When I go around pruning plants, I make my own mulch by cutting the prunings into smaller pieces with a few quick snips and I drop them wherever I need mulch. Plants of the pine family, junipers, evergreens... just about anything. This saves me time by not having to haul the prunings somewhere else, plus it mulches. If it's a bit unsightly, that's okay because when I get my bagged mulch, it will go on top and all will be pretty again, but I will need less bagged mulch to do the job. It saves time, work, and money. It's a triple-win situation!