So I may be a freeloader but at one time I did work hard enough to buy a double in North Buffalo.  Well this is my first year raking the leaves in my yard in the city of Buffalo. If you didn't know, the city of Buffalo has a strategic plan in place for the leaves....a budget...not so much.

From now until November 22nd is the only time you can rake your leaves basically. I mean you can put them in piles to rot in your yard, or to blow into your neighbor's yard, but the city will not pick them up for you until you have met the specific qualifications they have laid out.

1) You must bag the leaves into clear plastic bags

2) You must place the bags out on garbage day

Here's the catch, if you put'em in your tote you're screwed. The garbage men will pass by your house and never pick up your garbage again...well not really, but don't put the leaves in the tote.  Also the city says that if you rake the leaves into the street you may be subject to a fine. Now they do have drop off points where you can bring your leaves, but really, come on. What am I gonna do? Load them up in a taxi cab and bring them there....or maybe on the bus.

So having read all this your probably wondering what is the cost of raking leaves. Not too bad..

$7.00   20 count Clear Plastic Leaf Bags from Wegmans

$15.00  Steel Rake from Home Depot

$2.00     All Purpose work gloves

So this year I had to spend $24, and next year $0.  I used nine clear plastic bags, and hopefully next year the same. It took me two hours to rake up only a portion of my sidewalk. The thing that pissed me off is I have no trees in my yard or on my side of the street. All the leaves on my sidewalk came from across the street because of those windy days we had a week ago. What a pain, I hope my neighbors appreciate it!

So that's nine bags right there. With not a tree in sight. Good thing I did this last night the rain. Today woulda gotten those leaves all wet.

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