If you have a lawn, you need lawn care. But if you’re like most homeowners, chances are you don’t want to spend a lot of money keeping your lawn healthy. The key to saving money on lawn care is knowing what treatments you need and what you’re buying. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to ensure you get the most affordable lawn care.

Make Small Changes to Your Care Routine

Unless you’re using a lawn care provider, you’re probably mowing and watering your lawn yourself. Making these small changes can help your lawn stay healthy.

Set the mower higher: Managing your lawn’s length will help keep it beautiful, and setting your mower deck a little bit higher will keep your grass longer. This will allow your grass to better retain moisture—and more moisture will give you a greener, healthier lawn. A longer lawn may mean you have to mow more often, but you’ll be saving money on watering and other lawn treatments.

Make sure your blade is sharp: A sharp mower blade will give you a more even cut, which will make your lawn more aesthetically pleasing.

Water in the morning: The cooler morning temperatures mean water is less likely to evaporate. The amount of water your lawn needs depends on the soil. If you have clay soil, you’ll need to water just once a week, while sandy soil requires hydration at least three times a week.

Do Your Research

The last thing you want to do is waste money by using the wrong product or using the wrong product at the wrong time. Doing so can cause your wallet to take a hit in order to fix your lawn. If you’re doing your own lawn care, research lawn treatments and common lawn care mistakes to be sure you’re not damaging your lawn.

Sometimes products will not work well if you use them together—seeding and crabgrass prevention, for example, results in no new grass growth. Other times, you may waste a treatment if your lawn doesn’t need one. If you notice an issue with your lawn, it’s best to research it to be sure it’s something that can be treated and how to do so properly.

Get Several Quotes

If you decide to outsource the care of your lawn to a lawn care company, you should still do your research. This will help give you an idea of how much care should cost before you ask for estimates. It will also help you know what kind of package you need, so you avoid overpaying for extra, unnecessary items.

Get quotes from several companies, and don’t forget to ask what the total cost will be, not just the application cost. And don’t be afraid to ask questions about the plan you want or the technician assigned to your lawn. You can also pick and choose the lawn services you’d like, if you don’t want a lawn care service to do everything (for example, choose a lawn care service for seeding and treatments, while you mow or vice versa).

Check for Off-Season Deals

Many home improvement stores will offer specials on lawn care products during the winter. Check out your favorite store, and see what you can find. You may also be able to get a better deal on a lawn care service if you shop for one during the winter.