My fiancé (whoa…still getting used to saying that one!) and I are a few short weeks away from closing escrow on our first home. It has been such an exciting time but the closer we get the more I feel like reality is slapping me in the face! Our home was built in 1949 and is absolutely adorable if I do say so myself; but, with age comes some serious maintenance issues. My ‘to-do’ list…wait, let’s get real…my ‘to-buy’ list is ever-growing. While I would love to purchase that gorgeous light fixture for the dining room and start in on my painting (Courtney Kalashian, you can count on the fact that there will be stripes somewhere), I have to keep reminding myself that we must start with the basics before I bankrupt my soon-to-be husband and myself.

Call me a nerd, but the one item that sits at the top of our ‘need’ list is a lawn mower and I am so stinkin’ excited! I am sure that enthusiasm will go away once I actually have to push that thing across the large expanse of grass and realize that Patrick Dempsey isn’t going to drive meoff into the sunset on the back of his mower, but I am still giddy. Maybe I am misreading my emotions and I am actually just anxious to get this process over with and have those keys in my hands. Either way, when it comes to lawn mowers there are so many options out there but I feel I am obligated to do it the right way. The SJVCEO way. The Wellness Wednesday way. And so I begin my adventures in search of the perfect electric lawn mower.

Not only are electric lawn mowers quieter than their gas counterparts (my new neighbors will love me), they are also much better for our air quality (i.e. smaller carbon footprint) which means better health for you and me. Our friends over at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District have even held electric lawn mower trade-in programs in the past in which Valley residents could replace their old gas-powered mower with a clean, electric mower for less than $100. I am hoping that in honor of me purchasing a home they will reinstate this program. Wink, wink. In the meantime, I have signed up online to receive email updates regarding this ‘Clean Green Yard Machine’ program.

Another side bonus? Electric mowers will cost less than gas mowers in the long run. According to mowersdirect.com, summertime mowing will only cost about $5 in electric bills! No stinky gasoline. Cleaner air. Healthier lungs. More money in my pocket. Looks like I might be getting that light fixture after all!

--Maureen Hoff

Photo Credit: Mount, Thom (Producer) & Rash, Steve (Director). 1987. Can't Buy Me Love [Motion picture]/ United Sates. Apollo Pictures, Silver Screen Partners III, The Mount Company.

Photo credit: https://www.worx.com/en-US/lawn_mowers.aspx