While the average single parent is definitely on a budget, we also have time management issues to contend with. In the summer months, our time is often really stretched with work and household responsibilities and spending time with our children who are off school for the summer. Instead of spending your precious time trying to keep the grass mowed and the flowers watered, it might be time to consider hiring some temporary yard maintenance for the summer months.
You may have never thought of yourself as the kind of person who would have “a gardener” but there is a difference between a full time gardener and professional yard maintenance or landscaping firm. Having your lawn mowed and the hedges clipped once a week or once every two weeks can be an affordable and time-saving way that a single parent can keep the yard looking nice without having to work away in the hot sun.
There are so many landscape and yard maintenance businesses that there is sure to be one that can fit your needs and your budget. An online search or some research in the phone book is a good way to explore your options. Community centers, newsletters, hardware stores and newspapers are other places to find reliable yard care. You may even be able to hire a neighborhood teenager or retired person who can keep up your yard and garden for a reasonable price. Budgeting in a little extra for this service during the warm, summer months may take a little creativity, but in the end you may find that the time it saves you and the peace of mind is well worth the added expense. Not to mention, having someone else take care of the yard work means that you can spend those premium non-work hours doing summer activities with your children.
See Also: A Frugal Garden