Jokes aside, you can save quite a bit of money by growing your own food.

We all want to try and eat more healthfully and give our families the best nutrition.

But let’s face it…

Buying fresh produce from the store can be expensive, especially if you want to go organic.

Even with a really small garden like mine, you can save quite a bit of money! Here are 8 ways I save money on both my garden AND grocery bill! 

With just a little planning I can save a bunch of money.

When I know I need growlights, seed starting mix, seed cells, pots and more, you can get a good discount if you purchase these things in the off season, usually starting in August. December and January are also good months to purchase things at a discount.

I can usually get 40-50% of grow lights by purchasing them in the fall. Other items are also on sale during the off season. I also try to make sure I’m stocked on Seed Starting Mix, as I haven’t found it available for purchase in Jan/Feb, when some seeds need to be started, without paying an exorbitant price.

The last thing you want when you’re trying to save money by starting from seed, is not having the supplies you need. With just a little planning ahead, I can save a ton of money by starting from seed, as you can see below.

Starting plants from seed, indoors, used to be really INTIMIDATING for me. Many seeds have to be started several weeks before you transplant them. But when I started the Seed Library, I had to do a lot of research on how to grow various plants from seeds and when to start them.

Then starting seedlings seemed not only possible, but EASY to do!

Cost $0

I never thought about saving seeds before I started the Seed Library. Saving seeds is good for many reasons. But one GREAT reason is saving money. Keep in mind, I have a really small garden. If you have the time for a larger garden, your savings will be even more!

NOTE: You won’t be able to save seeds from hybrids. Seeds from hybrids (F1) will grow into who knows what and may not even be edible. You will also need to be aware of how to prevent cross-pollination for the same reason.

Savings $3-6 per seed packet

Not only do you get the seeds you saved for FREE, seed saving translates into savings at the grocery store.

I did the math on the herbs and tomatoes like 5 times because I thought, “There’s no way I save that much money on herbs and tomatoes.” But, I never buy fresh herbs and the only dried herbs I buy are the ones I don’t grow. And still, that savings total doesn’t even factor in NOT buying dried herbs.

Dried herbs, while being more cost effective than buying the little, expensive packages of fresh herbs, do add up. My recommendation, if you like herbs and tomatoes…grow your own! 

Buying from local Feed and Seed Stores is a great way to save money. Usually, the plants they sell are prefect for your location, so they will do really well.

And, they are usually a few dollars cheaper than the big stores.

One plant I buy every year from my local Feed and Seed are potatoes. If I were to purchase online, they would cost around $20 for just one variety plus shipping. (I like several varieties. Who doesn’t like choices?) 

PLUS, if I purchased online, there would be more than I have room to plant, which would lead to wasted money.

BUT,

if I purchase from my local store, I can get as many varieties as I want. I can get the exact number I need and save SOOOO much money!

In the Fall, pop in to your local Feed and Seed Store. Last year when I did this I got the prior year’s seed packets for 10 cents! Most seeds will be viable for at least 2 years. Some seeds are viable for 3-5+ years. So, one-year-old seeds for 10 cents a package…

Savings $2-4 per seed packet

If you have a seed library in your area, this is a great way to save money. You can try different varieties and plants you may be hesitant to spend money on, just to see if you like them.

At the Jefferson Seed Library, “checking out” seeds is free. PLUS, the more seeds I donate, the more free seeds I can “check out!”

I got my cucumber, various flowers, and a few other plants for free!

It’s so tempting to eat all that wonderful, flavorful food from my garden. But, by preserving my harvest I can make the savings last all year-round.

I freeze and can almost everything. This saves me even more money during the Fall and Winter months, when most fresh, produce prices go up.

I can my own tomato juice (makes the best soups) and blackberry jelly (if you’ve never had homemade jelly, you are missing out!) and I pickle some okra. Canned vegetables and fruit store well and last 2 years.

With a food vacuum sealer, it is so easy to preserve your harvest and have quick easy sides that go with any meal! Frozen vegetables taste almost like they were picked that day.

I portion out my servings, so all I have to do is pull out a pre-portioned bag of green beans, potatoes, or okra or whatever for a quick easy side to go with dinner! Or if I have company coming and need an easy breakfast, I can pull out some shredded zucchini and make zucchini bread! I also freeze peppers and tomatoes for soups and chili.