"As for collecting, is it possible for you to mentor someone on collecting, possible go with them and in return for your knowledge they dig you a tree? Just a thought"

I've done that. Didn't want anything in return, but was offered some cash afterwards (for a tree that I had collected the year before)--not alot, but I think watching me bust my hump digging a tree made them feel a bit guilty I don't think they had any idea how much effort it can take... I would not sell a freshly collected tree to someone with limited experience, as aftercare can be 50-60 percent of collecting. The digging is only the hard physical part...

"...is it possible...?"

Anything is possible, Jay. It is totally dependant on what the mentor and protoge agree to.

What's most important at the beginning is, before you take home your first yamadori, you should be totally confident in your ability to keep a containerized plant alive...

As I have said many times...patience.

Pat

I thinks its totally possible I bought this chinese elm tree for $25.00, I think if you look for those bargains you will find them. Sorry for the big pic I forgot to resize.

Everyone is on a budget- some may have more flexibilility than others. Do what you are comfortable with, don't worry about the others. John

The thing that caught my eye on this thread was the title; it's the exact same title we use once a year at one of our monthly club meetings usually in the spring. In fact we even make a contest for the best "bonsai on a budget".
The rules the material can be collected, or the price tag on purchased raw material must be less than $15. We even go so far as have a small trophy made up for the winner. Last year I won with this procumbens juniper that I purchased in 1998 for $6.98. Below are the before and after pictures. Sure
it might take a few years, but everything in bonsai that is worth anything will take some time.

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	pic#1jun.jpg (45.0 KB, 70 views)
	jun casd 8-16(69).jpg (25.8 KB, 88 views)

Or you could be an entrepeneur and grow trees from seed and sell seedlings later or propagate rare varieties. Similarly, you could buy nursery material, design it and sell it for a profit to later invest in better material. Similarly, if you are good with wood, make stands to sell; if you have time to throw clay, then make pots; if you have land, then grow/collect material; you could also buy books or magazines at club auctions and sell them online...

Basically if you don't have money but are creative and willing to invest some time you can find innovative ways to make money to fund your habit

One of the ways I have managed to obtain material to work on is to befriend several gardeners from the yellow pages. I have managed to obtain some very workable material, mainly Yew and Hawthorn, from garden clearances - In most cases, the only expense I had to go to was to drive to the garden and pick up the stump.

The easy way to do bonsai on a budget is to look in craigslist.org under the free section. I have seen many people (you just have to keep checking) looking to have someone come and get their bushes or trees and have gotten some good material like that. I also go to several different nurseries after october thru jan and look for sale items (you'd be surprosed at how much trees get maked down, I have bought different japanese maples for $20.00 ea. normally would cost between 89.00 to 150.00). I get stuff from my yard, plant seeds, have gotten some plants in areas that they were cutting down trees (got a very nice willow trunk that is in my yard with small branches coming in). Be creative and respectfull and you will find material everywhere.

The theme is pretty common:

If you are willing to invest the time, good bonsai can be created with very little monetary investment. Typically, trees that cost a lot of money to purchase have a lot of time in them - either naturally (old Yamadori) or through preparative work.

Everyone has a budget, some olks' budget is larger than others. John

I have almost no money, I am a college student. I have been going to my university's Horticulture department and collecting cuttings and seeds from there, A student or a professor will make the cutting for me sometimes and I don't have to worry about whether or not I am doing it right. I think if you approach the situation creativly you can find some inexpensive ways to get what you need.