displays kids’ art and acts as storage space for older art pieces grandma can’t seem to part with.

7. A New Book

Have you heard of My Reader Rewards Club? If you love Christian fiction or nonfiction, you must join My Reader Rewards Club. They offer free paperback books and Bibles in exchange for simple point-earning actions such as reviewing books at online retailers, signing up for emails and e-devotionals, and filling out short surveys. Trade in your points for a book, devotional, or Bible you know your mom will love (go here to sign up).

For more gift ideas for bookworms, check out this list full of gift ideas for Kindle lovers!

8. Jewelry Made By Loved Ones

I cherish a few necklaces made by my daughter when she was younger. Even full-grown adult children can still make their mom’s necklaces.

Check out my DIY jewelry board on Pinterest for ideas. If you’re low on supplies, you might find some in your jewelry box.

If your mom loves making jewelry, you could purchase all the essentials to make bracelets together.

9. Delicious Treats Made By You

Do you have a mom with a sweet tooth? Try out my peanut butter balls, chocolate truffles, chocolate bark, and simple chocolate fudge recipes. All four recipes use simple ingredients and require just minutes to make.

10. DIY Mother’s Day Card

A hand-made personalized card can be a meaningful and budget-friendly way to show appreciation for your mom.

I shared several great quotes and bible verses to put in your card in this post.

11. Home-Cooked Brunch

Making a special meal at home, such as a delicious brunch, can be a heartfelt way to celebrate Mother’s Day without breaking the bank.

12. Memory Jar

Creating a memory jar filled with notes of cherished moments and memories will be a gift your mom will treasure forever. You can make it using items you already have in your home. You only need a clean jar with a lid, a pen, and paper.

Another idea is to fill out this book with your siblings. Your mom will cherish it forever!

13. Handwritten Letter

Expressing your love and gratitude for your mom through a heartfelt, handwritten letter can be a simple yet deeply meaningful gesture on Mother’s Day.

If you need a little help thinking of what to say, this kit can help.

14. Let Her Sleep

When the kids were little, sleeping in felt like such a luxury; it was the best gift my husband could give me for Mother’s Day and it was FREE.

15. Wash And Detail Her Car

I will tell you a secret: moms don’t love their crumb-filled cars, yet they have no time to do something about it. Not sure how to clean those hard to reach places? Watch a few YouTube videos on DIY Car Detailing and head to Walmart for the supplies.

16 . Do The Chore She Hates The Most

What is the chore your mom always puts off? The dusting? Laundry? Cleaning the bathroom? Surprise her by doing it for her.

17. Plan An Outing

Don’t ask Mom where she wants to eat or where she wants to go. As moms, we make thousands of decisions daily; instead, figure out a budget and plan an outing you know she will love by yourself.

Here is a list of 22 activities perfect for Mother’s Day.

18. Volunteer With Her

If your mom has a charity she is passionate about, take the time to volunteer with her there or raise money for it in her honor.

19. Bring The Spa To Her

Here is an article I wrote that shares ways to create a spa experience for moms at home without spending a fortune.

20. Join Her Doing What She Loves To Do

Moms put others first day after day; on her special day, put her first in doing what she likes to do–even if you don’t enjoy that activity.

If she loves to build puzzles, bring one over and make it with her. This thrifty puzzle lover will let you in on a secret: the Puzzle Bug Deluxe brand of puzzles at Dollar Tree that have the “thicker pieces” written on them are pretty decent. They are usually located in the kid’s toy section and are available in 350-piece and 500-piece versions.

If she loves card games, play cards with her all afternoon. Better yet, surprise her by learning a new card game and showing her how to play. Nowadays, YouTube can teach you just about anything.

Perhaps she loves to garden and bring over some annuals to plant with her or help her prepare her garden beds for this season.

Time is a precious commodity–time spent with those you love is priceless.

21. A New Houseplant

If your mom has six or more thriving plants in her home, chances are she could never have enough; therefore, a new plant is always a great gift.

She will also probably love new pots for her plants, especially self-watering ones like these.

Bonus Idea: Anything Off This List

I made a list of 25 inexpensive Mother’s Day gifts. You can view it on my Amazon storefront page. The best thing about the list is if you can’t be with your mom this Mother’s Day, you can get a gift delivered to her doorstep in as little as two days with Amazon Prime.

The post 21 Thoughtful And Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Ideas appeared first on Snail Pace Transformations.

46 Creative & Affordable Ways To Landscape On A Tight Budget

Victoria — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 10:00:55 +0000

Landscaping can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. With these creative and affordable ideas, you can transform your outdoor space without breaking the bank.

46 Budget-Friendly Ways Thrifty People Landscape

(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

1. Start With A Flexible Plan

You need to know where you want flowers, shrubs, and grass. Do you want garden paths? If so, where? Will you use raised planters or edging to define your garden space? Do you want a patio space? How big? What do you feel comfortable DIY-ing and what do you want to leave to the professionals?

Do you want to add a water feature as a focal point? Are you planning to add a hot tub? Or a kiddie pool?

How about lighting? Do you want string lights? How about solar lights?

The key to thrifty planning is being flexible. For example, you might plan a concrete patio, but find inexpensive pavers on Facebook Marketplace that will cost way less. This allows you to afford pots full of succulents to place around the patio to add a more homey feel.

Flexibility is vital to stretching your landscaping dollars.

2. Know Your Zone

If you plant your plants at the wrong time or those made for arid environments when you live in a humid one, your plants are less likely to survive. To figure this out, you need to know the planting zone number for where you live. It is easy to find with a quick online search or by asking your gardening friends.

3. Ask Your Gardening Friends For Advice

Not only will your gardening friends know the planting zone you are in, but they will also know which plants thrive in the shade or full sun.

If you take them to the plant nursery, they will also help you avoid buying plants that won’t grow well in your area and show you which ones will.

They are also usually more than eager to share plants when they divide them.

4. DIY All You Can

Many people are intimidated by DIY landscaping projects. However, if you don’t get them right the first time, most outside projects are easier and less expensive to redo. Backyard projects are a great place to gain experience, unlike front yard landscaping projects: not as many eyeballs see them.

5. If You Don’t Know How–Learn How For Free

If you don’t know how to do something, consult the internet for help. YouTube is a great place to start.

6. Use Family & Friend Labor

My husband did most of the work on our yard with help from our children, a few friends, and his dad.

7. Borrow What You Can

If you need a tool for a project and know you won’t use it again–ask a friend, neighbor, or family member if they have one you could borrow. Copy and paste a text asking if they have that tool over and over instead of creating a mass text that no one wants to be a part of.

You can also try doing a Facebook shout-out. Ask friends via a status update or story update if they have one you can borrow. When I do this, I start the ask with WANTED: bold text grabs people’s attention.

8. See If You Can Rent What You Can’t Borrow

If you can’t borrow the item, see if renting it is cost-effective. Usually, this only works for larger power tools (like a jackhammer) to break up an old concrete pad.

9. Use What You Have

When we first landscaped our yard, we worked around thriving plants the previous owner had planted. We used a birdbath from a previous home. My husband used leftover fence panels to skirt the bottom of our shed.

What you have is free! And it turns clutter into something beautiful.

10. Search Online For Free Items

There isn’t a more cost-effective way to landscape than using items that cost nothing. After you have reused and repurposed, you can turn to the internet for more free items. Try Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, your local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook, and the Freecycle website.

11. Use Your Connections

Do you know a farmer? Ask him if his field has any small boulders you can haul away for free and use in a low-maintenance rock garden.

12. Do A Social Media Shout Out

When you see people prepping their flower gardens, it is time to get on Facebook and create a status update that says, “I need a few plants for my garden; anyone got any they are getting rid of?” When I have done this it has gotten one or two offers of free plants as long as I come over when they are overhauling their flower beds to pick them up.

13. Scroll Your Feed

I was on Facebook one day and saw that a friend had a load of mulch available for 50% off; all we had to do was pick it up. I messaged her right away and the mulch was ours. Now it provides a bit of variety from the rock placed around all the other areas of the yard.

14. Text Your Green Thumb Friends

Even if your green thumb friends are on Facebook and you have done a shout-out for free plants, still take the time to text them personally–chances are many of them didn’t see your status update.

15. Drive Around

My husband noticed a local crew demolishing an old brick building near us. He asked a worker what was happening to the bricks. When he heard they were getting carted away to the landfill, my husband asked if it was okay if he took some. The worker checked with his foreman and reported to my husband that it was fine. We got enough brick to outline several flower beds.

16. Make Rocks Your Friends

We used more pea gravel than mulch in our backyard landscaping for two reasons; one: it is much cheaper and two: the neighborhood cats don’t like it, whereas they love pooping in mulched areas. It kills two birds with one stone (ha! pardon the pun).

17. Get Creative With Upcycling

Things like old tires and wooden pallets can be turned into beautiful additions to your yard with creativity.

18. Turn To Pinterest For Help

If you can’t picture that old wheelbarrow as a giant flower pot that fits into your cottage garden design, turn to Pinterest and search “DIY wheelbarrow to planter.”

19. Walk Around The Neighborhood

A walk around the neighborhood is a great way to find low-cost landscaping ideas and discover what plants thrive in your area. When you see a plant doing exceptionally well, if the homeowner is around, ask them what the name is. It is a great conversation starter for making friends in your area. If no one is around, snap a picture and use Google Lens to find out what it is.

20. Start From Seed

Flower seeds (this one has 36 varieties of flowers) are way cheaper than seedlings. Grass seeds are cheaper than turf.

21. Make Reusing Bulbs Easy

If you live in a cold climate where bulbs die over winter, plant them in planters and bring them into a garage or basement in fall. There is a bit more to this method so research it before trying.

22. Consider Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping is an excellent low-maintenance, low-cost upkeep idea, especially for those who live in dry climates.

23. Use Self-Seeding Plants

Self-seeding plants are great at taking over large areas. A few types are Zinnias, Poppies, and Bachelor Buttons.

24. Consider Compositing

Installing a compost bin in your yard will save you money on fertilizer to replace nutrients lost in soil over time. Not only can you add certain food scraps, but you can also add grass clippings and leaves to your compost.

25. Plant Easy To Grow Perennials

Perennials save money since, unlike annuals, they grow for years.

26. Add a Rain Barrel

This simple DIY project will help you save money on watering costs. If you’d rather buy one, here is one with good reviews.

27. Request Plants Or Outdoor Decor As Gifts

Avoid more clutter in the house by asking for plants and outdoor decor gifts like fire pits and fountains as gifts.

28. Plant Native Species

Native plants make excellent choices as hardy perennials that will return year after year. Research according to your zone.

29. Plant Perennials That Are Easy To Propagate

Once again, make sure these plants grow well in your zone, but here are a few examples of perennials that are easy to propagate: lavender, cone flowers, and daylilies.

30. Shop Local Plant Sales

Not only are local plant sales great places to pick up plants for cheap, but the people selling are usually master gardeners full of cheap landscaping ideas that work.

31. Shop Farmers Markets

Spring farmers markets often have sellers of perennial and annual plants. You also may find a local carpenter selling that raised garden bed you wanted for your veggies. Their prices might not be the cheapest, but chances are their products are higher quality than cheaper mass-produced ones, making it cheaper over time.

32. Shop Yard Sales

People often sell leftover DIY landscaping project materials at their yard sales. I have seen rolls of landscape fabric, pavers for walkways, and much more.

Our rose trellis cost $2 at a yard sale and the lawn edging around one of the flower beds was also purchased at a yard sale. When they were little, several parts of my children’s play sets were found at yard sales.

33. Shop Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are great places to find lawn art pieces, outdoor furniture, and whimsical moisture-proof signs to add to your fence.

34. Shop Facebook Marketplace

If it wasn’t for a Facebook Marketplace find of a lifetime, our backyard deck would be a quarter of the size it is now. My husband is a chronic Marketplace scroller and it paid off big time when he found someone selling decking lumber for a fraction of what it costs new.

The homeowner had not gotten permits for his deck project and the city council found out. After months of paperwork, the city did not approve his deck plans so he listed the supplies on Facebook Marketplace. This leads me to share an essential bonus tip: always get permits for hardscaping, such as decks.

35. Shop End Of Season Sales

I can think of only one plant in our yard that was bought at full price. The rest were bought in late September at 50 to 75 percent off. As long as they have a week or two in the soil frost-free, they survive through the winter and flourish the following spring.

This tip isn’t the only way we have kept the cost of filling our flower beds down –read nine more ways here.

36. Buy In Bulk

My husband figured out it would be cheaper to buy our fencing by the plank than to buy pre-made panels. He also discovered that he would save even more if he bought a certain number of planks. He used the extra planks to make the roofing and walls for our children’s childhood playhouse.

37. Check Dollar Stores

Our Dollar Tree sells solar lanterns that work great. They also sell gardening gloves that are handy for pulling thorny weeds.

38. Check Discount Warehouse Type Stores

Our town has a store that sells mainly overstock items from big box stores for deeply discounted prices. It is where I have purchased numerous planters. I have also seen them stock gardening tools and outdoor furniture.

39. Check Membership Stores

We have a membership to Sam’s Club, and every spring, they stock gardening items and outdoor furniture items. Their prices are lower than those of many other big box stores.

40. Earn Gift Cards Doing Things You Already Do

Swagbucks is a point rewards program that will give you points for shopping online, searching online, submitting grocery receipts, and more. You can then cash in those points for a PayPal deposit or gift cards to places that sell gardening items like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and The Home Depot

Go here to sign up for Swagbucks and start earning.

Are you already a member of Swagbucks? Here is a list of similar programs that can help you earn even more gift cards.

41. Buy Gift Cards At A Discount

MyGiftCardsPlus offers discounted gift cards with a twist; instead of seeing the savings in cash, you see it in points deposited into your Swagbucks account. Yet one more reason to join Swagbucks.

42. Download This Browser Extensions For Cash Back

Rakuten has a simple-to-use cash back browser tool that can save you money. For example, you are looking at the perfect hanging vertical garden planter on your laptop at an online store to make your idea for a living fence come to life.

To see if Rakuten could save you money in the form of a cash back on the site, click the R icon at the top of your browser and if Rakuten offers one, it will automatically start the process of applying it.

Psst…Swagbucks also offers this, which is another reason why I love Swagbucks.

43. Look For Discount Codes

One more way to save on online purchases is to use discount codes. A discount code differs from a cash back in that you save money immediately. Swagbucks offers these, too,

44. Encourage Yard-Friendly Wildlife

By considering DIY landscaping ideas that encourage birds, bees, butterflies, squirrels, insects, and other garden-friendly critters to your garden, you create an oasis for them and you. There is something peaceful and rewarding about watching a butterfly fly from bloom to bloom or seeing a new bird species in your bird feeder.

Tranquility leads to contentment, and contentment always results in spending less money.

45. Keep Things Simple

Too much of a good thing can ruin curb appeal. Leave room for people’s eyes to rest.

46. Do It In Stages

Your yard doesn’t have to and won’t become something seen on a flyer for a landscape designer within a week or even one growing season.

Whenever I read articles about fantastic gardens, I am always surprised at how long the homeowners have worked to make them look great–it takes years!

I am always looking for more tips on being thrifty in our landscaping. Do you have any to share?

The post 46 Creative & Affordable Ways To Landscape On A Tight Budget appeared first on Snail Pace Transformations.