Any opportunity to save money around the home and in the garden or yard is welcome. You might grow your own vegetables – a great idea for anyone who enjoys gardening, as many are very easy to grow – or perhaps you keep hens for fresh eggs? Then there’s the money and time you can save by doing jobs yourself rather than getting the professionals in; many garden and outdoor jobs can be great DIY projects, and if you have the right tools you can get things done quickly and easily, and at little cost.

Sometimes, when the spring comes, and you want to get out in the garden, it’s difficult to know where to start! If you want advice on the essential jobs you should be doing, this guide to the top gardening jobs to be getting on with is a great read! But, we’re talking about saving money and – more specifically – about saving money by installing a rain barrel. Many people have barrels that they use to collect rainwater, so why should you? Well, the question really is why you haven’t already! This is one the easiest ways to save money, and one of the most affordable too.

Why You Need a Rain Barrel

Here’s the thing: you pay for your tap water. In some cases, you will pay a flat fee, but in most cases, you will be charged for the amount you use in a given time. When it comes to the gardening season, you can use a lot more water than you think you are. Every time you turn the hose on to set the sprinklers off or water your borders, vegetable patch or lawn, you are adding to your water bill – and quite considerably, too!

Now, rainwater is free. It falls from the sky and is not regulated! So why are you not collecting that water for use in your garden? Now that you think about it, that makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? In the rainy season, you will find a rain barrel fills up very quickly indeed. Most rain barrels for domestic use are around the 55 to 60-gallon size.

This will fill over a full day’s rainfall. That’s a lot of water you’ve got, and all free! Rain barrels are not expensive – you can read these reviews of the top rain barrels on the market right now – and are surprisingly cost-effective. So, how do you get the rainwater into the barrel?

How to Use a Rain Barrel

The idea is that your rain barrel connects to the downpipe from your guttering. This way, the rain from your roof flows directly into your barrel, with no waste at all. The area of your roof will determine how much water flows into the barrel and how quickly. When you need water from the barrel, there is usually a tap system you can use to fill your watering can and so on.
One thing that many gardeners do is to buy barrels that can be linked together.

This is done with simple piping. The linked barrels are separated by pipes with taps. Open the taps, and the water flows through to the next barrel. You can connect as many barrels as you want this way, so you have the capacity to collect many barrels of rainwater rather than just the one.

This method makes a lot of sense if you have a large garden or if you have a glasshouse. The latter can need a lot of water, so it makes sense to have at least one barrel close to it for ease of use. Watering your plants using rainwater is the most cost-effective way of getting the best out of nature, as very little else is free!

There are many different types of the rain barrel to choose from, and we strongly recommend you check out the models that can be linked together. Having a selection of barrels in series means you greatly increase the capacity you have for holding water, and reduce the necessity for using your home supply completely. Check out rainwater barrels now, and make your garden as water-efficient as it can be, you won’t regret it!