 I always tell people if they want to stretch their gardening dollar, one of the best ways is to invest in quality, quality tools. The days of the old wooden-handled spades and hoes are pretty well gone. Buy reinforced tools that feel comfortable to your hands. If you do your own mowing, invest in a better machine. It will offer more options of comfort, safety, and performance. It may cost a bit more at the outset, but it'll be money well spent, and you'll find that it probably will outlast the cheaper models.