mulch options for grass seed

[DogwoodTales]

What are some more 'affordable' options for mulching new grass seed besides hay? There's peat moss, but that stuff would be expensive. 
Would cellulose insulation work, or is the fire retardant added to that toxic for grass?
Any other viable ideas?
thanks

[fixtureman]

We don't use hay we use straw hay has to mant weed seeds in it.

[DogwoodTales]

That's the city boy in me using the two terms interchangeably

Yes, I would use "straw", not hay.
At any rate, I'm wondering what alternatives there might be. I've always had low success with straw as a cover for grass seed, plus it always blows around.

[Willyou]

Hydro seeding is an option. I don't know what the cost comparison might be, but the hydro seeding includes seed, mulch, and application all at once. Could be favorable cost.

[DogwoodTales]

Hydro seeding is an option. I don't know what the cost comparison might be, but the hydro seeding includes seed, mulch, and application all at once. Could be favorable cost.

I had this yard hydroseeded last year. Some areas came out nice, some okay, and some came out very patchy. I suspect that the contractor used too much shade mix in the sunny areas of the yard - where the patchy-ness is.
The contractor gave me the run-around about it and then ghosted me, so I reciprocated with an appropriate review on his FB page.
Hydroseeding is what my yard needed last year to get grass growing fast to stop erosion and it worked to that end, even with the patchy-ness.
For nearly a half acre it ran $2400, about 10 cents psf. I don't want to spend that much this time around. I just need to fill in all of the bare spots.

[Snipe Hunter]

I paid $9 for a large bale of straw today. Home Depot is over $12 for a smaller bale. This was from the landscape supplier I get bulk topsoil and mulch from.

HD calls their straw bales "Full Size" but they're 36". The bales from the supplier are 48".

That's cheap mulch. Straw works well for grass seed. You don't need a lot over the seed.

[JosephP]

Pennington used to have a product called "slope master" that worked great.  Lowes had it, but not for the last 6+ months - seems they must have discontinued selling it alone.  I cannot find it any longer, but I see pennington selling it as a seed mix.

[fredhargis]

I'd bet that cellulose would blow around more than (or at least as much as) straw. I think using straw, and maybve covering it with some bird netting in the the places that catch the wind would be about as good as you can do. An alternative might be to till the area, and rake the seed into the soil....even then i like to cover it with straw.

[DogwoodTales]

I'd bet that cellulose would blow around more than (or at least as much as) straw. I think using straw, and maybve covering it with some bird netting in the the places that catch the wind would be about as good as you can do. An alternative might be to till the area, and rake the seed into the soil....even then i like to cover it with straw.

I have one of those spikey rollers to loosen the soil before spreading seed. 
IF the cellulose is okay to use I would wet it down good initially and then as needed thereafter. In my experience straw won't wet down and stay put as well as a mulch. I have a lot of spots to cover and I hate spending a lot of money on just grass, so I'm hoping to find an effective and less expensive way to mulch this, but I may end up just using straw if I can't find something else.

[Roly]

I have one of those spikey rollers to loosen the soil before spreading seed. 
IF the cellulose is okay to use I would wet it down good initially and then as needed thereafter. In my experience straw won't wet down and stay put as well as a mulch. I have a lot of spots to cover and I hate spending a lot of money on just grass, so I'm hoping to find an effective and less expensive way to mulch this, but I may end up just using straw if I can't find something else.

They make a straw product called EZ Straw with tack that will not blow around but costs a lot more.    Good for small areas .      LINK    Roly