In an ailing economy, the first expense that is often cut from any budget is extra spending.
Unfortunately, hobbies fit into the "extra spending" category.
Hobbies are important because they provide outlets from our daily routines.
We can lose ourselves in our hobbies and relieve our stress, making them beneficial to both our physical and mental well-being.
So, although cutting them out of a budget might help the pocketbook, it doesn't help us to be healthy, whole beings.
For gardeners, cutting budgets means walking by that rare peach astilbe that would perfectly set off your peonies and fill in the empty space in your cottage garden.
Finding affordable plants can be a challenge.
So what's a gardener to do? Don't throw in your spade just yet.
With a bit of know-how, you can find some amazing deals and get your hands back in the dirt.
One of the oldest tricks in the book on saving money is buying wholesale.
When you cut out the middleman you cut out additional costs and, in the case of plants, get a healthier specimen.
A great way to do this is through online garden centers.
You can easily peruse their stock while you save money, time and gas.
Keep an eye out for sales and clearance pages on nursery sites--new deals sprout up all the time.
Another trick to finding affordable plants is waiting for out of season stock to "ripen.
" For thrifty gardeners, the anticipated season is out-of-season.
In the grand scheme of your garden, what does it matter if you plant that astilbe a few weeks later than you could have? If you practice a little patience, you will be able to afford that specimen you really desire instead of settling for something else or having to pass it up all together.
Gardeners will tell you that part of having a green thumb includes the apparently innate ability to bring an almost-dead plant back to life.
All gardeners have their saved-plant stories, akin to fishermen's tales.
Instead of waiting for that happen spatial next find, you can seek out struggling plants that can be purchased at fractions of their original price.
Check clearance sections for plants that, if given a little love, will love you back.
It's a great way to feel even better about your purchase.
Of course, there's always the point that if you are planting and raising your own food-producing plants and trees, you will reap what you sow by saving money every time you harvest your own produce and skip the supermarket.
Fruit trees and shrubs are low maintenance and pay for themselves in a short time.
It's the closest thing you will find to owning a money tree in your back yard.
So if gardening is your hobby, you're in luck.
In a tight economy, gardening can actually be a beneficial hobby for the pocketbook in the long run.
Finding affordable plants is just a matter of thinking outside the planter box.