Return on investment, when it comes to growing, pays for itself in no time flat! I started growing because, at the time (2009ish) I was recently jobless and zips from my plugs were 160-200+ for anything decent/worthwhile...clubs were charging 280++ for the same type of shit and rising. Since forever I've smoked anywhere from 1-2 zips a month for my personal meds/needs...and that is a lot of money to spend every month when livingg below the poverty line... especially when between jobs. So, I had to make a lifestyle choice that would change my life forever!
For the first couple years, til I got the hang of things (growing in a portable closet), I still had to buy a zip here n there each year to hold me off between harvests. I wasn't growing anything very noteworthy at that point in time either, but I was saving tons of money and growing/consuming 100% organic and clean meds...grown by myself! That, in and of itself was reward enough!! But, the returns by that point had already more than covered the costs... Especially since I was running CFLs. Then I upgraded to my super cool 2x3x5 grow tent... Cause I was serious now!?
Then, when I started to get a lil better I'd give and smoke some with a couple of my boys and/or family members and they liked it too...and the compliments I'd get resonated with me and got me in my feels?. That made me wanna do better... Much better!
I eventually upgraded from my CFLs, lols, and bought some blurple panels that I ran for quite some time since I couldn't afford real lights. Then, somewhere along the lines I bought my first big boy light (my 150W Sunsystem hps... Cause that was the norm for real growers... and now I'm real serious?)! Getting better with each passing grow I started to grow my confidence an some real seriousness.
Fast forward a bit, and now I have added a 4x4 and some real legit hlg qb panels... Thanks Obama!! (It actually wasn't til I got my first stimulus check that I could afford the tent and QBs). It wasn't actually Obama stimulus either cause I didn't qualify for them for whatever reason... It was actually Trump's first stimulus 2-3 years ago or so that I got that paid for my new/current lights... Changed the game for me!
All in all, my electricity bill ranges from 100-200 give or take for the whole current household needs per month. I still have some dry amendments I use regularly on hand that I've purchased, some, 5+years ago. I recycle all my soil from run to run and only buy maybe 1 fresh bag of soil a year strictly for new bean pops and cuttings. Consumption has been up upped but I think I've (in a pinch) had to purchase maybe a few Oz's, can't be anymore than 5 in total, over the past 10 years or so... We could do the math, but at this point it don't even matter... Even with the purchase of bigger tent and of new lights a few years back, they paid for themselves after the first couple runs or so... and some!
Plus, on top of all that goodness...now I get to hang out and shoot the shit with all you dope ass like-minded individuals...sharing and creating new dope ass shit together!! My life and struggles suck for sure and at times get me down on the daily... But this place brings me not only joy, but peace of mind from a fucked up reality/society, along with an added sense of purpose?I pHucking love my growmies and I love this place from the bottom of my heart, and that's the cold blooded truth?