You Lawn Or Your Money: How To Calculate A Realistic Lawn Budget

Not sure how much money you should spend on your lawn? Does it seem like you are spending too much or too little on the upkeep?

You are not the only one! A lot of homeowners struggle to calculate a realistic lawn budget for themselves. They either entirely neglect their property, or it becomes a financial burden to them.

But maintaining a beautiful backyard isn’t difficult once you set a realistic lawn budget and stay within the limit.

Does this seem like a lot? Not to worry! You have come to the right place for advice. Here you will find some amazing tips on how to maintain your curb appeal on a budget.

4 Tips For Calculating A Realistic Lawn Budget

Set Your Priorities

Getting your priorities straight is the number one step to creating a realistic budget for your lawn. You should determine:

1. What your lawn needs
2. What you want

Spending big bucks on a luxurious lawn fountain while your lawn has drainage problems is considered poor budgeting. That is why we recommend you make both a “need” and a “wish” list for your lawn on a monthly basis.

With these two lists in your hands, you will know exactly where to direct your funds first without ever going over budget.

Make A List Of Monthly Expenses

Your monthly “need” list should consist of things necessary for the preservation, safety, and security of your lawn. It should include expenses for:

• Lawn mowing
• Removal of rotten or diseased trees
• Buying new soil or mulch
• Replanting grass, flowers, and shrubs
• Buying fertilizers and weed killers
• Addressing drainage issues

Your “wish” list can include things or projects that will upgrade your property to increase its value. According to a Virginia Tech survey, landscaping investments can increase home value by 5.5 to 12.7 percent.

Investing your money in a good garden tractor is an especially good idea. A garden tractor is a fruitful long-term investment that will make your landscaping more cost-effective and easier.

You can use it for mowing your lawn as often as needed, aerating the land, cultivating your small garden, and even clearing snow off the grass in the winter.

Estimate Your Monthly Lawn-Care Budget

The best way to estimate your maximum lawn budget is to calculate your income and deduct your total monthly expenses, like groceries, rent, transportation, childcare, savings, etc.

Calculate how much money is left and how much you are willing to direct towards your lawn. Set a maximum monthly allowance that you can come close to but not exceed.

You can now check if the things listed on your “need” and “wish” list fall within your set allowance. If you have exceeded your budget, take some things off your “wish” list for now. You can aim for them again next month when you have fewer urgent lawn repairs scheduled.

Keep in mind that your lawn care budget may vary from month to month depending on unexpected living expenses. Pipe breakages and power outages happen when you least expect them.

Be Frugal

Taking care of your backyard doesn’t have to be expensive. You can reduce your monthly lawn expenses significantly if you use your knowledge and resources wisely.

Follow these frugal tips to set a more realistic lawn budget for yourself:

1. Maintain your own lawn instead of hiring a lawn care company. You will save a lot of money and have full control over the total cost.
2. Don’t cut your lawn too short so you don’t make it vulnerable to heat, drought, and weed infestation. This damage will only add to your expenses.
3. Make your own lawn fertilizer using natural and cheap ingredients like coffee grounds, eggshells, grass clippings, fall leaves, and even freshwater fish tank water.
4. Don’t water your lawn too much to reduce your water bill and minimize the risk of plant diseases.
5. Aerate your lawn twice per year, once in early spring and once in the late fall. According to BobVila, this gardening solution will aerate your soil and introduce more nutrients into it, making your lawn more vibrant and healthy for next to nothing.

Staying Within A Lawn The Budget Is Easy

It turns out that calculating a realistic lawn budget for yourself is not difficult at all. You only have to consider your financial status and arrange your priorities. By prioritizing the necessary things over luxury items and by practicing frugality, you will easily stay within your budget.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below, and feel free to share these budgeting tips with your friend and family on social media.

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