It’s hard to ignore the increased availability of organic food on the grocery shelves these days. Just walk into your local produce store to see that foods boasting the “organic” label are quickly taking over the shelves with bright marketing campaigns, pretty green logos, and fat price margins. So it’s fair to wonder if you get what you pay for considering the added premium for pesticide-free and organically grown foods. The answer isn’t simple. Sorry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that even after you vigorously wash certain fruits and vegetables, they still contain much higher levels of pesticide residue than others because they absorb and retain these chemicals. I’d love to know if using special produce cleansing soaps helps to remove these chemicals, but I’m no scientist and I doubt that an environmentally-friendly organic liquid soap can remove all pesticide residue.

So in some cases, if you’ve got some extra dollars in your pocket, it could make sense to opt for certain organic foods because their conventionally grown counterparts tend to be laden with pesticides, even after washing. Here are 12 fruits or vegetables worth buying to decrease your exposure to pesticides:

12 Organic Foods Worth Buying

• Apples
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries

If you’re looking to save on your grocery bill, then consider passing on the organic versions of these 12 fruits and vegetables since they tend not to absorb or retain as many pesticide residues as other produce.

12 Organic Foods Not Worth Buying

• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Kiwi
• Mangoes
• Onions
• Papaya
• Peas
• Pineapples

Knowing when to splurge on organic food and when to save on conventionally grown produce is an excellent (and simple) shopping tactic for staying on budget at the grocery store (shopping with the Printable Grocery Shopping List helps too!) Generally, in some cases, paying double for certain organic foods may be worth the added cost if you’re looking to limit your exposure to pesticides. In my case I always try my best to buy what’s local, in season, and pesticide-free.

Are you an organic food shopper?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

The idea was to pick the TWO best money saving tips and award the top tipsters with a book, signed if they wished. My problem was that I couldn’t pick a winner since the best tips tend to depend on the person and situation. So to deal with the dilemma I enlisted Carl to pick his favorite 15 entries and then I picked two winners randomly. Soooooo … drum roll please! The book winners are:

• Michelle (Sassycat) Shared several gardening tips!
• Derek Shared his retirement tips!

Congratulations guys! I’ll contact you both via email!

Win My Book at Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s Blog

If you’re totally choked about not saving $10 by winning my book for free, then hop on over to Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s Blog for another shot at book giveaway glory. If you watch money-themed TV shows, you may know Gail as the superstar host of Til Debt Do Us Part. In the show Gail gives a debt-ridden couple a shovel, some jars, and many challenges to help dig themselves out of debt. I love the show. I love Gail. OK, I really love Gail and her show. But all warm fuzzies aside, here’s how to win my book from her:

Gail Vaz-Oxlade says,

While I was at Harper Collins, I picked up four copies of Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways to Save Money and am offering them in a random draw to four people who send me their Success Stories by Friday July 2nd at midnight. Squawkfox also happens to be one of the bloggers in the Globe and Mail’s blogger event, so it all dove-tails quite nicely, dontcha think?

Since you only have until tonight, get on over there and enter!

Globe and Mail Money Blog Poll: Vote for Squawkfox!

You guys are all sorts of awesome. I sincerely want to thank everyone who took a minute to click me a vote over at the Globe and Mail Best of the Money Blogs Poll. I’m currently in third place just a few votes away from second. The votes will be tallied on Monday and your vote may just decide the bronze and silver medals! Yay!

So if you’ve got a second to spare and haven’t voted yet, I’d love your click. Go here and vote away! Thank You Thank You THANK YOU!

Now, back to blogging about bucks!
Kerry

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

I would love to thank Chaya Cooperberg, the Globe and Mail’s Home Cents blogger, for nominating Squawkfox as one of her top picks. Thank you Chaya!

This year there are many blogs nominated and the choices span across the American and Canadian border. So if you love money blogs and you want to give a blogger a thrill, then please do check it out and vote for your favourites (or favorites if you’re American! )

How To Vote!

If you enjoy reading my frugalicious Squawks and have got a click to spare, I would very much appreciate your vote. Here’s how!

1. Click Vote for Squawkfox.
2. Go to the bottom of the page and select your favorites.
3. Click Vote Now.

Thank you! Love you! Owe you!
Kerry

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

Finding deep discounts when online shopping or uncovering savings on in-store purchases is easy. The secret is to go online before going shopping and search out the savings with online coupons and promotional codes. Try any of these 8 stealth shopping tactics to uncover some big savings. Just don’t give yourself carpal tunnel syndrome with all your clever clicking.

1. Google for Online Coupons and Promotional Codes

Launching an online coupon search with Google is a surefire way to uncover promotional codes on everything from groceries to a weekend getaway. It only takes a few minutes to Google It and see if there are savings in store.

Here’s how to Google It:

1. Open a web brower and launch Google.
2. Enter the desired retailer’s name and then “coupon code”.
3. View several results to see if the online coupons or promotional codes are valid.
4. Download your printable coupons or try your coupon codes in your online shopping cart.

You may have to try several coupon codes before finding one that works — but you’ll get lucky eventually, so be patient.

2. Sign Up for Email Alerts

Surf on over to your favorite product sites and sign up for preferred customer email alerts, Web Flyers, or Special Web Offers. By getting on a preferred customer email list you’ll get sent weekly (or monthy) coupons, deals, and discounts good for in-store or online shopping not offered in the store.

I’ve found discounts as high as 60% on clothing from Banana Republic, cosmetics from various drug stores, sports gear from Sierra Trading Post, groceries from Superstore, and on electronics by using Circuit City discount coupon codes. I often get emailed last minute flight deals from major American and Canadian airlines which saves me hundreds on flights home and on weekend getaways. Many companies like Procter and Gamble run promotions that offer email subscribers coupons worth hundreds of dollars, saving you money on everything from soap to Pampers.

Before signing up to a bunch of company email alert lists though, consider setting up an alternative email address to deal with the onslaught of advertisements. No one wants their main email account bombarded with special offers daily.

3. Visit Coupon Websites

Point your web browser to a savvy shopping coupon forum or a website that posts discounts and deals save anywhere from 10% to 70% off regular retail prices. I’ve even found free international shipping coupons by just visiting the right couponing website at the right time.

Sites like RetailMeNot.com and RedFlagDeals.com boast strong communities who post coupons and codes regularly to save you big bucks on purchases in many categories, including: travel, electronics, financial services, entertainment, apparel, automotive, home wares, and even school supplies. These sites are amazing places to find both in-store deals and online shopping discounts.

4. Search Online Sales Flyers

Some stores call them “Sales Circulars” while others call them “Store Flyers”, but whatever they’re called in your area, searching your grocery store’s online weekly specials listed in a flyer is a good way to save some dough on bread, biscuits, and baby food. Just vist your preferred grocery store online to preview all weekly sales, online coupons, and special offers to cash in on the savings before cashing out at the till. If you’re Canadian, checking out the Real Canadian Superstore Flyer weekly can save you on everything from gasoline to camping gear. I’ve saved hundreds just by planning ahead and seeking out the door crashing deals.

Many big box and speciality stores like Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Lowes, Macy’s, Kmart, Kohls, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire also advertise their weekly flyers online. Check out the store’s website and find a link that says something like, “local sale flyer” and enter your Zip or Postal Code to find deals targeting your area. You may just find secret printable coupons avilable only to those searching the flyers online.

5. Surf Store and Mall Websites

If you’re planning to visit a particluar store or mall then why not visit their website first - they may just have a few printable coupons available to entice you to visit their stores. I’ve found special offers for clothing online at H&M’s website and figured it was worth the $35 Dollar Off Coupon to shop in their store. Many of the big brand name clothing, footwear, and electronics stores post deals and coupons online to get you off the internet and into their stores. If you’re in the market for a particular item, then finding some savings online first is a sweet deal.

6. Skip Shipping Costs!

If you’ve ever gone online shopping and been dinged with shipping charges, then you know the costs of delivery can eat into your deal. Rather then pay for parcel delivery, always look for a free shipping option when buying from an online store. Getting your items shipped for free could save you tens of dollars or a percentage off the total price on your order — so it pays to shop for shipping deals. Many online retailers offer free shipping when you buy up to a specified dollar amount in merchandise. If you aren’t offered free shipping before checkout, then look for promotional codes through retailmenot.com and redflagdeals.com to cut on costs.

Another creative method for saving on shipping is to order online from a store that also has a brick-and-mortar storefront and opt for in-store pickup for free. Not only will you qualify for web-only discounts not offered in the store but you can get your merchandise much faster but picking it up in person.

7. Dial Into Savings with Your Cell Phone

A sneaky way to grab an online deal while shopping in a store is to search for a coupon using your cell phone web browser. A friend of mine used this method to save $50 off the price of a DVD player by visiting the store in-person to check out the merchandise and then ordered this player using his cell phone with coupon. While online he selected the option to pick up his purchase in person and waited only a few minutes to pick up his package. Not a bad return on only 10 minutes of cell phone air time.

8. Subscribe to Retailers via Twitter

Update: A big thank you to “JMT” who counted up my points and noted I missed one. So to be fair and give you as much bang for your coupon saving buck, I’ll add an excellent Twitter tip from the comments!

Blogger and brilliant commenter Riscario Insider says,

I read that subscribing to retailers via Twitter can yield savings too, similar to email alerts. How do you deal with the noise in your Twitterstream? Maybe a separate Twitter account is the elegant answer.

Now there’s an eighth way to get stealth and find those wicked coupons.

Over the years I’ve used all of these stealth shopping tactics to uncover big online coupons and savings. Got any other methods that have saved you some cash?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

Growing up in an urban city environment I never bothered with conventional vegetable gardening since space was at a premium and land almost nonexistent. But planting several small raised garden beds is a possibility for many families with a modest plot. Raised beds just don’t take up a lot of space.

Now that I live on a sizable family farm with acres of viable gardening space, I’m still drawn to cultivating a small square foot garden. The reasons are simple - it’s far easier to manage and care for squares of soil than acres of wide open space.

10 Reasons to Love Raised Garden Beds

If you’re wondering if growing a modest square foot garden is for you, here’s some food for thought. Chew on this!

1. No heavy digging. Raised garden beds don’t require you to dig deep into the ground. An advantage if you’re not into, well, digging.

2. Soil quality is irrelevant. If you don’t have fabulous fertile soil then worry not. Just use compost or buy a few bags of soil to fill your raised beds. Perfect soil every time. You can also customize the soil in each box for different plant types.

3. Uses less water. Because the garden is contained you end up using far less water compared to conventional gardening. You also save on your water bill since a contained garden prevents soil from getting spread out and compacted.

4. Easier to care for and protect. Raised garden beds can be placed close to your home and thus under your watchful eye and easier to care for. This depends though, if you have deer grazing in your area then protecting your bounty is still a bit of a job.

5. Easier to manage. It’s easier to reach for and sit beside a raised garden bed than a conventional in-ground garden. Raised beds grow closer to our sitting height and don’t require lots of bending over to get down and dirty. Reaching to weed, water, or harvest is unnecessary since the box frames are not wider than 4 feet.

6. Less weeding? Some square foot gardeners claim there are less weeds with raised beds. I’ve found this claim to be valid since weeds can’t grow inwards from outside the box frame. Also, because the soil is raised and lighter (not compacted), it’s easier and quicker to weed out the unwanted. Lastly, because plants are closer together in square foot beds they can easily crowd out the weeds.

7. Less likely to rot or succumb to bugs. Raised beds are elevated so excess water can easily drain away from the plant and prevent rotting. Bugs, slugs, and critters will have a harder time munching on your veggies too since the garden is raised on higher ground.

8. Supports and trellisis made easy. It’s easy to attach vine supports or a trellis to a raised bed box. Your tomatoes, peas, beans, and other taller plants will love you.

9. Go for Organic Gardening. If you’re into knowing the full history of your food and desire organic produce, then growing your own vegetable garden is a sure fire way to get into organic gardening.

10. Frugal fun! Teaching your kids to cultivate food or just growing the garden for yourself is inexpensive fun. Besides, there are not many hobbies that allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor when the season is over. Freezing the extras for winter meals can cut grocery expenses and taste yummy in the colder months too.

How to Build a Raised Garden Bed

Raised gardens have been around for decades and building a framed garden box doesn’t require any carpentry prowess. But the world seemed to go crazy for perfect cubes, squares, and boxes when a guy named Mel Bartholomew wrote the book, Square Foot Gardening. Seriously, people. To build a raised bed you don’t need to be a perfect square. Raised garden beds can be misshapen rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, or whatever. I don’t think the plants care.

There are lots of square foot gardening resources available for free online, including: building plans, garden designs, and forums. These sites can help you get gardening with raised beds sooner.

Carl and I got our garden groove on fast by using existing materials and tools we had kicking around the house, for free. Here’s a no-nonsense getting started list:

Square Foot Garden Materials:

• Tools: hammer, saw, rake, trowel
• Frame Box: nails, lumber
• Garden: soils, seeds, plants

The Building Process:

1. Sourcing Lumber.
The lumber we used was just a mix of scrap 2×4s and a few 2×10s we had sitting around. We also sourced some odd pieces given to us as waste from a local sawmill. Calling your local hardware store and asking for flawed or odd pieces may get you a decent discount. You don’t need the prettiest lumber pieces to build a garden frame.

2. Putting it Together.
To build the frame, Carl picked boards that fit well together (not all were straight or square) and nailed them into an 8 foot by 3 foot rectangular frame about 16 inches high. To be completely honest, he winged it given the materials we had on-hand and improvised to save money on lumber.

Given our materials, an 8 foot by 3 foot rectangular frame was the ideal size before the construction became unwieldy. Any wider than 3 feet, and it gets harder to reach the middle of the beds when gardening. Any lower than 16 inches and you need to stoop down to weed. So we made due with what we had. You can too.

We also build a few smaller boxes ideal for an herb garden. I don’t know which is cuter, Carl or the squares.

3. Location. Location. Location.
Find a sunny location close to your house to situate your raised garden box frames. The ideal location would provide 6-8 hours of sunshine daily, be clear from trees or where shade may interfere, and not be located where puddles or heavy rain could harm the plants. We spent a few sunny days deciding where to place our bigger garden beds to maximize growing hours. Planning ahead to see where the sun shines strongest could prevent a meltdown.

We placed our herb boxes closer to the house to shelter our parsley, chives, lemon balm, and chamomile from too many hours of direct sunlight.

4. Fill Boxes with Soil.
Carl got fancy and filled the tractor loader with soil, compost, and well-seasoned horse manure.

You don’t need a tractor to do this deed though. We just happen to have this equipment available on the farm, so Carl got geared up and played farmer boy.

With your own packaged soil or compost mix, fill each box to the brim and use a rake to smooth over the surface. We had to do some minor weeding and rock cleanup after the soil settled.

5. Make a Grid, Or Not?
Many square foot gardeners swear against rows, preferring to make perfect grids on top of each box. The thought is that grids increase crop yields and decrease weeding work.

Farmer Carl is more of a row kind of guy though, and thinks squares are nonsense. He’s got some reasons, below.

Reasons to Plant in Rows:

• Some plants require more than a square foot to grow and risk crowding in a smaller space, like larger tomato plants.

• Other plants don’t need a full square foot to grow, but putting two of them in a square foot would crowd them too much. Either you waste space, or you end up having to break out of the square foot box.

• Some plants grow better in rows. For example, a nice long row of radishes is easy to till from the sides to keep the weeds down, while giving the plants air to breathe from the sides.

• Squares and grids force you to be boring and regimental. Think outside the box! A nice ‘U’ shape of tomatoes growing with basil plants interspersed? Why not!

So needless to say we planted our radishes, strawberries, and tomatoes in rows. We only used squares for our herbs. I’m all for breaking the rules too.

6. Get Planting!
We went a little seed crazy and planted more than 2-3 seeds per hole. We were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and wanted to save our skins. So we planted quickly. (I can hear the uber frugalists screaming in horror) Sorry. It’s done. These are yellow zucchini.

Covering the seeds with organic soil rich in nutrients.

Our harvest this year should include Early Girl tomatoes, Brandywine and Black Krim heirloom tomatoes, broccoli, chard, kale, zucchini (green and yellow), peas, beans, radishes, strawberries, and a handful of savory herbs and tea flowers.

Some Early Gardening Results

So far so good. We’ve managed to keep the deer away from our kale and chard by placing plastic salad containers over the tastiest plants. These salad containers serve well as protection and have a green house effect, helping the vegetables grow faster.

The rows of tomatoes, radishes, and strawberries are doing very well.

We even have a little strawberry ready for picking. Carl is hoping to harvest the radishes this weekend or sooner.

The chamomile and lemon balm plants are growing slowly. The savory herbs are growing well though.

I can’t wait to see our final results and see if we’ve saved any money by freezing the extras.

Got any square foot or vegetable gardening tips to share? How’s your garden growing?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

There’s a catch though, you have to earn it. To win one of two giveaway copies here’s what you’ve gotta do:

Share your best money saving tip by commenting on this post. Feel free to get creative or be serious. The point is to comment and share YOUR BEST idea - so don’t tell me to cut off the end of a toothpaste tube to save a fraction of a cent, cause that’s weak. The best two tips win the books. My decision is final.

Some Squawky Rules:

1. Only one entry per person.
2. Use a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Your email address stays private, promise.
3. Comments must be left before Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at noon (Pacific Time).

I’m also happy to say that my book is back in stock after hitting the Amazon Top 100 earlier this month. So if you emailed, tweeted, or commented about my book being sold out then now is your chance to get a copy. A huge thank you to Kate, my editor, for rushing in a reprint for both Amazon and Chapters. You can still download a Free Excerpt if you’re into PDFs of books.

Face me on Facebook!

I’ve had a few readers ask me to share my experiences with living on an organic farm and to share some personal stuff about me. Since this blog is more about living on a budget, I decided to start a Facebook page to share other details not entirely related to frugality. Facebook is also a great way to connect with people, share photographs, and comment on life in general.

• Join Squawkfox on Facebook

Hope you like red bras and grapefruit. Smile.

Follow me on Twitter

I’ve been a regular twit on Twitter for over a year now. If you’re into Tweeting with a group of Tweeples, then go ahead and …

• Follow me on Twitter!

I really love Twitter. It’s a fun way to connect with others in 140 characters or less. So go ahead, I dare you to Tweet me.

Book Reviews!

Over the last while several bloggers and a few reporters have reviewed my book. Check out their frugal thoughts and favorite money saving tips. A big thank you to all who have taken the time to read 397 Ways To Save Money and shared your thoughts.

• 397 Ways To Save Money and Priceless lessons from Dad | Kevin Press, Today’s Economy Blog

• 397 Ways to Rock Awesome! | Through The Illusion

• 397 Ways To Save Money | Where Does All My Money Go

• 397 Ways To Save Money | Thicken My Wallet

• Book Review: 397 Ways To Save Money | Canadian Dream

• Book Review: 397 Ways To Save Money | Million Dollar Journey

• 397 Ways To Save Money | Four Pillars

Now don’t forget to share your best money saving tip by commenting on this post.

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

Packing for a trip can be a pain, especially when you’re on the plane in a panic because you’ve forgotten something important. And leaving behind an essential item like your visa or passport can cost you. So to help you get away with more fun and less pain, I’ve put together the Free Printable Travel Checklist and Packing List. It’s a three-page pre-travel checklist and packing list all rolled into one.

The Printable Travel Checklist and Packing List will help to:

• Create a pre-travel checklist.
• Prepare your home for short and longer vacations.
• Deal with vaccinations and health issues before travel.
• Get the travel documents you need for your destination.
• Create a packing list for yourself and your kids.
• Prevent forgetting stuff while away on holiday.
• Not get caught without your underwear.

Now, packing clothes so they don’t wrinkle is something I’m leaving up to you.

Did I forget to pack something important? What’s on your travel checklist or packing list?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

It seemed unfair to give only one parental unit a nickname, so my sister in her infinite wisdom to be fair and just, coined the name “Dard” for parental parity. To this day my father answers to “Dard” and my mother to “Marm”. Yes, my whole family is a little bit bent. Yours probably is too.

This has been an especially trying year for my Dard. A few months ago he nearly succumbed to meningitis, a severe and usually life-threatening illness caused by severe inflammation around the brain and spinal cord. Dard spent many days lying unconscious in a Toronto-area hospital while medical staff and my family watched close by. It was a precarious time, but Dard managed to beat meningitis. I don’t know how he did it, but he did.

Since this could have been my first Father’s Day without Dard, I am especially grateful this story has a happy ending. Over the decades (yikes, I’m getting old) I’ve celebrated Father’s Day with various gifts, long distance phone calls, and stuff. But in light of my own family scare, I think the most valuable gift you can give your father is time.

Time is a special resource one cannot buy back. I don’t care how rich you are. Time is here today. Time is right now. So this Father’s Day why not pass on pricey presents and find a way to spend some time with your dad.

I’ve put together a list of 6 thoughtful gift ideas you can share with your dad this Father’s Day. In crafting this list I’ve tried to think about kids of varying ages, because a 35-year-old adult is probably in a different space than a 3-year-old kiddo (I hope).

This Father’s Day perhaps think of going for personal over pricey and aim for style over looks. It doesn’t cost a thing to be thoughtful.

1. Father’s Day Tickets

This is a fun and frugal Father’s Day gift idea for a younger person or for a young adult. I call these printable Father’s Day Tickets and they are a fun free pass for thoughtful ways to spend time with (or helping) your dad. Just download and print using a color printer and place in a card. There are two blank tickets for you to get creative with your own thoughtful ideas.

2. Frugalicious Father’s Day Breakfast

Who doesn’t love to wake up to a delicious and healthy breakfast in bed? Duh! Start Father’s Day right with a frugalicious breakfast and then fill the day with lots of fun activities. Here are some breaky ideas to get your brain cells thinking!

• 5 Frugal Father’s Day Breakfasts

3. Music To His Ears

Got some favorite Father’s Day Songs for an iPod playlist? Go ahead and make some music fit for Dad’s ears by compiling a musical composition and burning it to CD. Get crafty and make some CD cover art for the occasion. This gift idea is great for teens with much music on the brain. Perhaps go down memory lane and find some “oldies” from Dad’s generation. Just don’t blame me if he starts groovin’ to the tunes.

• Squawkfox’s Sample Playlist

4. Feature a Father’s Day Photo or Poem

Looking for some Father’s Day crafts to celebrate Dad’s day? How about finding an awesome photo of Dad and then placing it in a frame of your own design? Getting crafty and making a custom frame with a theme to match the photo is an awesome and thoughtful gift for dads to cherish. Or perhaps you’re more a wordsmith and have a way with wordage? Writing a single or a series of Father’s Day poems may be the gift he keeps forever.

5. Dads Love Dessert

Who doesn’t like dessert? Try dishing some yummy dessert after a special Father’s Day dinner. Decorate an ice cream sundae, make some healthy granola bars, or roll up some chocolate truffles. Baking a cake and decorating it special for Dad is a yummy way to celebrate too.

• Some Chocolate Dessert Recipes
• Homemade Apple Pie It’s way different!

6. Phone Home

E.T. used to do it. You don’t need to be an Extra-Terrestrial to pick up the ringer and “phone home”. Dialing a few digits may be the best solution when distance prevents a face-to-face Father’s Day celebration. So be like E.T. and phone home.

I have to be honest, I’ve never been one to send gushing cards, buy lavish gifts, or get all mushy over birthdays or holidays. I’m just not built that way. But I am, and always will be, eternally grateful to my Dard for spending time with me as a kid playing soccer, going tobogganing, or teaching me to trumpet. So since I am far away from home I dedicate this post to My Dard.

HAPPY FATHER’s DAY DARD! LOVE YOU! Kerry

Got a favorite Father’s Day memory? Any unique gift ideas to share?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

After moving to an organic farm with several hundred acres of alfalfa and grass fields I’ve learned a few frugal tricks for cutting lawn care costs - and any plot or yard size can benefit.

So to make the grass greener on your side of the fence try these lawn care tips and grow some savings. You might just have fun watching the grass grow.

1. Stop over watering your lawn!

An established lawn requires only 1 inch of water each week, whereas many people water double this amount. Grass is a neat little plant with roots that grow deep. The less you water your lawn the deeper the grass roots grow - costing you less in water use. On the farm we stopped irrigating our fields a few years ago and have yielded awesome hay since encouraging the grasses to grow deeper in search of water.

To measure your water usage, buy a plastic watering gauge at your hardware store for about $5. Place the gauge in the lawn and turn off the sprinklers when you have reached the target amount. Or, place a small bucket or ice cream pail under the sprinkler to catch the water and measure for free. You could save hundreds this summer by not sprinkling your cash over the greens.

2. Water early in the morning

The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning when it’s cool out and before any winds kick up and carry your water away. By watering in the mornings instead of in the hot afternoons, you can reduce your water use because heat and evaporation are not diminishing your watering attempts.

3. Grow a taller lawn

Growing your lawn to heights between 2 and 3 inches can save you up to 50 percent of the water consumed by a shorter 1 to-2 inch lawn. Keeping grass cut short causes the roots to grow shallow, which exposes them to drier soil at the surface, so the grass then requires more frequent watering.

A taller lawn also helps to crowd out weeds, saving you additional dollars on weed-busting maintenance costs. When it comes to farming tall grasses I used to wonder how much does a bale of hay weigh? The answer is, it depends. The first bale of hay is light. The next 100 bales are a bit$h. So maintaining a taller lawn on an urban plot should be a breeze.

4. Convert part of your lawn to a vegetable garden

Adding green space around your home in the form of a lawn is attractive, but it’s also expensive when you consider the costs of growing grass over the savings gained from having your own vegetable garden. By converting a portion of your greenery to a small vegetable garden, you get more bang for your soil buck and can save money on your food budget.

Besides, growing some salad tastes a whole lot better than eating grass.

5. Use vinegar and dish soap to kill weeds

Herbicides can eat holes in your pocketbook while being hard on the environment. Skip expensive chemicals and cultivate your own weed-killing solution by mixing vinegar with a bit of food-safe dish soap. Just fill an old spray bottle and apply directly onto your weeds.

This frugal and environmentally safe mixture kills most weeds and can be safely used anywhere near pets and children. I opted to pass on herbicides years ago after adopting Pivo and observing that she’s one of those dogs who eats a lot of grass. (Yes, I think it is normal for a dog to eat grass. And no, eating grass is not bad for dogs as long as the lawn is pesticide and herbicide free. I just think of my lawn as “dog salad”.)

Anydoggyinthegrass, I’ve used this trick for a few seasons with excellent results. For tougher weeds that don’t respond to vinegar and dish soap, a bit of digging is free and guaranteed to work.

6. Make your own fertilizer with compost

Skip spending good dollars on expensive synthetic and petroleum-based fertilizer each year by starting a compost. A properly maintained compost can break down waste from both your kitchen scraps and garden trimmings. The compost from a single household can replace about $20 worth of synthetic fertilizer each year and will help keep chemicals off your lawn and out of your vegetable garden.

7. Sow grass seed and skip sod

If you need an instant lawn it will cost you. Laying weed-free and pretty sod runs 30 to 40 times more than planting grass seed. So if you’ve got the time, opting for sowing grass seed will save you hundreds. The best time to plant is after the last frost in spring or late in the fall. Seeds will lay dormant over the winter, then be the first plants to sprout in the spring. Seeding grass is dirt cheap and easy - just sprinkle your grass seed onto your soil and rake it in so it’s just under the surface.

8. Use a manual push lawn mower

Save yourself lots of green by cutting your lawn with a manual push lawn mower instead of a gas-powered unit. Manual push lawn mowers slice the grass using the energy you provide and cost anywhere from $100 to $150 with virtually zero maintenance costs.

On the other hand, gas-powered lawn mowers (especially riding lawn mowers) are expensive to buy, cost big dollars to fuel, and may require a mechanic to service any breakdowns. Don’t get me started on the costs of lawn tractors, the annoyance of sourcing replacement lawn mower parts, or the impossibility of using an electric lawn mower in the middle of a farm. Sigh.

As an added free bonus though, push lawn mowers are quiet, are non-polluting and give you a great workout. Now that’s a new way to find splendor in the grass.

9. Keep your lawn mower sharp

You don’t need to be the sharpest knife in the drawer to know that dull lawn mower blades do not cut grass well. If you’re using a gas or electric mower, dull blades can increase energy use by 10 percent. To get your lawn mower blades sharp, get a sharpening stone for under $10 at most hardware stores and sharpen your lawn mower blades at least every other month. Just be sure to turn off or unplug your lawn mower before sharpening. Ouch!

10. Mow your own lawn

Rather than hire a company to mow your lawn, get your motor running and cut it yourself. Lawn maintenance contractors can charge $100 to $200 each month to care for an average lawn.

If you don’t have the time to be your own lawn boy, consider hiring your neighbor’s teenager to mow for less than the cost of a pro.

Got any tips for saving some green on lawn care or share your frugal weeding ways. Want to mow my lawn?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!

Composting is a frugal and environmentally friendly way to turn kitchen and garden waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your lawn, garden, or potted plants. Everyone can benefit from composting, whether you live in an urban apartment, a home with a yard, or on an organic farm like me.

4 Really Good Reasons To Compost

I’ve got four really good reasons to start composting your kitchen (and garden) scraps today. Do you have more?

1. Composting reduces the amount of garbage you produce, which can decrease the cost of garbage pickup and save you from spending additional dollars on plastic garbage bags.
2. Composting can eliminate the need to use synthetic fertilizer, saving you at least $20 to $50 per a year on gardening costs.
3. You can decrease the amount of water you use in your garden (and save money) because composted fertilizer absorbs and retains water more readily than normal regular topsoil.
4. Composting increases soil quality and can produce superior flowers and higher yielding vegetable gardens.

Getting Started: Your Compost Checklist

All you need to create your own soil and reduce garbage waste is a compost bin, a kitchen compost bucket, and a shovel.

Here’s your basic compost checklist:

• A lumber wood or plastic compost bin for $0 to $100.
• A shovel or pitchfork to periodically turn the compost, around $20.
• A kitchen compost bucket or a plastic container for $0 to $50.

Composting bins can be built for little to no cost using scrap lumber, while plastic compost bins can be purchased at Amazon or at most hardware stores for around $60. Your city or municipality may even sell plastic compost bins for half the price in the spring.

Some gardeners prefer to stir their compost less often by using a compost tumbler. Here’s how to DIY and build a compost tumbler if you’re not into stirring a compost bin with a pitch fork.

About Kitchen Compost Buckets

Kitchen compost buckets (or pails) conveniently store food scraps and eliminate odor before you transfer them to an outside compost. Many kitchen containers boast a tight-fitting lid, use long-lasting charcoal filters to eliminate odor, and are attractive options for above or below counter-top use.

	Gaiam Kitchen Compost Bucket ($20 Amazon)
	Norpro 94 Stainless-Steel Composter Keeper ($50 Amazon)

I’ve used two of these composting buckets over the years while living in an apartment and on the farm. They really do decrease smells and encourage a reduction in kitchen waste since I’m more likely compost kitchen scraps when the compost is easily accessible.

What You Can (and Can’t) Compost

Virtually all plant material can be composted, ranging from fruit and vegetable peels to coffee grounds and garden clippings. A well-maintained compost will break down smaller pieces of organic matter in weeks, giving you access to fresh soil on a regular basis.

Things You Shouldn’t Compost:

• Inorganic materials, such as: plastic, glass, and metal.
• Fatty and oily foods like grease from a deep fat fryer.
• Meat scraps and bones.
• Dairy products.
• Poop (human or from your pets).
• Large pieces of wood - they’ll take forever to break down.

Along with most plant, vegetable, fruit, garden, and lawn matter, here’s a list of compostables that may surprise you!

Surprising Things You Can Compost:

• Paper products: paper towel, coffee filters, paper bags, news print, cardboard. It’s best to shred paper products if possible to speed breakdown. Even printed papers are safe to compost because most modern inks and dyes are vegetable based.
• Egg shells.
• Egg cartons.
• Tea bags.

4 Easy Steps to Stink-Free Compost

Once you’ve got a compost bin, it’s time to start composting! Here are 4 easy steps to stink-free compost and some methods for building a more effective mixture.

1. Keep a small bucket or container near in your kitchen to help collect biodegradable scraps like produce peels and coffee grounds. Every few days, dump your kitchen waste into the compost bin.

2. Mix the new material into the existing compost. Also, once a month thoroughly turn and fluff all material in the compost bin using a shovel or pitchfork. This gets the air circulating around the material, which provides ventilation and promotes decomposition. Keeping a shovel or pitch fork handy can encourage you to mix!

3. Add some water if your compost gets dry. In the hotter summer months, add a little water every other week to keep the compost moist, but not soaking. Moisture feeds the bacteria in the compost and keeps the material composting.

4. After one or two years, depending on how much compost you produce, remove most of the material from the compost bin. You can either let this sit to “finish” in a pile for a month or dig it directly into your flowerbeds and vegetable garden. Don’t fully remove all your compost, though - leaving a small amount will to help get the next batch going.

TIP: Try to maintain a compost mixture of about half “browns” and half “greens”. Browns are materials high in carbon such as dried grass, leaves, sawdust, straw and paper. Greens are materials high in nitrogen and such as kitchen vegetable waste and any fresh plant material such as grass clippings. You don’t need an exact mixture, but having a compost of only browns or only greens will not promote decomposition.

A working compost should not smell. If your compost has an odor and attracts flies, make sure you have a good mix of browns and greens and always cover fresh material with existing compost.

Final Compost Thoughts

With just a little effort it’s easy to reduce the amount of garbage you create while turning your scraps into fine soil for your lawn or garden. Do you compost? Would you consider it?

Order Squawkfox’s book 397 Ways To Save Money from Amazon.ca!