 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.