Hydrangeas are the peacocks of the flower garden. Their lush, show-stopping blooms and thick foliage naturally draw the eye. Happily, hydrangeas are fairly easy to grow: They need partial sun, slightly acidic soil, and moist but not saturated conditions.

They also need the right neighbors. Put them too close to the wrong plants, and they’ll struggle to reach their full potential.

What could be sadder, botanically speaking, than a lackluster hydrangea? We’ll tell you: A hydrangea that doesn’t bloom at all.

Don’t let that happen! When planning your landscape, avoid the following kinds of companion plantings.

1. Plants With Conflicting Needs (such as Roses and Lavender)

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Sounds obvious, right? But even a seasoned gardener can let their love for specific plants affect a hydrangea’s best interests.

For example, suppose you envision a wilderness of roses and hydrangeas. Stop right there: Roses do best in full sun and slightly drier soil.

Or maybe you’re a lavender enthusiast who wants that multi-use herb everywhere in the yard. Nope: Lavender is another plant that prefers a drier medium, and the extra water that hydrangeas need to survive could lead to lavender root rot.

Do your research, and pair like with like. Putting plants with opposing needs together is a recipe for landscape failure.

2. Root Spreaders

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Some plants are aggressive colonizers. For example, a small amount of bamboo will spread faster than celebrity gossip and just as quickly take over your yard. (Your neighbor’s yard, too – and they probably won’t thank you.)

Anyone who’s ever planted mint knows that it’s almost impossible to eradicate. Ditto plants like dame’s rocket, Japanese knotweed, trumpet vine, and a host of other vigorous invaders.

Keep aggressive root spreaders away from your hydrangeas. In fact, be very careful about choosing such plants at all unless you like to weed. And weed. And weed.

3. Thirsty Beasts

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Some plants can never get enough to drink – which means they’ll try to steal your hydrangea’s share of the irrigation.

Sure, some tall, feathery ferns would look lovely in that bed. But ferns are notorious water hogs, and your hydrangeas will suffer.

If you’re in a region where eucalyptus grows, lucky you! But don’t plant hydrangeas too close to that tree, which is also known for copious water consumption.

4. Shadowy Giants

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When it comes to choosing companion plantings, hydrangeas don’t have it made in the shade. They like dappled sun, not a blackout. Without enough light, they’ll get leggy and weak and produce a lot fewer blooms.

Obviously, you shouldn’t put them near an evergreen tree or a shrub that blocks the light. But gardeners sometimes forget how high some annuals can grow. For example, some people love sunflowers precisely because they can soar to 12 feet or higher in a single summer. A plant that is tall is going to cast some shade.

Let those shadowy giants have their day in the sun – far away from your hydrangeas.

Keep Your Blooms Happy

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Hydrangeas are gorgeous beasts that are well worth a little effort – and again, it’s not that much work:

• Provide partial shade.
• Water regularly, but don’t saturate.
• Monitor soil acidity.

But it’s also important to keep certain plants away from the hydrangea beds. Choose the wrong botanical neighbors and your plants will suffer. Make the right companion planting choices, and your hydrangeas will thrive and delight

Read more

8 Mistakes Sabotaging Your Hydrangeas

Why Aren’t My Hydrangeas Blooming? Troubleshooting These Beauties

Way back when, spring cleaning was mandatory. Families washed windows, laundered and starched curtains, scrubbed floors, and hung rugs over clotheslines to beat the dust out of them.

Sounds like a lot of work for the modern household, especially since many of us don’t have clotheslines. Here’s an alternative: Speed cleaning. It’s efficient, it’s effective, it will probably save you money, and it will definitely change your life.

Best of all: It’s easy! Instead of letting dust and grime pile up, you keep it at bay with a few 20-minute bursts of activity per week. No more thinking, “I have to clean the whole house this weekend” or “How am I going to find money in my budget for a house cleaner?”

Speed cleaning saved my sanity as a midlife college student with several part-time jobs and a long commute. Living in a clean place was non-negotiable, but I didn’t have much time. Turns out I didn’t need much time to create a comfortable environment where I felt truly at home.

Here’s how speed cleaning can change your life, too.

Step 1: Pick a Room

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Which room? That’s up to you. I suggest starting with the one you see most often, because the changes will be so gratifying.

You could even pick part of a room, such as the cluttered entryway or just the sink and toilet in your sadly neglected bathroom. Start small and build on your successes.

Step 2: Choose the Music

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You don’t expect to clean without a soundtrack, do you? Put on music that gets your blood pumping, whether that’s hip-hop or grand opera.

Blast your favorites for all to hear, or wear headphones if some household members don’t appreciate your choice of tunes. Speaking of the household…

Step 3. Assemble Your Team

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Spouses, roommates, kids – everyone who lives there needs to be part of this. Even preschoolers can do things like fold towels or put junk mail into the recycling bin.

No excuses. No, not even a teenager whining, “But I have homework!” We’re talking a 20-minute time frame. Your young scholars probably spend that much time deciding what to wear tomorrow, or texting their friends to get opinions on what they should wear.

Time management is something everyone needs to learn, and the younger, the better. As for the adults, “I had a hard day – can’t I skip it just this once?” shouldn’t work as an excuse, either. Everyone has hard days sometimes. It doesn’t mean you can quit adulting, especially since we’re talking about a 20-minute commitment.

Step 4. Set an Alarm

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I use a kitchen timer with an obnoxiously loud BEEP-BEEP-BEEP pattern. It sounds like the noise that a bomb timer makes in the movies, right before the explosion. Impossible to ignore, and satisfying to hear because it means I’m all done.

You might not want that. Maybe you’ll just use the alarm on your phone. If so, have all household members synchronize their phone alarms and then prepare to…

Step 5. Clean Like Mad!

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Each of you (or just you, if you live alone) has a job to do. Get to it! Sweep, scrub, de-clutter, or do whatever you’re supposed to do – and do it at a furious pace.

Think of it as a challenge: How much can I get done before that timer goes off?

When the timer does go off, stop. Or don’t – if you’re loving how much better the entryway looks, then keep going for another five or 10 minutes.

Step 6: Congratulate Yourself

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See how much nicer everything looks? You did that!

Alternate version: “High fives, gang – we did it! Doesn’t the kitchen/living room/kid’s bedroom look great?”

Step 7: Calculate Your Savings

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The average cost of a house cleaner in the U.S. is $20.85 per hour, according to Care.com. That money is still in your pocket. Go you!

You’ll likely save more than just a cleaner’s salary, though. Ever lived in such clutter that you couldn’t find your reading glasses or your kid’s water bottle? Replacement costs can add up.

Then there’s the contentment of living in a place that doesn’t smell like mildewed towels or a neglected litter box. A tidy, comfortable home is a place you want to be – and if you’re relaxing at home, that means you’re not spending money in a coffee shop, brewpub, or restaurant.

More Pro Tips

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Not sure how to start the speed-clean habit? Try this: “Okay, everybody, we’re cleaning only on days with a ‘T’ in them.” That means three days’ worth of cleaning per week, and it lets you off the hook on rough Mondays or on Fridays that were clearly meant for movie nights or going out with friends.

If you’ve got a robot vacuum, program it to run daily or at least every other day. This cuts down on how long you’ll spend sweeping tile or wood floors.

Buy specialized tools to make certain chores easier: Disinfectant wipes to clean under the toilet seat, say, or microfiber cloths that trap dust instead of spreading it around

Keep all cleaning supplies together, so you can grab what you need, instead of wasting time hunting down the dustpan or the cleanser.

Keep costs down by hitting the dollar store for supplies like sponges, scrub brushes, and those microfiber cloths.

Multitask! For example, the washing machine or dishwasher could run while you’re cleaning. Bonus awesome points if you throw the laundry into the dryer or put the clean dishes away later.

Or single-task. Some days you really are exhausted or overwhelmed, especially if you have kids. Give yourself permission to do just one thing, such as scooping the litter box or folding the laundry that’s been in the dryer for several days. Be sure to pat yourself on the back for having done something to make your life better.

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Who doesn’t love a rabbit? Those soulful eyes, those sleek coats, those adorable ears, those cute little white tails – and those voracious teeth.

From nibbling lawns and lettuce to killing entire trees, rabbits do loads of damage to home landscapes – and not just above the ground. Rabbits dig extensive burrows that can:

• Undermine walkways and patios
• Interfere with underground utility lines
• Erode soil around foundations
• Pockmark your yard and lawn with holes.

Experts recommend a combination of tactics to deter these fluffy invaders. Use the following tips to protect your property and keep garden produce out of bunny bellies.

1. Fence Them Out

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Fencing your garden bed or beds (or your entire yard) is the best protection. Since rabbits have been known to wiggle under fences, you can install a “fence extender” along the base.

To protect individual beds, you could go the DIY method of chicken wire and posts or opt for more attractive (and more expensive) rabbit-proof fence panels. Make your fence at least two feet high, and consider U-shaped landscape pins at the bottom to keep rabbits from crawling under. Some opt to bury fence bottoms a couple of inches, to deter any diggers.

2. Wrap Your Trees

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Rabbits eat bark in the winter, which can ultimately destroy the tree. Protect your plantings with cylindrical guards made of galvanized chicken wire or hardware cloth. Use a mesh size of one inch or less to keep other rodents, such as mice and voles, from attacking your trees.

The tree guards should be several inches bigger than the tree trunk to allow room for growth. Attaching them to stakes makes them more effective. The nonprofit Institute for Environmental Research and Education offers a step-by-step guide to building an effective tree wrap.

3. Remove Potential Nesting Areas

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Those tall weeds at the back of your yard make a perfect rabbit nursery. So can that jumble of scavenged boards, logs, and metal you plan to turn into fences or yard art someday. Rabbits may also breed under sheds.

Keep them out by removing junk and blocking access to outbuildings. Don’t let them turn your yard into multigenerational housing.

Will this keep all rabbits away? No. Will it reduce their numbers? Probably.

4. Scare Them Off

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Fake snakes and plastic owls might scare off some rabbits, since those two species are major bunny predators. A shiny mobile that spins in the wind might startle them, too.

This tactic won’t work on all rabbits, though, and there’s the possibility the critters will become acclimated to these objects over time. It’s worth a shot, but only in combination with other deterrents.

5. Keep It Stinky

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Odor repellents like garlic sprays and ammonium soap offend a rabbit’s delicate nose. Look for these products at nurseries, hardware stores, and home centers.

Two potential problems with this approach:

• You have to reapply the repellent after heavy rains, and to new growth on the plant.
• Some rabbits get used to the stench and eat the plants anyway

Note: Gardeners used to swear by marigolds as a scent deterrent. Don’t count on it: The University of Iowa Extension reports that some rabbits have been seen chowing down on the flower’s pungent leaves.

6. Gross Them Out

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Taste repellents are designed to make plants too nasty to eat. Just as with odor repellents, you need to reapply these products regularly and, again, there’s the chance rabbits will become acclimated to the flavors and keep eating.

More importantly, a taste repellent can’t be used on an edible plant – only on trees, flowers and shrubs. The product might save some of your plants, but there’s no guarantee it will save all of them.

7. Trap and Remove

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First, check your city/county laws regarding the trapping of nuisance wildlife. Next, buy live traps from a hardware store or garden center; you might also be able to rent a trap from your city’s animal control department.

Put traps in the areas where you most frequently see rabbits moving around; avoid full-sun areas, as this subjects the animals to overheating. Put fresh bait in every day; your best bets are lettuce, apple slices, cabbage, and, yes, carrots.

What do you do with the rabbit(s) you catch? Some experts suggest releasing them into the wild. In thickly settled areas, however, there might be no place to release the rabbits where they won’t attack someone else’s landscape.

You could hire a pest specialist to trap and remove the animals for you. That way, you don’t have to make these decisions.

8. Destroy Them

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Killing a cute li’l bunny sounds harsh. But for homeowners who rely on their gardens as a major food source, this is an Us vs. Them question.

Depending on where you live, you might legally be allowed to trap and dispose of rabbits year-round. If that idea upsets you, don’t do it.

But if your crops help feed your family, this could be a difficult but necessary choice. Again, it’s possible to hire a professional pest control company to do the trapping and disposal.

The Bottom Line

As noted, it’s tough to keep a determined bunny from its dinner. However, you can take steps to make your garden less attractive to these opportunistic rodents.

Read more

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Coveting blue hydrangeas? The answer is in the soil.

You can buy a beautiful blue hydrangea from the nursery, but it won’t stay that way without help. In the absence of the right soil conditions, the plant will start to flower in white or pink rather than that lovely blue hue.

These stunning perennials do need a bit more care than, say, hostas or daylilies. But certain plants are worth a little more effort. Choose the right cultivars and apply some TLC, and you’ll enjoy glorious florals all summer long.

Here’s what you need for a true-blue experience, based on my own research and trial and error as a homesteader.

The Science Behind the Blue

Want blue blooms? Pay close attention to your soil’s pH and phosphorus levels.

A lower pH (6.5 or under) and lower phosphorus allow the plant to plant absorb more aluminum, which it needs to produce blue flowers. If the pH is higher, the aluminum in the soil gets locked down, which means white or pink blossoms.

Think of yourself as a garden chemist: The bluest hydrangeas come from the careful use of aluminum sulfate, in early spring and again in the fall. Follow directions exactly to avoid harming the plant’s roots.

Be patient, since it can take up to two years for the full effect. That’s because the changes will be to developing buds, rather than on the flowers you already have.

#NotAllHydrangeas

Only certain types will turn blue! Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata are the most reliable varieties.

Cultivars with proven track records include Nikko Blue, Endless Summer, and Blue Enchantress. Smaller spaces (including containers) can benefit from more compact varieties, such as Tiny Tuff Stuff and Let’s Dance Blue Jangles.

Hydrangeas need morning sun and afternoon shade. Choose your location carefully. They do best in well-drained soil with low phosphorus, moderate nitrogen, and high potassium. Use a 12-4-8 fertilizer each month from March through July.

Water when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Mulching with pine needles or bark will hold in moisture while boosting the soil acidity that helps hydrangeas thrive.

Keeping It Blue

If the blue begins to fade, your soil isn’t sufficiently acidic. Again, follow instructions exactly when adding aluminum sulfate to avoid harming the plant’s roots.

Note: Some people use coffee grounds or vinegar for a more natural way to acidify soil. However, the results will be less consistent.

Does all this sound like a lot of work? Look at it this way: Perennials like coreopsis and gaillardia practically grow themselves, which frees gardeners up to hand-hold their hydrangeas a bit.

Besides, soil testing and amending soon becomes just another garden chore – no different than staking tomatoes or pruning hedges. And the results are undeniable: Stunning swaths of blue flowers that set your garden apart from everyone else’s.

Anyone can grow a white or a pink hydrangea. Flex your gardening muscles and go for the blue.

Read more

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Savvy consumers know that it’s vital to have an emergency fund – some cash set aside for unexpected expenses. With food prices rising so sharply, here’s another smart personal finance move: a well-stocked pantry, aka the emergency fund you can eat.

If you got laid off, you’d have plenty to eat until you find a new job. A deep pantry will also save you money right now, because plenty of food on hand means less reliance on takeout/food delivery. Cooking even half your dinners will save you a ton. So will brown-bagging your lunch now and then.

Food prices could rise as much as 6% in 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Avoid supermarket sticker shock by building your own edible emergency fund.

If you’ve got a dollar or two a week, you can prep a pantry. Here’s how.

Start Slowly

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You don’t need to fill your cupboards all at once. Instead, aim for one or two extra items each time you shop. We’re talking shelf-stable items like pasta, dry or canned beans, ramen, canned or frozen vegetables, dried or canned fruit, peanut butter (or some other nut butter), and canned fish/meat.

When you see a stupid-cheap deal, get as many as you can afford. Just make sure it’s something your household uses. Cream of asparagus soup for 79 cents isn’t a great deal if no one will eat it.

Finding the Sweet (Price) Spot

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Sign up for store loyalty programs to get weekly deals, and maybe additional mailed or downloadable coupons. As store algorithms learn your buying habits, those coupons could be tailored to what you use most often.

Sweeten those deals further with shopping apps like Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, Pogo, and Shopkick, which offer rewards points or rebates for scanning/buying specific items. Trade points for supermarket or big-box store gift cards, then shop for free.

Eat It!

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Write the purchase date on the front (not the top) of each food item, and store it at the back of the cupboard/freezer. The idea is to use the newest stuff last.

Yes, use. This is food you should be using, not hoarding. Because the ingredients were bought at rock-bottom prices, each pantry meal saves you money. This, in turn, frees up a few more dollars for restocking your shelves.

Aim to replace them at the lowest possible price point. Don’t worry: Smart shopping quickly becomes a habit.

Dollar Dinners

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Feeling financially pinched? It’s OK. You can get started on as little as a buck – or maybe a buck twenty-five – by checking the local dollar store.

Pasta, rice, dry and canned beans, canned tomatoes, sugar, teabags, cereal, and other foods will plump up your pantry. Some of these stores, such as Dollar Tree and Dollar General, accept manufacturer coupons.

Dollar stores also sell a ton of snacks, but keep walking. Your focus should be real foods, not cheesy poufs.

Secret Spots for Great Deals

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Grocery stores aren’t the only places to buy food! Here are a few other options:

• Stores like Target, Walgreens, and CVS offer loss-leader prices on some foods. Spaghetti sauce, cereal, ramen, and such might beat the supermarket prices (especially if coupons or rebates are available).
• So-called “ethnic markets” that focus on Asian, Hispanic, or other specialized cuisines offer rice, beans, and other shelf-stable foods at noticeably lower prices than a typical supermarket.
• Warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club have good prices on large quantities. You have to buy a six-pack of canned chicken or a giant jug of salsa, but that simply means you can use some now and store (or freeze) the rest of it. Offer to drive a relative or friend who’s already a member (and help unload the items at their home) in exchange for being allowed to shop with them.
• Restaurant supply stores like Cash And Carry or The Restaurant Store offer warehouse-club sizes without a membership fee. Again: Eat some now and some later, or share with like-minded savers.
• Search “Buy Nothing groups near me” on Facebook. Their “give where you live” premise connects neighbors to give, receive, and ask for what they need. Often, that includes food.

Be Prepared

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Food prices aren’t going down any time soon. Is your salary keeping pace? Stock your pantry, and improve your financial peace of mind.

Read more:

13 Plants That Keep Your Wallet Happy and Your Pantry Full

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Nobody wants to get sick, but just about everybody will. So why not be ready?

Planning ahead is an excellent form of self-care. A few simple steps now means you’ll be fed, hydrated, and (somewhat) comfortable until the illness runs its course.

The following tactics will also see you through sprains, broken bones, and maybe that surprise appendectomy.

Stock Some Food

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Make sure your pantry is well stocked for when sickness hits. Here are a few favorites.

• Soup is a proven winner: It lasts for ages and doesn’t overcrowd your studio apartment’s “kitchen” cabinets. From basic chicken noodle to elegant bisques, there’s a soup for every stage of illness.
• Applesauce is easy on a sore throat, and the syrup from other types of canned fruits will help combat nausea.
• Plain crackers can also soothe an upset stomach, and are a good way to get peanut butter (or some other protein-rich nut butter) into your system as you convalesce.

As illness recedes and appetite returns, you’ll want something more substantial than consommé. Keep some of your favorite frozen dinners on hand, or shelf-stable meals such as Compleats or Tasty Bites.

Plan Your Beverages

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By all means, drink water! Dehydration is a real possibility, especially if you’re feverish or have been vomiting. Oral rehydration powders or solutions can make tap water more effective (and tasty).

Stock additional drinks, too:

• Bottled or frozen juice
• Herbal tea (hot drinks are so comforting)
• Ginger ale 
• Electrolyte replacement beverages

Stash Some Meds

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A cold is different than the flu, and the flu is different than a wrenched ankle. Be ready for anything by stocking everything: decongestants, flu meds, throat lozenges, expectorants, and OTC painkillers.

These meds can be very expensive, but tend to go on sale in early autumn. Watch for sale prices and don’t be afraid to buy the store brand. Bonus frugal points if you use shopping/rebate apps like Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, or Shopkick.

Other useful sickroom supplies: oral thermometer, ice pack, heating pad, and a compression bandage for sprains. Oh, and those  “lotion” tissues are totally worth it.

Design Your Sick Space

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Think about where you’d likely spend the most time – bed, couch, recliner – and how you’d set it up for maximum effect:

• A soft, cozy throw plus the pillows from your bed make a sofa or chair much more comfortable.
• If there’s no electrical outlet nearby, go buy an extension cord right now. Maybe a power strip, too, so you can charge more than one device simultaneously.
• You’ll need a small trashc an, since a sickroom littered with tissues and lozenge wrappers is a pretty glum place. Or use a grocery bag to corral the clutter.

Taking Care of Yourself

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Being sick is nobody’s idea of a good time. But it would be a lot worse if “Flu You” had to stagger to the closest convenience store for supplies, or pay top dollar for a delivery service to drop off pills and Powerade.

Here’s hoping you never need this plan but if you do, you’ll be ready. 

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Wondering why you can’t seem to save? The answer may lie in your kitchen cabinets.

Stores offer loads of ready-to-eat foods, and after a long day, it’s tempting to let someone else do the cooking. But precooked chickens and frozen entrées cost a lot, and such foods tend to be high in sodium and additives.

Grocery shelves are also packed with cookies, chips, ice cream, candies, and other delicious indulgences – and we don’t even have to leave the couch to get a frozen lasagna or a bag of chips. Many supermarkets now deliver the sugary goods, and companies like DoorDash and Instacart let us order groceries or fast food 24/7.

Fortunately, a simple tactic called “goal-oriented shopping” can help you get a handle on your spending – and a leg up on your dreams.

Prioritizing Our Goals

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Here’s how goal-oriented shopping works:

• Make a shopping list, and vow to follow it. No unnecessary items!
• Start that list with a short- or long-term goal. Use all caps and write it with a black Sharpie; if you’re using Notes or some other app, use bold and/or larger type. You want this goal to stand out!
• Every few items, either repeat that goal or write down a new one.

Your shopping list might look something like this:

Bread
Apples

Aluminum foil

PAY OFF CREDIT CARD BALANCE

Toothpaste

Canned tomatoes

Oatmeal

CONTRIBUTE TO ROTH IRA

Pet food

Lotion

Laundry soap

DOWN PAYMENT FOR MY FIRST HOME

If you’re tempted to toss unnecessary items in the shopping cart, the list reminds you of goals that will make your life better, either in the short or long term.

Does goal-oriented shopping always work? Of course not! We’re human, after all. On high-stress, low-willpower days, our snack cravings might overrule our good sense.

But writing your goals in bold capital letters is the first step toward achieving them. It’s a reminder that the more aimlessly you spend, the further away your dreams get.

Our Choices Have Consequences

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Thinking, “Oh, it’s just a bag of chips” or “I deserve chocolate chip cookies after the week I just had”? According to government research, the average cost for chocolate chip cookies and potato chips are $5.35 per pound and $6.63 per pound, respectively

We’ve done the math for you: The weekly costs represent $278 to $344 per year, or $2,780 to $3,400 gone from your wallet over the next decade. (Or more, if you really like chips.)

What could that money have done for your bottom line?

We get it. Life is chaotic, and sometimes a little treat is what keeps us going. But if we consistently overspend, we give up the right to complain about how hard it is to get ahead.

It’s tough to change long habits, but it can be done. Start slowly. For example, you could:

• Cook once or twice a week instead of relying mostly on takeout or supermarket meals. (Pro tip: Cook more than you need and freeze the rest for lunches or for fast dinners later in the month.)
• Make cupcakes or a batch of brownies (a boxed mix is fine!) instead of buying $7 treats.
• Stop automatically buying new pet toys! Your floof is probably just fine with the ones you already have.
• Instead of hitting the pub every Friday, pick up a craft six-pack and invite friends over a couple of times per month.

And so on.

Use goal-oriented shopping to take control of your spending. You’ll be surprised at the wiggle room this gives your budget.

As fall settles in, gardeners start to relax: It’s almost time to stop weeding and mowing and trying to foist off all that zucchini on friends and relatives! But the work is not quite over. Winterizing your landscape, also known as “putting the garden to bed,” is a crucial tactic to save your plants, your time, and your money.

Maybe you’re ready to let the tomato vines rot and watch the flower garden shrivel up and die. But it’s essential to wind down the gardening season properly. Failing to do so could lead to plant disease, garden pests, and maybe even the death of some perennials.

Sound daunting? It doesn’t have to be! Veteran gardeners know that the best way to do this is to break it into simple stages.

For example, once a greenhouse tomato plant stops producing, my partner empties the soil into an outdoor raised bed and tosses the plant into the compost. We plant several kinds of peas that produce at different rates; I tear down vines as they die back, instead of trying to do all three large beds at once on a cold, drizzly autumn day.

Speaking of weather: We time our chores to the day. When it’s sunny, we’re out digging and delving. On a cloudy or outright rainy day, we’ll be sweeping out the greenhouse, preserving apples or dehydrating kale, oiling tools, or writing in the garden journal. 

Recently, I spent almost four hours straight cutting back our jungle of red and golden raspberries, then raking and stacking the canes to dry out for burning. While I did that, my partner cut logs with our new wood splitter and stacked the stove lengths. Then we quit working, lest we get too worn-out to do anything the next day. He and I treat winterizing the garden as a marathon, not a sprint.

Every garden is different, of course. Closing up a xeriscaped yard in California is not the same as tucking in a lush Pennsylvania garden for the winter. Yet some tasks are universal. Keep the following tips in mind when buttoning up your own landscape.

1. Plan your final harvests

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You might be surprised how much produce is still in your garden, especially if you’ve neglected it lately. Don’t let it stay there. (If you have a longer growing season, you might still be able to plant a few seeds or sprouts even.)

Lift up those sagging tomato or pepper plants to search for unharvested nightshades. Peer into overgrown berry patches, and collect fallen apples or pears. Give any produce that you can’t use to relatives, friends, or offer it on social media sites like NextDoor or groups like Buy Nothing.

The food banks in your area might also welcome your garden overflow. Yes, even those zucchinis that are the size of fire extinguishers. The Feeding America website has a food bank locator tool.

2. Clear away plant debris

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You’ve brought in your final vegetable or fruit harvest and cut the last flowers. It’s tempting to let the spent plants fall where they may. Dealing with it next spring is fine, right?

Wrong. Not clearing away plant debris is basically setting out a welcome mat for garden pests and or plant diseases to settle in, according to Jane Purnell of LawnStarter.com.

“Many bacteria and pest eggs can overwinter in debris, and they will take over your healthy plants once spring arrives,” Purnell warns.

It’s easier and cheaper to prevent problems than to deal with them next spring.

3. Fire up the lawnmower

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Thinking of letting the overgrown lawn go until next year? Don’t. The University of Minnesota Extension recommends mowing regularly until the grass stops growing in the fall.

Diseases can develop in too-long grass during the winter. Additionally, small rodents such as voles could overwinter there. 

Be sure your mower’s blades are sharp. A dull blade leaves a jagged edge on grass blades, leaving them more susceptible to disease.

Finally, leave those clippings where they land. The UMN Extension notes that these clippings benefit soil quality and improve carbon sequestration.

4. Winterize your greenhouse

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If you’re lucky enough to have a greenhouse, it’s time to prepare it for the colder weather. Carol J. Michel of The Family Handyman offers these tips.

Wash the windows, inside and out. The cleaner they are, the more light will get into the structure come springtime. A car-wash brush and soapy water can help you reach the high spots.

Clear out clutter. Have empty seed packets, extra garden pots, and other items accumulated during the summer? Get rid of them.

Sweep the floor and plant benches. As noted earlier, diseases and pests may overwinter in plant debris. Hose down the floor and benches afterwards.

Be ready for snow. A greenhouse heated to even 50 degrees should be able to shed snow load. If your greenhouse isn’t heated, look for a “roof rake” that lets you stand at ground level and pull the snow off the roof.

5. Protect perennials

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Those who live in cold places need to provide a little more care for perennials. For example, a layer of straw or fallen leaves can keep your peony plants from freezing to death, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Some plants, such as dahlias, might even need to be dug up and wintered over indoors. Once frost has blackened the leaves of plants like dahlias, gladioli, and cannas, dig them up (carefully!) and leave them on a newspaper to dry indoors for a few days. After that, pack them in dry peat moss, foam packing peanuts, or shredded newspaper and store them in a dark, humid spot between 40 and 50 degrees.

A few more perennial pre-winter chores, according to the site: 

• Water them before freeze-up.
• Some varieties are prone to diseases like powdery mildew. Bee balm, hostas, and phlox are common examples. Once the ground has frozen and leaves have completely died, cut them back to about three inches of stem, then mulch with straw or leaves.
• If you bought potted chrysanthemums this fall, don’t toss them once their blooms have faded! Overwinter them instead: Water deeply, cover thickly with straw, and move to a sheltered spot.

Then take a minute to feel smug about having put money back into next year’s garden budget.

6. Lay down some mulch

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As noted earlier, a layer of mulch can help your plants survive the winter. But empty garden beds need coverage, too. As a seasoned gardener, I’ve learned mulch can reduce weeds and help the bed retain moisture. It also keeps soil from getting too compacted over the winter.

Shocked by the price of commercial mulch? You can use shredded leaves, according to Martha Stewart writer Madeline Buiano.

Or combine two chores into one by using compost as your mulch. In an article on the Homes and Gardens website, writer Drew Swainston recommends one to two inches of compost, which both protects and enriches the soil.

Remove any non-compost mulch once spring arrives, though. Doing so allows garden beds to warm up faster and be ready for planting sooner.

7. Water deeply

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If you live in a colder climate and it’s been a dry summer, regularly water your shrubs, trees, and perennials before the soil freezes. Otherwise, they’re likely to be damaged by winter desiccation.

Newly installed plants are most at risk, according to Rosie Lerner of Purdue University’s Extension Service. Yet even an established plant “will be more susceptible to winter injury if they go into winter in stressed condition.”

Water thoroughly every week to 10 days if autumn has been dry. Aim to have the water penetrate 12 to 18 inches and water slowly, to avoid runoff.

“Making sure the plants have a sufficient supply of soil moisture before the ground freezes will help create healthier specimens to fight the winter battle,” Lerner says.

8. Divide perennials

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Perennials are a great deal: Buy a plant once and it comes back every year! Over time, however, perennials start to grow too close together. This means more competition for nutrients, water, and space, and can lead to sickly plants.

Dividing a perennial helps keep that from happening. Bonus: You get more plants for free! Here’s how the process works:

• Carefully dig up the parent plant.
• Gently remove loose dirt clinging to its roots.
• Divide the plant by separating the roots by hand, splitting them with two forks, or cutting with a sharp knife.

“After successfully dividing your perennials, you’ll likely notice your flower beds appearing more spread out and fuller,” Purnell notes.

9. Winterize garden tools and accessories

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Don’t just stash your mower or weed whacker (or your trowel or your hoses) in the outbuilding until spring. Catherine Boeckmann of The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers a few best-practice tips to keep your equipment in good shape.

Drain fuel tanks on power equipment. Then read the owner’s manual to find out what else you should do for each type of tool.

Scrub and dry your hand tools, shovels, and the like instead of putting them away caked with damp soil. Some gardeners also rub on a little vegetable oil to prevent rust from forming. My frugal partner applies used motor oil on both the wood and metal parts. 

Empty outdoor containers to keep them from freezing and cracking this winter.

Turn off the watering system. A hose or irrigation setup can be damaged by winter freezes. Some gardeners blow the water out with an air compressor or just bring hoses into a heated garage or shop for the winter.

10. Write it all down

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Ideally, you’ll have kept a garden journal throughout the season. If not, jot down a few notes now. What flourished and what faltered? Which varieties looked/tasted better than others? Which ones suffered in drought or heat waves?

Use a notebook or digital app to record your thoughts. Next growing season, these notes will help set you up for success: Why waste money on seedlings for plants no one would eat, or that didn’t do well in your yard?

Aaron Steil of Iowa State University Extension suggests a journal capturing “the emotional journey of gardening” along with the practical data. “You can record your thoughts, feelings, and inspirations as you watch your garden grow…These memories become a cherished part of your gardening story.”

It’s also a great chance to remind yourself that nobody in your family will eat Swiss chard, and that few people need more than two zucchini plants.

To be clear: We’re not talking literal garbage. Dumpster-diving “freegans” sometimes rescue perfectly good food that’s been thrown out, but that tactic isn’t for everyone. The “garbage” we’re talking about is food scraps that get thrown away before their time. For example, simmering a rotisserie chicken carcass in a few cups of water creates soup stock for free. Why buy the canned stuff when you can make your own? (Yes, “carcass” is a gross word – but the soup sure tastes great.) The fact is, food prices continue to rise, and our salaries don’t always keep pace. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are expected to go up 3.2% overall in 2025, and anywhere from 5.2% to 57.6% in certain food categories. Your hard work pays for those groceries. Why not get the most out of every food dollar?

Finding You the Best Advice

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As a diehard frugalist, I have personally used all the thrifty hacks in this piece. They’ve saved our household a ton of money and improved the quality of our meals. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Sites that specialize in food and frugality also sing the praises of food waste prevention. Incorporate one or two ideas at a time, and soon this no-waste ethos will become second nature. Your wallet will thank you. So will your palate!

1. Easy Soup Stock

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Chefs who are serious about their soups know that the best stock comes from scraps. Keep a bag or container in your freezer to save things like pea pods, celery leaves, herb stems, carrot tops, apple cores, mushroom stems, green bean ends, and onion and garlic skins. (The carnivores among us also save the bones from pork chops, chicken, and the like.) “(Some) of the most nutritious and flavorful components of your vegetables reside in these scraps. Instead of discarding them, transform your vegetable scraps into a delicious, nutritious broth,” notes Natalie LaVolpe of The Old Farmers Almanac. Once the bag is full, add water and salt and simmer for an hour or so on the stove or all day in the slow cooker, then strain it through a sieve or a cloth-lined colander. It’s simple to turn the stock into soup by adding vegetables, meat (if you like), and seasonings. You could opt to freeze it for some other night when you don’t feel like cooking. Incidentally, the best water to use for making stock is…

2. Vegetable Cooking Water

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Don’t discard the liquid left over from cooking vegetables. The trace nutrients in this water will benefit future dishes, according to Melanie Young of Livestrong.com. Sure, it’s a great addition to that homemade soup stock. But don’t stop there! Use this “pot liquor” in other ways, such as:

• Cooking rice, pasta, or dumplings
• Braising or roasting meat
• Flavoring cocktails
• Making smoothies

“Saving your vegetable water and repurposing adds a fun, creative dimension to the old adage, ‘Eat your vegetables’,” notes Young, a certified holistic health coach. Freeze the veggie water until you feel like making soup (or cocktails). Pro tip: “Vegetable” water can also mean the last bits of salsa or ketchup in the jar or bottle. Pour in a little water, shake it well, and add it to the vegetable water container in the freezer.

3. Old or Stale Bread

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Not old or stale as in “covered with spots of blue mold.” No, we’re talking bread whose texture no longer works in a sandwich. The obvious solution is to toast the bread or turn it into French toast. That’s just a start, though. Andrea Karim takes things further in her “17 Uses for Stale Bread” article on a personal finance site called Wise Bread. (Not kidding!) She shares options like breadcrumbs, obviously, to coat your fried chicken or to crunchify the top of your next mac’ n’ cheese bake. Karim also suggests mixing crumbs with cocoa, cinnamon, coconut flakes, and brown sugar for a tasty ice cream topping. Roughly torn stale bread mixed with tomatoes, dressing, and goodies like artichoke hearts becomes “panzanella,” the Italian word for that pricey “bread salad” at the local bistro. Crumble some old bread into your next meatloaf to make it go a little further – and to make it more tender since the bread “keeps the protein separated.” Want to make leftover soup seem better than it is? Cut stale bread into cubes, toss them with olive oil and your favorite herbs, and then brown them in the oven. Or do it my way: Dip one side of the bread cubes in olive oil, sprinkle them with seasoned salt, and bake; my partner eats these the way some people snack on chips or pretzels.

4. Mealtime Scraps

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That quarter-cup of gravy or spoonful of quinoa might seem too small to save. But over time, these little bits can mean significant grocery savings. Jessica Fisher of Good Cheap Eats makes this soup every few days with leftovers like noodles, grains, gravy, other sauces, vegetables, and cooked meat. “When combined with broth and other soup ingredients, these leftovers add amazing flavor to your soup pot,” says Fisher, a cookbook author and mom of six. Start another bag in your freezer for these odds and ends. When the bag is full, make your own potage de garbage with your favorite seasonings and, maybe, one of those homemade vegetable stocks from your boiling bag. It becomes a light, nourishing meal when paired with bread and/or a small salad. Bonus: It’s never the same meal twice, since you’ll be working with different kinds of leftovers every time.

5. Celery and Onion Ends

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Don’t toss out the end of the celery– turn it into a houseplant! In an article on AllRecipes.com, Vanessa Greaves calls the process “just so satisfying.” Here’s how to do it: Cut off about two inches of the end of the celery. Put in four toothpicks, about 1½ inches from the bottom. Suspend the celery on the toothpicks into a shallow bowl, and add water until it covers the bottom inch of the root end. Set it near a window that provides at least a few hours a day of light, and keep the water level high enough to cover the root end. Small roots will start to emerge from the bottom; when they’re about an inch long, plant the celery end in a pot of soil. As the plant grows, keep the dirt moist (not soggy!) and keep it from extreme heat because celery thrives in cooler weather. Greaves uses the same technique to re-grow green onions. If your produce with seeds has gone bad, try growing a whole new plant of out too (like tomatoes, blueberries, etc.). 

6. Pan Juices

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Never throw away the liquid in the frying/roasting pan. “Those ‘leftover’ juices contain major savory flavoring power,” notes Jessica Goldman Foung of TheKitchn.com. That liquid can be turned into gravy on the spot. You can also pour the pan juices into a bowl or measuring cup, chill until solid, then remove the congealed fat from the top. Foung suggests using this fat to:

• Saute leafy greens or other vegetables
• Add a super-crisp texture to roasted potatoes.
• Season beans, lentils, or polenta
• Make a really savory popcorn

And the jellied juices left underneath the fat layer? Freeze them later when you want to add extra flavor to a soup or stew.

7. “Expired” Milk

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The so-called expiration date on milk cartons is just “an educated guess from the manufacturer,” according to Li Goldstein of Bon Appetit. Milk can last days beyond that arbitrary date, so don’t automatically toss the moo once its best-by date is here: “If your milk doesn’t smell or look funky after the stamped expiration date has passed, it’s likely safe to consume.” Afraid you won’t be able to finish the milk in time? Cook with it! Temperatures that reach 165 degrees or higher will kill any bacteria that may have started to grow, Goldstein notes. “Put (it) toward a cake, a creamy soup, or perhaps a tray of muffins for Sunday brunch. Make dulce de leche from scratch. Live a little and braise some pork in it! If you can’t find an immediate use, freeze it in portions to call upon for soups or baking projects to come.” To keep milk fresh, don’t let it sit out during meals. Pour what you need and put the milk back in the fridge – and not in those fridge-door shelves that seem like the perfect size for milk jugs or cartons. “While it may be a bit inconvenient, store your milk in the back of your fridge where it’s coldest,” notes the United Dairy Industry Association website. Incidentally, my household uses “old” milk for waffles, gravy, or cakes. Do an online search for “sour milk cake recipes.”

8. Jam or Jelly Jars

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There’s usually some jam left stuck to the jar. I like to pour in some cold milk, give it a good shake, and then drink the result. You could add flavored milk to a cake or cookie recipe for a subtle flavor boost. Another option is to add vinegar, oil, and your favorite seasonings to the “empty” jar. Shaken together, they become a fruity vinaigrette that brightens up a salad of greens, grains, or beans. If neither of those ideas appeals, shake it with water and add it to your freezer’s vegetable cooking water container. This tactic also applies to…

9. Ketchup or Salsa Containers

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That empty ketchup bottle still has flavor to share, and so does the salsa jar. Why throw it away? Instead, shake with some water and add to soup, spaghetti sauce, or whatever you’re simmering on the stove. Pro tip: Use the salsa mixture instead of plain water when making tacos. Note: Either type of water can improve your vegetable cooking water container. The more kinds of flavors you add, the more interesting your future soups will be. I have been known to shake “empty” jars of applesauce or home-canned rhubarb compote.

10. Stale Crackers or Salty Snacks

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The price of potato chips increased by 41% in the last five years, according to government research. If you paid $7.99 a bag, you should enjoy every last chip – even if you forgot to close the bag and they went stale. Reviving stale crackers, pretzels, tortilla chips, popcorn, and other crispy treats is a snap (so to speak) if you have an air fryer. Typically, it takes three to four minutes at 350 degrees; do an online search for your specific snack. This tactic also works on breakfast cereal, taco shells, and just about any once-crunchy food (including fried chicken) that has gone soft. And if you don’t have an air fryer? Use an oven or toaster oven on low heat until your food makes noise when you eat it.

12. Broccoli and/or Cauliflower Rescue

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Some people eat only the florets from broccoli or cauliflower and throw the rest away. What a waste of these healthy veggies! “There is a lot more to these cruciferous beauties than just their florets,” writes Sherri Brooks Vinton of FoodPrint.com. She suggests that she mixes the stems and cores in a hot oven with olive oil or uses stems and leaves for stir-fries, pickles, pureed soups, and other dishes. In her book, “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking With Economy and Grace,” chef Tamar Adler suggests another use: a simple, no-basil pesto:

• Simmer the chopped stems, leaves, and cores from either (or both) vegetables with garlic, olive oil, and salt. (I like to add some carrots for a bit of color.)
• When tender, mash to the consistency you want.
• Serve with crackers or over pasta or rice.

13. Pickle Brine

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Don’t throw away the juice once the pickles are gone! My partner and I save the liquid until we have an almost empty mustard bottle. Pour brine into the bottle, give it a good shake, and you have a zingy mustard vinegar that adds pizzazz to soups, lentils, or beans. Over at RuralSprout.com, blogger Tracey Besemer shares two dozen ways to use leftover pickle brine. Among them:

• Make more pickles. Add thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots, green beans, or whatever you like, and refrigerate for a few days.
• Create a superior Bloody Mary. “This brunch staple is easily improved with by adding pickle juice,” the blogger notes.
• Marinate meat or poultry. Vinegar is a natural tenderizer, and the pickle spices add flavor. In particular, a 24-hour bath in pickle juice makes “the most incredible fried chicken you’ve ever tasted,” Besemer writes.

Use It Up

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A little creativity lets you save money, avoid food waste, and – bonus! – helps the Earth. According to the USDA, food is the largest category of material put into municipal landfills each year. That rotting food results in an estimated 58% of methane emissions from landfills. Food waste can have a profound impact on your wallet as well as the world. Do your part to reduce that impact by getting inventive about the way you eat or even starting a compost. You won’t believe the satisfaction of getting extra meals from things you used to throw away.

Got sticker shock at the supermarket? Get used to it: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are expected to rise 3.2% overall in 2025, with noticeably higher price increases in specific categories.

For example, the price of beef/veal is expected to rise 5.2% in 2025 after already going up 7.6% in the previous 12 months (ouch). Egg prices are predicted to increase 57.6%, fruits 11.6%, and milk 10.9% in 2025.

Luckily, food is the most hackable category in your budget. After all, you probably can’t get reduced rent or a lower car payment just by asking. What you can do is get serious about inflation-proofing your pantry.

Shoppers Who Know Their Dimes from Their Dollars

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Tired of reading the same run-of-the-mill shopping hacks (Buy on sale! Use coupons!) over and over? Me too! As a longtime frugal shopper, I know how to stretch a food buck. I’ve also curated some great tips from some fellow frugalists.

The following tactics mix strategic shopping tactics with out-of-the-box answers to filling the cupboard. Use them to stock your shelves without breaking the bank.

Food Banks and Government Food Benefits

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Obvious, right? But this might be brand-new information if you’ve never been short on funds.

The U.S. government provides SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) or WIC benefits (for pregnant women and parents or guardians of young children) to eligible residents. Follow the links to learn if you qualify.

A nonprofit called Feeding America has a search tool to help you find food banks in your region. You should also do an online search for “food banks near me,” since not all food pantries are affiliated with Feeding America.  Finally, dial 2-1-1 (a health and social services helpline) and ask for food pantries in your area. 

Buy Nothing Facebook Groups

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A nonprofit called the Buy Nothing Project celebrates the “gift economy”: the no-strings-attached sharing of goods and services. One part of this mission is the Buy Nothing Facebook group, a way for members to offer (or ask for) a wide variety of gifts, including food.

Not all groups are created equal, obviously. Still, you might be offered things like backyard produce, the results of a “pantry cleanout,” extra holiday treats, or items a member tried but didn’t like (Costco-sized bags of dried fruit, anyone?).

My BN group has yielded us treasures like bread flour, yeast, canned goods, sugar, rice, protein powder, beans, pickling salt, and coconut. Bonus: Neighbors help neighbors in other ways, such as by giving rides to work or walking a sick person’s dog.

Look for a group in your area at https://buynothingproject.org/find-a-group/.

Scratch and Dent Grocers

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Also known as “salvage grocers,” these stores sell a mix of “closeout, overstocked, and discontinued items that come with significant discounts,” according to The Freebie Guy.

“The thrill of shopping at these outlets lies in the unexpected treasures you might find – products you didn’t even know you needed, all at a fraction of their regular price,” the writer shares. The discounts can be anywhere from 50% to 75% off.

About those scratches and dents: According to Foodie.com, it’s a good idea to “double-check cans for bulges or exaggerated dents, which can indicate the presence of bacteria.” Totally worth it, though, for the “extraordinary savings” found in these stores.

TFG has compiled a state-by-state list of salvage grocers. You should also search online for “salvage grocers near me.”

Ethnic Markets

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Stores dedicated to the cuisines of Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and other cultures can broaden your culinary horizons while shrinking your grocery budget. In addition to culture-specific foods, these markets are full of items that everyday cooks use: dry beans, pasta, rice, sauces, and extensive selections of meat, seafood, and produce.

A typical ethnic market focuses on “grocery items that are filling, usable in a number of ways, and cost-friendly,” writes Gary Guthrie of ConsumerAffairs.com. “Buying a 10-pound bag of rice at an Indian grocery store is likely to beat any price point that Costco comes up with.”

Pro tip: If it would take you forever to finish a 10-pound bag of rice (or beans, or whatever), split the purchase with a friend or friends.

Clearance Racks – Everywhere

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Most people have seen supermarket clearance (or “last chance”) racks or tables. Managers send close-dated items there, along with leftover Peeps or chocolate Santas that didn’t sell during the holidays. But that’s not all you’ll find, according to Jessica Fisher of TheKitchn.com.

“I’ve found specialty spices and sauces, interesting prepared foods, and all manner of baking ingredients, cereals, canned goods, and sweets,” Fisher notes, at up to 75% off their regular cost.

Priced-to-sell food can be found outside the supermarket, though. Clearance racks in big-box stores, drugstores like Walgreens and CVS, convenience stores, and even office supply stores could yield surprising bargains. I once scored a 30-ounce can of coffee at Office Depot for just 84 cents – and no, I couldn’t believe it, either.

Similar to clearance tables are…

“Manager’s Special” Deals

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Slightly overripe bananas. Canned black-eyed peas left over from New Year’s. Bags of hamburger buns that didn’t sell. Milk or meat that’s close to its sell-by date. Supermarket managers need these things gone, and the discounts can be considerable.

These are “almost always a very good deal,” writes Katie from Frugal Mama Project. That is, if you observe two simple rules. “Make sure it’s something you will really use. And if it’s meat, eat it or freeze it that night to make sure it doesn’t go to waste.”

Pro tip: Close-dated milk works just fine for yogurt or pudding.

Little Free Pantries

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Maybe you’ve heard of Little Free Libraries – tiny structures filled with books for anyone to take. Little Free Pantries are based on the same idea, except they’re filled with nonperishable foods.

You might find toiletries, pet products, or even baby items if you’re lucky. And since they’re open around the clock, you can swing by anytime.

Look for these gratis groceries by searching online for “Little Free Pantry near me.” You can also check out a pair of clearinghouses: Little Free Pantries and Little Free Pantry.

Restaurant Supply Stores

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The ultimate “bulk buy” experience! These retailers cater to the restaurant trade, but some allow members of the public to shop there as well.

You can buy huge blocks of cheese, giant sacks of dry goods, large sacks of potatoes and onions, quart-sized jars of condiments and spices, enormous quantities of meat/poultry, and No. 10 cans of beans, veggies, and fruits.

“It beats Costco in terms of prices…This shopping strategy has saved me a ton of money, especially when they have weekly specials or clearance sales,” writes Melissa Burnell at Budget101.com.

Obviously, not everyone needs 50 pounds of flour or a quart of sriracha at a time. But you can shop with a friend or two and have a pleasant visit afterward as you divvy up the goods.

“Repackaging everything and organizing it in my freezer or cupboards takes a bit of time,” Burnell notes, “but the savings are well worth it.”

Foraging

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Our hunter-gatherer ancestors gathered food directly from the land. Some people still do, picking wild greens, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts in season.

Wild harvests aren’t limited to wild places, though. City or suburban parks, greenbelts, or even vacant lots can yield a dandelion salad or a dish of wild blackberries – the ultimate in “seasonal” and “local” eating, according to author Ellen Zachos of BackyardForager.com.

“Wild edibles are harvested at their peak, when they are most delicious and perfectly ripe. They have un-buyable flavors you won’t find on the shelf of any grocery store,” says Zachos, author of books such as “The Forager’s Pantry” and “Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat.”

For best-practice tips, see “Wild and Wonderful Ingredients You Can Forage to Slash Your Food Bill.”

Closely related to foraging is….

Gleaning

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In Biblical times, “gleaning” meant allowing the poor to pick up missed grains or crops left behind after the harvest. These days, nonprofits are working to “recover” unused food from the fields, supermarkets, universities, wholesalers, and other locations.

Some programs offer the gleaned items outright. Others are looking for volunteers to help harvest in return for a share of the food.

Get your glean on with help from a nonprofit called Food Forward, which has compiled a list of gleaning organizations in North America. You could also search for “gleaning projects near me,” since a local program might not be listed nationally.

Here are a few to get you going:

• Fallen Fruit (maps of fruits and nuts in the Los Angeles area)
• Food For Free (direct service to Massachusetts seniors, students, and others who are food insecure)
• Falling Fruit (worldwide maps of produce plus links to organizations that distribute food)
• Village Harvest (gleaning programs in 10 U.S. states and one Canadian province)
• Portland (Oregon) Fruit Tree Project (“group harvests” organized on private property and commercial concerns)
• Urban Food Forestry (links to harvest initiatives in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom)

Dollar Stores

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Dollar stores aren’t only about cheap snacks and two-for-a-buck birthday cards! You can also buy pantry staples like dry beans, rice, tea bags, spices, lentils, split peas, vinegar, pasta, canned fish, and peanut butter. (Thanks to Dollar Tree teabags, my homemade iced tea costs just 12.5 cents per gallon.)

Depending on the store, you might also find specialty items like jars of dried figs, olives, or marinated Italian vegetables. If you use artificial sweeteners or drink mixes like Wyler’s, you’ll find those as well. And, yeah, plenty of cookies, pretzels, and other treats; if you know you’ll buy them, why not buy them at the lowest price point?

Some of those items are likely cheaper at an ethnic market. But if storage space is limited, buying 10 (or 20) pounds of rice or beans at a time won’t work for you.

And are things super tight right now due to reduced work hours or an unexpected expense like car repair? “Purchasing smaller quantities of something at a lower price can get you through to the next paycheck or (the) next month,“ writes Amanda Grossman of Frugal Confessions.

Estate Sales

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An estate sale is an “everything must go“ event – which may include the contents of the deceased person’s kitchen. Some items I’ve gotten for almost nothing at estate sales include canned goods, rice, cake mixes, salt, vanilla, spices, waxed paper, aluminum foil, stuffing mix, and jam.

“Fatcatleah,“ a member of Reddit’s r/Frugal community, goes straight to the pantry at any estate sale. Your mileage may vary, but Fatcatleah scores canned goods (including proteins like sardines and chicken), jarred spaghetti sauce, dried beans, pasta, salad dressing, flour, and sugar. Another community member, Immediate-Ruin2464, suggests “the real value“ is in cleaning supplies: “That stuff is super expensive.”

Sound weird or even morbid? Think of it as helping the environment along with your budget: Unsold items might be donated to a food bank, or they might end up in a landfill.

Every Penny Counts

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Does that sound like something your grandma would say? Well, she’s right! Every time you spend less (or nothing) on groceries, that means more money in your pocket.

Use those savings to keep building the pantry. For example, suppose the clearance section has your favorite pasta sauce at half price. Put those savings toward an extra jar of peanut butter or some other food you eat a lot, either at the supermarket or one of the other stores mentioned above.

Baby steps like these will lead to a full cupboard for a lot less. That means a little peace of mind in these inflationary times.