Homemade irrigation system for the garden

Sometimes saving money does meaning buying some start up supplies. The way I see if it cost over $20.00 the project but be able to return it's investment within 3 months for me to consider bothering with it.

Right now as a way to cut back on the cost of watering a garden I have taken on the task of creating a rain catcher system and irrigation system in one. I have a raised garden with wood barrier, so creating the system isn't that hard, I go get an old 30 gallon trash can we no longer use, poke a hole near the bottom put a spout on it and hook up some pvc pipe to it. Then from the pvc pipe connect some tubing and place it on the inside of the garden barrier poke holes in it aimed towards the plants. Connect two more rows of tubing to go on the inside to get the plants not on the edges and let the system stand as gravity feed right now. The cost $16.00 for the piping, tubing and connections.

I am looking into making a hand pulley system to help create pressure when watering the garden to pump the water through the pipe and tubing with more force behind it but that will have to wait. I may not need to if the gravity feed works but I suspect it won't be enough.

The other thing is the pipe connection can be taken off and placed on the hose in case I don't have any rain water and the garden needs to be watered. At least with the irrigation system in place I know it will be directed toward the garden only and it won't unnecessarily water the surrounding grass outside of the garden.

I've also put a good amount of peat moss down to help the garden retain moisture so it won't need watering as often. Does anyone else have any frugal gardening tips?