Saving Cash By Composting

You probably already know that composting is good for the environment, but did you know that it’s also good for your wallet? This waste-reducing activity can save you some cash, which means that composting is growing in popularity among the frugal, smart-money crowd. Here are six ways that composting can equal saving.

Getting Started Doesn’t Cost A Lot

Who knew that you can build a basic compost bin for less than $5? Take a plastic storage tub with a lid, drill holes all over it to allow for airflow and drainage, and place a layer of dirt at the bottom. Throw collected food scraps inside, then rotate or shake the bin at least once a week and voila! Viable compost should be yours in as little as four to six months.

Composting Can Earn You Money

Select cities across the country may offer grants or other incentives for composting. In 2012, the city of Plymouth, Minnesota, offered residents a grant of up to $100 to purchase composting supplies and other items needed to start vegetable gardens. Check with your local municipality to see what composting incentives are available in your area.

Takes The Place Of Garden Food

Make your own compost and you won’t need to make an annual compost-buying trip to the local garden center. If you buy just two cubic yard bags per season at $16.98 per year, you’ll end up spending nearly $85 in five years buying bags of fertile dirt.

Improves Your Soil

Composting is considered a soil conditioner; adding compost to your soil improves its texture. Better soil texture allows for better retention of nutrients, air, and moisture — the very things plants need to thrive. You’ll also need to water your garden less, which can whet your appetite for saving on your water bill.

Results In Fewer Costly Pest Problems

Adding compost to your garden provides you with virtually free bug control without the use of expensive and toxic chemicals. Soil treated with compost “tends to produce plants with fewer pest problems,” according to the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension.

Eliminates The Need For Lawn Services

Composting makes the cut when it comes to organic additives that can help fertilize your lawn. Skip the harsh chemical fertilizers and herbicides and opt, instead, to apply compost to your yard once or twice a year. Spread a modest one-half inch layer onto the entire lawn or treat grass brown spots as needed.