Time spent in your garden can be relaxing, fun, and a great way to spend time with friends or family. Did you also know that gardening also can have you save a good bit of money? Here are a few budget-friendly reasons to start or expand a garden this season.

Reduce Stress

Gardening can make you feel more peaceful and content, and boost self-esteem. Focusing on a task such as gardening can reduce negative thoughts and feelings and can make you feel proud of your accomplishment.

Better Than the Grocery Store

Organic food awaits you right outside. Instead of $4 for a head of lettuce, you can buy lettuce seeds for $4 and enjoy lettuce all growing season long. And because it won’t cost you anything to retrieve fresh vegetables from your garden, you’ll save money on gas plus wear and tear on your car with fewer trips to the grocery store.

Less Lawn

Designating an area of the yard for a garden means less time mowing, less gas, and less watering. Also, by acquiring a rain barrel if permitted in your neighborhood, you’ll have a ready reserve of water for your garden, lawn, trees, and shrubs.

Better Than the Gym

Put the gym membership on hold for the summer! All that bending, lifting, swinging, digging, and pulling that accompanies gardening is better than a yoga class, and it burns an average 270 calories an hour.

Selling and Trading

Most home-based gardeners end up with more than one household can use at the peak of the season. So, instead of leaving behind a zucchini or bag of tomatoes everywhere you go, sell them! That’s right: bring your goods to a local farmer’s market or set up a stand in front of your home. If you can’t sell the extras you can always trade with neighbors. Perhaps your neighbor has a full herb garden but can’t use all their cilantro and oregano. Swap! Or pool your resources and make tomato sauces and salsa with all your combined ingredients.

You know what else gardening produces?  Lots of sweat! So when the work is done, you’ll want to head back inside to cool, conditioned air. But what if your central AC system has other ideas and refuses to cooperate? Don’t stress, contact C&D Cooling & Heating for the kind of service we’re known for: customer friendly, reliable, and always with your satisfaction guaranteed.