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Are you really saving money by mowing the lawn yourself?
Have you ever wondered if the time you spend performing lawn care could have been spent doing something else?
Worse still, do you know the dangers associated with lawn care?
Interestingly enough, lawn care is one chore that most people believe saves time and money; but does it really?
Let’s find out!
A Recent Study Shows Americans Spend Years on Lawn Care
In a recent study, researchers have found that the average person can spend 1248 days (roughly 3.5 years) of his/her performing lawn care.
Look, it doesn’t matter if you are mowing grass in Huntersville, North Carolina or cutting yards in Altamonte Springs, Florida. That is a lot of time!
Additionally, you need to consider the cost of the equipment, the cost of maintaining that equipment, and the potential risks associated with mowing.
You could argue that it’s actually much cheaper to hire a pro to handle lawn care.
Below are some reasons that may help you decide whether or not to fire up the lawn mower or instead to fire up GreenPal—an easy-to-use website that helps you find lawn care.
A Lawn Care Service Can Save Money
What are the true costs to purchase and maintain equipment?
On average—a riding mower costs $1,500, a blower $150, and a weed eater, $100—the total investment adds up, and on top of that.
These costs do not include regular maintenance, repairs, and/or gas. With the initial costs at $1750, mowing an average of 30 times per year will cost the homeowner $36 per cut. ($1750/30=$36).
Here's the deal, data gathered by a national GreenPal lawn vendor survey shows the average mowing price is roughly $45 per half acre.
So for homeowners to cut their own grass at $1080 per year, and a professional vendor to mow at $1350 per year. Homeowners who mow the lawn themselves save only $270 per year.
This is crazy but, it would ultimately take a homeowner almost 7 years to recoup their initial investment of $1750. In light of these estimates and those in the previous paragraph, are you really saving any money?
You Will Have More Time To Do Something Else
What else could you be doing?
Think about it, if you spend roughly 3.5 years mowing the lawn, that’s time you could be spending with family, hiking, parasailing, etc.
That number of years equates to over 29,952 hours; it takes the average person over 10,000 hours to master a skill or trade.
That is nearly three trades that can be mastered instead of mowing the lawn!
Who wouldn’t want to be able to play Beethoven’s Symphony #5 on piano? Additionally, how much money is your time worth?
Taking an average salary of $50k, that equates to a hefty $175k. What extra could you do with that money?
Hiring a Lawn Care Service Helps You Stay Safe
How dangerous can mowing the lawn really be?
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 80,000 people are taken to the emergency room every year due to lawn related injuries.
Lawn equipment—including mowers, weed eaters, hedge clippers, and mulchers—are some of the most dangerous items in the household. Also, flammable gas, harmful fumes, and sharp blades moving at over 200 mph, all bring added dangers to this chore.
Additionally, being in the sun without protection can have long lasting negative impact on the skin, including cancer and skin disease.
Why not leave this task to better-trained pros?
Lawn Care Services Offer A Higher Quality of Service
Could you do it better? Most lawn care professionals have spent thousands of dollars on equipment and still offer affordable lawn care.
These mowers, blowers, and weed eaters are normally of the highest caliber and are designed to cut better, cut faster, and cut more consistently than your residential equipment. Also, most lawn pros have years of experience and have an eye for making lawns look great each and every time.
Think about it this way…
Would you want to buy your own tools and fix your car’s transmission, or would you rather take it to a shop and let a mechanic do it?
The Bottom Line: Is it Cheaper To Do it Yourself?
The short answer is no!
By uncovering the true costs of mowing the lawn—not just monetary--or of hiring a pro for the service, you can make your own informed decision on the debate at hand.
Factoring in:
The time needed for the task,
Cost of the equipment,
The possible dangers of mowing...
...why not let the pros handle this mundane task?
Like the Rolling Stones said, “Time is on my side;” and with GreenPal, “Yes it is!”
