Grocery vs grow — first-year ROI sketch

Enter what you spend on grocery produce (monthly or weekly), household size, outdoor space, and hours per week you can actually keep. Optional USDA zone. You get a calm first-year range: DIY garden cash outlay vs produce bill you might offset — plus when growing loses money on paper, and when a structured guide might help vs free Extension.

Honest framing: year one often spends more than it saves in dollars. Quality, flavor, and learning still matter — just do not plan the mortgage around “cut the grocery bill in half.” Numbers are soft U.S. home ranges. Your prices, pests, and weather will move them.