Editor: Crass Cash
What if I brought you an investment that had a 7 month return on investment? Would you take it? What if asked you if that $419 investment would grow to $300,000 over the next 50 years? What if I also told you, you'd live longer due to the investment? Would you still take it? Well if you said "no", you're an idiot. If you said, yes than keep reading...
(The not so secret to this magical investment is (drum roll please)...mowing your own lawn! That's right, by mowing your own lawn, you can save $300,000 by the time you're 85 and also get a lot more exercise, thus increasing your lifespan. And I'm not talking about one of those sissy gas lawn mowers that you start with your vagina. I'm talking about the real deal! The kind that your grizzly old grandfather used! Human powered old school!
The above equipment costs as follows:
mower: $100
weed-eater/edger: $170
blower: $149
Now if you really want to get hardcore about it. Buy the mower for $50 on craigslist and sweep rather than getting a $150 blower. I have rental properties so the blower actually comes in handy for blowing off flat roofs.
So how did I arrive at this? The assumptions are as follows. $60 a month for lawn service for all 12 months of the year (quite cheap from what people tell me). You get a 7% return on your investment from the savings of doing it yourself. This is compounded over 50 years if you start at the age of 35 and live to 85. Shut your whiny mouth, my grandfather mowed his lawn until he was 90, which is probably why he lived that long!
35 $ 301.00
36 $ 1,092.47
37 $ 1,939.34
38 $ 2,845.50
39 $ 3,815.08
40 $ 4,852.54
41 $ 5,962.62
42 $ 7,150.40
43 $ 8,421.33
44 $ 9,781.22
45 $ 11,236.30
46 $ 12,793.25
47 $ 14,459.17
48 $ 16,241.71
49 $ 18,149.03
50 $ 20,189.87
51 $ 22,373.56
52 $ 24,710.11
53 $ 27,210.21
54 $ 29,885.33
55 $ 32,747.70
56 $ 35,810.44
57 $ 39,087.57
58 $ 42,594.10
59 $ 46,346.09
60 $ 50,360.72
61 $ 54,656.37
62 $ 59,252.71
63 $ 64,170.80
64 $ 69,433.16
65 $ 75,063.88
66 $ 81,088.75
67 $ 87,535.36
68 $ 94,433.24
69 $ 101,813.96
70 $ 109,711.34
71 $ 118,161.54
72 $ 127,203.24
73 $ 136,877.87
74 $ 147,229.72
75 $ 158,306.20
76 $ 170,158.04
77 $ 182,839.50
78 $ 196,408.66
79 $ 210,927.67
80 $ 226,463.01
81 $ 243,085.82
82 $ 260,872.22
83 $ 279,903.68
84 $ 300,267.34
85 $ 322,056.45
Year 1 deducts the cost of the yard equipment, after that it's all gravy! Now I know what you're thinking. That equipment isn't going to last 50 years and you'd be correct. However, in order to be conservative, I did not include any increases in the cost of paying somebody to mow your lawn. It most likely will double at least every 20 years.
The other thing that this is supposed to illustrate is the power of compound interest. After a while the cost means absolutely nothing due to the investment return of your assets each year. In the beginning it's everything. This relates to your own wealth as well. In the beginning your investment return accounts for almost nothing compared to your savings. This transitions over the decades and eventually your investments dwarf your savings.
So go sweat. It's good for you, your wallet, and the environment!
The above equipment costs as follows:
mower: $100
weed-eater/edger: $170
blower: $149
Now if you really want to get hardcore about it. Buy the mower for $50 on craigslist and sweep rather than getting a $150 blower. I have rental properties so the blower actually comes in handy for blowing off flat roofs.
So how did I arrive at this? The assumptions are as follows. $60 a month for lawn service for all 12 months of the year (quite cheap from what people tell me). You get a 7% return on your investment from the savings of doing it yourself. This is compounded over 50 years if you start at the age of 35 and live to 85. Shut your whiny mouth, my grandfather mowed his lawn until he was 90, which is probably why he lived that long!
35 $ 301.00
36 $ 1,092.47
37 $ 1,939.34
38 $ 2,845.50
39 $ 3,815.08
40 $ 4,852.54
41 $ 5,962.62
42 $ 7,150.40
43 $ 8,421.33
44 $ 9,781.22
45 $ 11,236.30
46 $ 12,793.25
47 $ 14,459.17
48 $ 16,241.71
49 $ 18,149.03
50 $ 20,189.87
51 $ 22,373.56
52 $ 24,710.11
53 $ 27,210.21
54 $ 29,885.33
55 $ 32,747.70
56 $ 35,810.44
57 $ 39,087.57
58 $ 42,594.10
59 $ 46,346.09
60 $ 50,360.72
61 $ 54,656.37
62 $ 59,252.71
63 $ 64,170.80
64 $ 69,433.16
65 $ 75,063.88
66 $ 81,088.75
67 $ 87,535.36
68 $ 94,433.24
69 $ 101,813.96
70 $ 109,711.34
71 $ 118,161.54
72 $ 127,203.24
73 $ 136,877.87
74 $ 147,229.72
75 $ 158,306.20
76 $ 170,158.04
77 $ 182,839.50
78 $ 196,408.66
79 $ 210,927.67
80 $ 226,463.01
81 $ 243,085.82
82 $ 260,872.22
83 $ 279,903.68
84 $ 300,267.34
85 $ 322,056.45
Year 1 deducts the cost of the yard equipment, after that it's all gravy! Now I know what you're thinking. That equipment isn't going to last 50 years and you'd be correct. However, in order to be conservative, I did not include any increases in the cost of paying somebody to mow your lawn. It most likely will double at least every 20 years.
The other thing that this is supposed to illustrate is the power of compound interest. After a while the cost means absolutely nothing due to the investment return of your assets each year. In the beginning it's everything. This relates to your own wealth as well. In the beginning your investment return accounts for almost nothing compared to your savings. This transitions over the decades and eventually your investments dwarf your savings.
So go sweat. It's good for you, your wallet, and the environment!
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