Have you ever thought you can't afford this? [Archive]

shine72

01-31-2008, 04:34 PM

Hi, I wanted to take a moment to repond.

We're a military homeschooling family with child with special needs. We're raw (hubby only eats cooked a couple times a week at work so he doesn't get sick on deployments). He is enlisted, not an officer, so our pay isn't anything great (job-for-job, military members get paid less than the exact same job on the civilian side). And yes, I'd love to be out of debt, and we're currently trying VERY diligently to buy the house we're living in.

I would like to tell you to go to Amberstorm's blog in the blogging section of the forum. (It's called Mattye Lee's blog). It is HIGHLY inspirational for doing raw on a budget. She is also in the process of needing tester's for some of her recipes (and they are done on the WAY cheap!).

The way I look at it though, is we, for the short term AND the long term, cannot afford NOT to do raw. That is how it is for us. Even dh, who at times claims it'd be nice for the finances if we were still eating cooked, wouldn't go back for anything in the world.

Hope this helps you some. You can always email me too if you need to.:)

lore-ah

01-31-2008, 04:55 PM

The way I look at it though, is we, for the short term AND the long term, cannot afford NOT to do raw. That is how it is for us. Even dh, who at times claims it'd be nice for the finances if we were still eating cooked, wouldn't go back for anything in the world.

I like this quote a lot. Thank you shine!

Bananna

01-31-2008, 05:01 PM

These are things I have found helpful. I have 6 kids and I used to homeschool. When I had 3 I used to homeschool and was raw and was for over a year on welfare.
I did things like....
lived in a very small place, a nice place but a small one. The smaller you go, the better, the heat and hydro bills are smaller etc. plus ofcourse your rent etc. So if you can downsize, I highly recommend doing that. Just for perspective I used to live in a 2 bdrm apt with 4 kids!
I know that sounds drastic but it really helped us get stablized while at the same time I was able to afford other things like activities, nice food. etc.

Another thing I like to do, is live within walking distance to many things. You can save so much on fuel...which is also healthy exercise, environmentally friendly, and you can build so much homeschooling into it.

Lastly, go to more than one grocery store. Some have better deals on this, while others have better deals on that. At my poorest I was shopping at 4 different stores.

....and I know that homeschooling really seems like you cannot make money per say, but if you can think of a small enterprise, that the kids can learn from than that would super fantastic....all around. It doesn't even have to be big...my kids and I did a paper route. It gave them some money to buy little things, and we saved half for when they were older. It was mostly just for them.

Anyways, I don't know....I personally don't find raw to be that much more expensive, bananas are cheap and we go through those by the piles. Maybe because when we were sad we ate at restaurants, bought chips and junk food which isn't cheap either...just that whole Lifestyle.

And one last thing. I have just heard that cucumbers make good houseplants. It has occured to me that I could potentially just have an indoor house garden. Which would so much fun for homeschooling as well. And seeds are Super cheap!!! Mind you...that's a longer term investment. But still!! An indoor garden would be very becoming wouldn't it?? lol.

Oh...and someone mentioned rationing and going without. At my poorest, I did go without food for several days a month so that I could feed my babes good food on welfare. ....so glad my life has improved from those days!!

Ginger

01-31-2008, 05:44 PM

I like how DW says that you can invest in your self or you can spend your money on pieces of plastic. You are real, the food is real, the house, the car, they are just plastic. If you don't take care of your nutritional requirements you wont be able to go out and make money to have the other stuff. He says everyone can afford to be raw, you stop spending money on renting movies & going out & stuff and start using it for better foods. You can also get a book from your library or get online and learn to identify wild foods. You don't need to buy vegetables ever again, there are so many 'weeds' and herbs etc for free. You can ask your produce department when you can come pick up the stuff they throw away, just tell them you have rabbits or something! :D Buy the stuff on sale or in bulk and try not to eat for entertainment, eat when you are actually hungry. If something is impotrant enough to you, you will find a way for sure! :D

RawSweetie

01-31-2008, 05:59 PM

This is a great thread. I've been pondering lately how I can organize my life so that raw foods continue to be affordable for me. Eating this way really is my priority. I'll be moving to another state in 3 months and will be living within walking distance of the health food store, the grocery store, and farmer's markets. I walk ALOT. I will have a full-time job during the day, and I just scored a p/t thing at said health food store, which will give me extra money and a nice discount on food, AND maybe some nice exposure for teaching some raw food classes. I like to go to the local library for movie rentals and books, and to hobnob with the other folks who are into free entertainment. I don't drink, so no money gets spent there. I currently don't have a car and haven't had one for years. I live in small spaces. I'm on my own, so my decisions only affect me. I greatly admire those of you who budget so well and are so thrifty and resourceful for your family's well-being.

deberaw

01-31-2008, 06:03 PM

Yes, I've wondered too about the expense.....but I too have noticed that everything has gone up in the stores and that our SAD grocery bill would be high too....I've found it helps to shop weekly { I used to go every other week}....sometimes I go twice a week....also, I just got a case of young coconuts for 10% off...just by asking! {if I can get a case...they give discounts for this!}.....also sprouting is plentiful and relatively cheap.....I love the idea of an indoor garden too! .............I'm too hungry if I eat mainly SAD and end up eating junk...vs. when I eat mainly RAW, I feel so much better and my skin is better....such an investment in health....It is worth it........

FloridaPatty

01-31-2008, 06:20 PM

I did notice I'm not eating as much as I usually do, so what I do buy goes a long way.

However, to save money - look at sprouts. They give you a ton of food very cheap. Another thing is to grow your own food. Even in pots. Lettuce looks nice in pots. Purslane is good and can be a landscape flower plant. Do you have a yard of any size?

shashibala

01-31-2008, 08:20 PM

I am in the same boat. I make very little money and i'm taking classes part time. My first month raw I really went overboard to get motivated. Now I am working on controlling the spending. Before we were raw we ate mostly rice and bean type vegetarian foods with some fruits and vegies. It was a fairly healthy and cheap way to eat. Now I'm committed to raw. I feel so much better. I am not buying anything unusual like papayas, using more sunflower seeds, sprouting lots of seeds, getting stuff on sale.... The expensive items we can't live without yet are avocados. I can't wait for garden season. I am lucky that I don't have little kids at this point. That must be a real challenge. Hang in there!! Best wishes!

Mialsse

01-31-2008, 09:05 PM

Oooh, I hear ya! We can also easily spend 1000 a week, and we really do buy pretty basic stuff! No fancy schmancy ingrediants for recipes, etc. We've been raw for over 9 months now, and it hasn't gotten any easier. In fact, I've been struggling with this very issue lately. We're just becoming more and more unsatisfied with our food options, and we just do NOT have the money to "mix it up". Like I said, we do without any of the fancy ingredients, involved recipes, etc... and actually, that's fine, because i HATE being in the kitchen anyway. The more complex a meal is, the more likely I'll just skip it and move on to something else. I loved (still do love) raw for the simplicity factor. Our kids are our main concern here. They are becoming SO bored with their food. We try to mix it up, but there are only so many things you can do to a head of lettuce to make it new, interesting, and enticing to 3 young kids, ya know? I can see them becoming bored and restless, and I know it's just a matter of time before they rebel against healthy foods all together. If we could afford an abundance of fruits and vegetable, and we could let them eat until their hearts content each and every day, I think it would be another story. They love all their fruits and veggies, we just don't have the finances to let them eat, eat, eat... we haven't found that money tree yet. I don't think they're getting enough to keep them satisfied, and I know they're definitely not getting enough to keep them excited and happy with this lifestyle.

I KNOW raw foods are the best for them. Like I said, we've all been raw for 9 months, and they haven't been sick ONCE. Granted, they weren't sick all the time before, either. A few times a year, but still ... from a few to none, that's huge. I know it's doing great things for their bodies, but I don't want the boredom to spark some deprivation and rebellion later on. I don't want them to go up having issues with food (like I do). I want them to have a healthy attitude about food, and I just see that slipping away with the amount of restrictions we have now because of money, variety, etc

Parenting is hard. Raw foods is some what difficult, atleast financially speaking for us. It's been a struggle for me lately.

We were seriously considering introducing cooked foods back into our lives again just a week ago. Just something to help satisfy and give variety to the kids. I don't care what anyone says, cooked food IS cheaper!! BUT, when I went out to look for the "healthiest" possible cooked foods I could find, I was amazed at the amount of CRAP that is out there. I mean, seriously! I thought we ate fairly healthy before raw (we were vegan for 7 years prior to raw), so I figured it would be somewhat easy to find healthy cooked alternatives. I went to some of our old staples, and holy moly, the list of toxic chemicals was a mile long on just about everything. There is NO way I could, in good conscience, give that to my kids. No way!

sooo, RAW! Most definitely. I just wish it wasn't such a financial struggle. It makes me sick that this country makes it SO hard (money-wise) to be healthy. It makes me sick that our country is more interested in the almighty dollar (for the food, then for the drugs to "mask" symptoms caused by that food) then they are about the health of it's citizens.

Uuugh!

haaa, sorry for turning this into my own little rant!!

Authenticme

01-31-2008, 09:18 PM

Anyway....sometimes I wonder if we can continue with a grocery bill like this. We may never be able to afford a house....we can hardly pull out of debt.

Sigh. Thoughts? Where do our responsibilities lie? Health? Managing money?

Jrose, you should totally check out Amberstorm's blog. She's blogged about how she and her husband have been on a very tight bugdet since their move to TN. And they have seen some hard times yet she has remained committed to raw through some very frugal practices. She is also coming out with a raw uncook book soon. Check her out. You won't be sorry!

Aleesha Sattva

01-31-2008, 11:31 PM

our body is the vessel we exist within for this entire life... if we don't put it really high on our priority list... who will?

i understand poverty... i raised two kids on welfare for 12 years... we were vegan at the time. renting movies was a rare treat. as was eating out. our priority was buying fruits and veggies...

it's amazing once you make something a priority, how you can find money to fund it.

i wish you the very best! (all of you)

kaybee

02-01-2008, 12:45 AM

j rose lee--

1. this wont help in the immediate future, but GARDEN if you can. the kids will enjoy it too, if theyre old enough to help, and if you cant do it in your own yard or dont have a yard, look into community gardens in the area. usually you can get a plot for inexpensive. you can grow alot of veggies in a small amount of space, if you research and plan carefully. also, some fruit, like strawberries, melons, watermelons, etc and if you own your own place try planting things like blackberry and blueberry bushes, if y ou'll be staying in the same place for a while. they'll take a couple years to flourish, but some years we get LOADS of blackberries off our bushes and they keep spreading naturally too. my mom freezes the extra blackberries and blueberries. additionally, if you end up with EXTRA garden stuff, you may be able to sell some of it out your home or yard, and make a bit of additional income that will give you money to go buy some of the stuff you cant grow...as for right now you COULD do sprouts and stuff, or even trays of sunflower greens grown in peat/soil mixture...

2. make friends and become buddies with people who work in a produce section at a grocery store, natural foods store, or whole foods. especially if you could find someone that could appreciate the position youre in and they might be happy to help hook you up with the "still good but on its way out" produce... similarly, i hear that whole foods in some places, and also know firsthand that organic delivery services etc in some places sometimes leave fruit veggies that are still good but imperfect or that wont make it in good condition through another week until next weeks deliveries, by their dumpsters. im told that whole foods in some places even leaves the stuff outside their dumpsters so people can take it. in wash DC they locked their dumpsters but in some other places im told they leave food out... so you might want to look into either befriending someone and/or "dumpster diving" or preferably, "next-to-the-dumpster diving"... i work for a delivery service and we send alot of imperfect produce to the food bank. so maybe even find out if delivery services in your area do that and show up and talk to them and see if you could either work a deal to get some of that stuff, OR try to go to the food banks theyre taking it too. that way you'd get organic too.

3. dont know if this will work but any chance you could hit up a food bank /soup kitchen and see if you could get some of the fresh stuff they give out.??

-keep an eye out for fruit and/or nut trees in peoples yards or forests or whatever that people might not take advantage of and ask permission to collect stuff. even if the apples are unsprayed, you can always cut out the wormy bits....

good luck

kaybee

ciarac

02-01-2008, 05:46 AM

My advice to you would be to find a way to increase your income.

I think you've already made the initial decision correctly, i.e. choosing raw over a cooked for finance reasons. Try seeing it this way, raw food BUYS you more energy, more clarity, longer and healthier lives and better outlooks on everything you do. That kind of thing is worth MILLIONS. I always think that if people could package EVERY benefit that raw offers into a weekly pill, anyone that could afford it would actually pay $500/$1000 and upwards for it. Politicians, business men and women, athletes, etc...would pay through the roof for the benefits of raw (though most aren't actually willing to GO raw for a LOT less money wise :rolleyes: )

My point is this, YOU are getting it cheaply. You are getting all of those benefits by paying a little extra than you would pay on food anyway. SO, use the benefits! Come on, you are vibrant little raw thing, put all that vibrancy and sharpness to work! Brainstorm ways to make extra cash...start a raw blog, ooh, I know "raw for less" could be your take on it. Yes! Blog about living on raw without spending a fortune. Try cheap raw recipes and blog about them. Give tips on eating raw cheaply. And then, join affiliate programs, put up google adwords, start a SERVICE, helping people go raw for less, maybe make it free but find ways to make money off the backend of it.

USE THE RAW VIBRANCY AND ENERGY WHICH YOU ARE PAYING FOR AND FIND WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR MEANS.

It will be simple and exciting! And don't say you don't have time, you can always find time somehow; sleeping half an hour less, getting your kids to help you in fun ways, one can take photos, the other can help you prepare recipes, the other can...I dunno, I'm out of ideas! Anyway, that's my two cents.

On the more immediately constructive side, Karen Knowler, a.k.a. the raw food coach has a post on eating raw on a budget which is here: http://karenknowler.typepad.com/living_in_the_raw/2006/03/eating_raw_on_a.html

jacsam

02-01-2008, 09:20 AM

While I cannot afford all the expensive raw food; I do have to ration myself to get threw the month. My DH gives me 120 $ for 2 weeks and I have to STRETCH it as far as I can. Some times I come up short and have to feed my DH before myself.:(
My only suggestion is ration yourself and look for deals and bargains to make it threw the month. When summer comes things will be more cheaper and more abundant. Thats what I tell myself:rolleyes:
Please explain the feeding your DH before yourself thing because that is really making the hair on the back of my neck want to stand up, actually I don't know that I have hair on the back of my neck but you get what I'm saying. Judith

RawSweetie

02-01-2008, 09:55 AM

maui_butterfly

02-01-2008, 12:09 PM

Wow, ciarac, I think I need to hire you as a life coach! :p A truly inspiring post!

I agree, that was a GREAT post. Brilliant in fact!

ciarac

02-01-2008, 02:38 PM

Ooh, thanks! Heee (blushing)
Sometimes when one vents, good stuff comes out!

gabscastillo

02-01-2008, 05:43 PM

It is expensive... no question. I think this is a fairly revolutionary concept for most people now, much like organic was some years ago. Now it's becoming more mainstream, and slightly more affordable. Hopefully raw will become more practical in the coming years.

Does anyone know why raw products are so expensive? It is counter-intuitive. We're talking about food that has been un-meddled with, unprocessed... shouldn't simpler= cheaper? I guess it must just be lack of demand. I almost ran screaming from raw when I saw a jar of raw almond butter at the local health food store for $22!! Raw cheese, good organic produce, raw nuts... it gets crazy expensive.

I'm left with a dilema- can I afford not to eat raw? For health reasons, environmental and ethical reasons... etc? On the other hand, it has occured to me many, many times that most people in the world don't have the luxury to be concerned about organic, raw, etc... they are concerned with getting adequate nutrition, period.

I guess we just need to do the best we can, but keep awareness of our relative priveledge.

Thanks for the great post, and best of luck!

iluvcacao

02-01-2008, 07:08 PM

I have also had this thought...what a privelege that we can invest so much into our health. Most of the world is just trying to have anything to eat :eek: For this reason, I try to do non-luxury raw. I pick my one thing (can you guess from my name :D ) and skip most of the other stuff, goji berries, etc... I buy about 1/2 of our produce organic. I don't do lots of nuts. I'm really into sprouts and that is cheap. I pick some things and go cheaply elsewhere. Consequently our food bill has only gone up about $100 a month. I do live in a good area and can find stuff spotted all over the area, I can get Nama Shoyu, miso, raw hempseed, raw flaxseeds, raw agave all locally. I don't do supplements. I can see what they are talking about with spirulina, maca, all the superfoods, but they are SO expensive. I skip most of them.

gabscastillo

02-04-2008, 09:58 PM

Please explain the feeding your DH before yourself thing because that is really making the hair on the back of my neck want to stand up, actually I don't know that I have hair on the back of my neck but you get what I'm saying. Judith

Judith, I'm with you! Also, your DH "gives you" the money to spend on food? Don't you contribute to the family too? Isn't your contribution worth something?

I'm NOT coming down on you- please don't feel judged. I can't know anything about you based on a few lines in an online post. Just wanted to raise a concern based on what I saw. If I'm off base, please give me a little grace...

Blessings...

shine72

02-05-2008, 08:26 AM

To those questioning the comment of feeding her husband before herself:

You DON'T know their situation, and it's pretty off-topic for this thread to go questioning her on this.

There are plenty of people who EVERY day or occasionally are in a position (raw or not) who feed their families (including husbands first) and then if there is enough left, feed themselves. That being said, let's get back to the original point of this post.

Thank you.

Raw Angel Mom

02-05-2008, 08:42 AM

Oh you are so right and i hear you. To tell you the truth, i spend way less money now since that i am 100% raw because before i was eating cook food, i would buy organic only and therefore more organic products. So buying organic is what is very expensive but there are way to get around this.

First find a local farmer where you can support him and buy your produce there. I found a place where for $25 i can get all kind of produces. Winter is more costly because they don't have as much choice and they import. On summer, definitely go pick your own food in the wild. I am serious, wild green are one of the most nutritionous food. Organic food is far beyond better then the one grown with pesticid but wild surpass that. That food is FREE. According to Sergey from www.rawfoodfamily.com you can find wild plant even if you live in town. The rule of tumb is not to consume a eatable plant that isn't 50 feet away from pesticid. Anything in this radius is fine. Get seriously a book to find out the plant you can eat in your area. Also, the more there will be a demand on raw food, the more the price will come down. I have been buying organic only for 6 years now and i can guaranty that many product are way more affortable then it use to be.

The good news about raw food, is that eventually you will start to eat way less. I agree that if you make gourmet meal it cans be expensive. We now buy our nuts from the farmers too, we save so much and we still can get raw almond with them. The more you stay on raw, the less you will want concentrate food and will be attracted to more fresh. I like having raw gourmet but mainly i love my smoothies and just a plane produce.

On top of the tips to save on raw food, it so true that we are investing on our health and well being. I have no words for how i feel and the energy that i manage to have regardless that i work full time, still nurse and doing my daily life. I was doing chronic fatigue before and greens smoothies did the trick for me. I am 100% raw and there isn't any looking back for me.

I worth it and my body reward me for taking care of it.

Conscious Midwife

02-05-2008, 08:49 AM

Does anyone know why raw products are so expensive? It is counter-intuitive. We're talking about food that has been un-meddled with, unprocessed... shouldn't simpler= cheaper? I guess it must just be lack of demand. I almost ran screaming from raw when I saw a jar of raw almond butter at the local health food store for $22!! Raw cheese, good organic produce, raw nuts... it gets crazy expensive.

...

CRAP is cheaper because it is big big buisness.

RAW can be done withut the grocery if you have any luck with gardening and then you'd put a lot of folks out of buisness.

A salad cost more than a burger because the beef industry couldn't have you just eating a lettuce and tomato sandwhich. you'd put the meat folks and BIG PHARMA out of biz, they are bed fellows you know.

WHY buy almond butter in a jar for any amoun o money. MAke it for less and make it fresh.;)

EZ rider

02-05-2008, 08:58 AM

I can't afford not to eat all raw. The cost of disease in terms of how much it costs in money, time, and just plain ol feeling bad makes feeding the body for health the only option that makes sense to me. How about you ?

raw_danceruk

02-05-2008, 09:27 AM

Agreed with the wise words above.

SAD was more pricey for me.. I was living off soda..and veggie junk food whilst spending out a tonne of money on medications for my crohns

Now I take 0 medications

Eat vibrant fresh foods..

Raw dosent have to be nuts/gourmet/"raw" products

Grow what you can, sprout, buy whats on sale, whats cheapest per pound

If your health isnt worth it.. I am not sure what is :eek:

I keep to a tight budget.. always have the best most fresh food I can afford..simple as

Wishing you all the luck with your journey

sfdreams

02-05-2008, 10:04 AM

I agree with the above. I was spending over $1200 per year on medication alone (and that's WITH decent insurance!) not to mention all the doctor visits, etc.

I am now on zero meds and feel 30 years younger than I am!

There are ways to decrease your costs if you are smart about it. Just the $$ saved on eating out has saved me beaucoup bucks!!:p

I am currently in a financial crunch that caught me without food in the house, and now I am without all my lovely greens and really missing them! But my SAD partner is in a fix as well--it's scrounge the cupboards time!

virginia

02-05-2008, 11:37 AM

When my kids were small and at home we went to the local orchards and picked our own or bought fresh fruit in season by the case. Also sprouts and baby greens grown at home along with things made of soaked sunflower seeds are pretty inexpensive.

raven

02-05-2008, 01:28 PM

Yes, there's no way around the high expense of living foods diet. You can economize but it's difficult to do if you want a varied diet rich in nutrients. It's important to eat a wide variety of foods and I couldn't live indefinitely on sunflower sprouts and such. The following items are costly:

high quality oils - coconut, olive, macadamia, flax, etc.

organic cold-stored nuts - pine (really seeds, I think, but costly), macadamia, almonds, walnuts

sea vegetables (high source of minerals with detoxifying properties) - kelp, dulse, arame, nori, Irish moss

seeds - hemp, flax

organic fruits, veggies and greens - especially when juicing

raw olives

sweeteners - agave, honey, maple syrup (for those who use it)

prepared raw foods

supplements (for those who use them) - b12, enzymes, green powder

organic hair and skin products - why eat a pristine diet and apply chemicals to your body?

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to purchase all these items but it puts a great strain on budget. I have to buy some foods for convenience, such as pre-washed organic salad greens. I spend a lot of time preparing food but sometimes buy prepared foods, which I find are astronimically expensive. I realize that the markup on prepared foods has to be about 4 times the cost of the ingredients for restaurants and cafes to make a profit but, at least in NYC, I'm calculating markups over more than 10 times the cost of the ingredients and I've been to popular raw food eateries that don't rely entire on organic. If I were buying all my meals prepared, I could spend upwards of $50 per day. I've seen coconut water sold for $32 a quart, when the cost of the ingredients is less than $2. I realize that raw food preparation is labor intensive but there has to be a way to make it more affordable. For me, I want to do whatever it takes to eat as pristinely as possible but I realize not everyone has this option and I don't know how long you eat healthfully on a low budget unless you're growing your own food.

Suzy

goobygirl

09-14-2008, 09:02 PM

I also think dumpster diving can be advantageous, even if you are not getting produce. I was going past a house a few weeks ago, found a ton of unopened, adult underwear (like Depends). I sold them on craigslist and ebay. I sold them for ridiculously low prices. But, I did the people a favor, and it was all found money. Had I not had the fortitude to stop and look, several hundred dollars would have went into the dump.

I started seriously considering the dumpster diving angle when I pulled over a $1k pottery barn like table out of the dumpster of my condo. Ridiculous.

There are groups online that tell you the ins and outs, and you can even meet up with others (such as Dumpsterworld.com) Oprah's done a segment (freegans).

It's green. It saves the planet, it's recycling. What I don't use, I give away. While I can honestly say I've never done food diving, the other stuff I have found and sold is mind boggling. People always say, who would throw away good stuff? You'd be surprised. It's just a consumer world and the stores, in some cases, HAVE to throw things away.

The nice thing about dumpster diving is you don't have to pay anything for your products, just time and gas. How many other business ventures can you say that works for?

Also, you might think about doing online work search. I recommend guru.com and elance.com for jobs you can do at home (like writing). There are ways to make money, you just have to look.

And, as well, I would recommend your local library. Mine rents DVDs, audio books (including an audio book player) and also has free music and audiobooks downloads online.

I went to their book sale at the end of the day and the sold me a garbage size bag of books for $1. I picked out titles I thought I could barter or sell (such as on paperbackswap.com and Amazon) and sold them.

A CSA is also a good way to get food cheaper. You put a few hours in a month and get to take a basket/or box ful of food away. I joined a local organic produce delivery service and get a medium sized box of produce a week for $39. It's sourced as locally as possible, and I figure, I'm saving gas and time by not going to the store. I know that from what I am getting, I'm getting a good deal.

Be creative. You can do it.

mongodelight

09-14-2008, 09:31 PM

The US seems to be an expensive country if its about organic food. Or you re all broke:D Ok if you re benching David Wolfe Food all the time i understand.

I am spending less than 2 dollars on a pound of my base of my food. Fruits and vegetables all organic. I am eating 2 pounds a day, that is 4 dollars. In addition there comes nuts like cacao, almonds, avocado, that makes an average of 4 dollars too(100g cacao or 250g almond or 350 g avocado)

At the end of summer i could feed myself 100% from nature but i am too lazy to search all the stuff. But most of my greens and some fed and protein(nettel seeds) come from nature know. The nut season will make it more cheaper too.

But i can live good without picking anything for 240 Dollar or circa 160 € a month.

But i am going to buy more plane food. My goal is to drink young coconutwater every day:D I can afford so i do it. I think its worth the money.
But to balance it out i will freeze much greens and much berries and stock some kinds of nuts(all picked in the forest) So i have more money to buy tropical and "plane food". My budget is 10 Euro a day = 14 Dollar. At the moment i am spending less circa the half(because of the picking).

Some people spend 8 dollars on cigarettes a day:eek:

When i spend 8 dollars on fresh coconut water with spirulina i am going to have to more fun with it:D

If you dont buy organic you could live healthy with all nutrion(and tasty dont need to be organic hehe) you need for
5 dollars. Organic makes it 10 dollars. Organic + tropical fresh food in addition 15 - endless...

But its possible to live healthy with non organic raw food. In France theres a raw food guru that cured cancer patients and others, they ate also raw meat, eggs, milk and nothing of the vegan was organic. It worked. But i dont think that they ate much raw meat^^ The diet is called "instinct diet" but the instinct of the human species is covered by addictions in my oppinion. We can get it back after we get rid of that. But if u can afford, buy organic. There are much reasons for organic food. Its worth it the money it costs more. But it shouldnt be a reason to quit beeing raw.

5 dollars: I can buy a pound of green vegetables, a pound of fruit and enough nuts and fatty fruits to get everything i need. And when i have to be honest i feel great after i eat non organic food as well.Often I dont notice a differents. If u re a cooked foodist 100% raw non organic food is maybe 3 % of the damaging and organic food is under 0,5% of the damaging you would do with a cooked diet.

For 5 dollars i could buy a tasty 1 lbs coconut, a big avocado, a pound of fruit and a pund of greens for example. For 5 Dollars i could live healty here. But i support the organic movement and i add plane food so i pay 2 to 3 times. But i could live great with 5 dollars a day.

bsqmurphy

09-15-2008, 12:16 AM

For what they're worth...
Here are a few money saving ideas on RAW:
-- Buy as close to the source as possible - from farmers, co-ops, farmers market, locally grown, etc.
-- Buy in season
-- When using nuts & in nut recipes, use the least expensive nuts or replace 1/2 - all with low cost seeds (I make my walnut pates with 1/2 or more sunflower seeds instead - way cheaper and tastes the same to me)
-- Grocery stores throw away huge volumes of food, especially produce, when it's not fresh enough to last several days after purchase. Talk with your local store about either giving it to you, selling it deeply discounted to you, or starting a deep discount section (my organic grocery has a section called "bargainica" for exactly these items- I can get most of my organic produce at 1/2 off or less as long as I plan to use it within 48 hours). (My friend used to dumpster dive at the grocery store and get at least half of his produce that way.)
-- Contact your local food bank - ours takes extra produce from famers & grocery stores & has a local campaign for hobby gardners & citizens to grow produce in the spring/summer/fall to donate.
-- Grow your own - outside, inside containers, in a green house, sprouting, etc.

Bri.

PS I also echo what folks have mentioned:
-- I believe that it is far less costly (in dollars and quality of life) to pay for quality RAW food now than illness, disease, and medical care later in life.
-- I believe your consumption will decrease & simplify as time goes on.
-- I encourage you to seek out ways to increase your income - what's the extra you need? $500/mo +/-? There are lots of ways to make money no matter what your circumstances.

goobygirl

09-15-2008, 01:53 PM

Also, I do online surveys that are legit, and a good place to find out about them is volition.com (search the forum section). You can easily bring in another $100 a month doing this. It takes time, but instead of looking at the tv at night, you can answer some surveys. Some surveys ask me to test products and then pay me gift cards (such as Amazon, which I use to buy gifts, food, other products). This month I got a $5 sears gift card and two $10 Target cards. I have literally a recyclable grocery bagful of samples (I even got the bag free, from Earthbound Organics). Earthbound also sent me coupons for organic food. Organic coupons are harder to come by, but not impossible.

I just got some organic coffee and tea today in the mail and although the samples may not all be organic or fit in with the raw lifestyle, I can still use them and other samples such as toothpaste, makeup, sonic toothbrushes. I even won a box filled with samples from Oprah last month. I belong to testing groups and test products (for free) and get things free all the time. I do secret shopping and get paid to shop. If anyone wants a list of where I do sampling, testing, and shopping, just PM me.

As well, not everything has to be organic. You can avoid the most toxic of foods and buy the rest conventional. The list is:

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), nonprofit environmental research organization based in Washington, DC, reports that you can lower your pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent by avoiding conventional versions of the top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables.

This EWG "Dirty Dozen" list, in order of most-to-least contaminated, offers a helpful way to prioritize which fruits and veggies to buy organic.

We suggest keeping this guide with your grocery list — especially if you’re trying to economize on groceries or have trouble finding organic versions of some produce. If you especially love one or more of these fruits or vegetables and eat them frequently, all the more reason to buy organic whenever you can.

1. Peaches

2. Apples

3. Sweet Bell Peppers

4. Celery

5. Nectarines

6. Strawberries

7. Cherries

8. Lettuce

9. Grapes (imported)

10. Pears

11. Spinach

12. Potatoes

So which produce is of least concern in terms of pesticides?The EWG reports that these 12 fruits and vegetables tested lowest in pesticide residue:

1. Onions

2. Avocado

3. Sweet Corn (frozen)

4. Pineapples

5. Mango

6. Sweet Peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Kiwi

9. Bananas

10. Cabbage

11. Broccoli

12. Eggplant

You also go to raw food meetups (www.meetup.com) and see if there are people there that will go in with you buying from a CSA or in bulk.

Also, I just found a way to get more free stuff, at the Natural Grocer, do a review and get .25 per review up to $10 credit you can use on their products. Go through ten dollars, start all over.

http://www.naturalgrocers.com/pay-per-review.php

Here's an Earthbound Organics Coupon for doing a literally 1 min survey:

Look to the upper right hand for Poll:

http://www.ebfarm.com/WhyOrganic/MeetOurFarmers/index.aspx

Do a quiz, get a coupon in the mail for Earthbound:

http://www.ebfarm.com/whyorganic/OrganicQuiz.aspx

annavon

09-15-2008, 02:05 PM

Frugalraw has an e-book that is full of great money saving tips and recipes.

Here is a link from her signature line:

FRUGAL RAW! http://frugalrawnews.blogspot.com/ for Raw on the Cheap at its FINEST!

oai

09-15-2008, 05:24 PM

what kind of debt are you in? if it's credit cards, you could call them up and ask them to lower your interest rate, b/c other credit cards are offering lowering rates. try it out. what's your situation?

i hear that sprouts are really inexpensive and nutritious. it just takes some habit adjustment to get used to them. it's kind of like eating SAD... i remember ever eating one item anyway -- sandwiches. :rolleyes: seriously, it was just a bologna b/wn 2 white breads. i lived off of it. :eek:

RawKnitster

09-15-2008, 06:10 PM

I just found out last week that my favorite vendor at the Farmer's Market (Full Circle Farm) has a share program. They deliver a box of fresh organic produce to a local drop off point once a week. Cost is $30 (for a 2 person size box).

I'm hoping that doing this will keep me from impulse buying when I go to the market. That should save me a LOT of money.

I went online today to view this week's box contents and made a couple substitutions. Wednesday I pick up my first box; yukon potatoes (for hubby), beets, broccoli, cucumber, green beans, salad mix, kale, grape tomatoes, corn, grapes, eggplant, canteloupe, escarole.

Seems like a bargain to me. I've been buying this farm's produce for years and never heard about this program. There are other farms all over the country doing this. Maybe there is one in your area, too.

Zaphirah

09-16-2008, 06:31 AM

I'm a SAHM of 4 dc (2 have special needs). I don't know what happened but when I went all raw for the 1st time 3 years ago my food bill increased from $70/wk to $250-300-that's about 300%! (er...right? :confused::o ) anyway-it was a shock, but my 1st mistake was trying to empress my family-EVERY meal, EVERY day. My other mistake was that i was still working within the OLD SCHOOL SAD thinking-3 "balanced" meal 3xday, plus 2-3 healthy snacks. Now-they get breakfast and dinner-everything else is eat whatever, whenever-and I don't make dinner every night. Some nights I say eat what you feel like. We have: x, y, z."

What I found was that thru impressing them, and trying to buy for the WHOLE week, much of what I bought was thrown out or went bad before I got to use it. So now I go to the store 2-3x a week, but I go for just a few items and that way just about *everything* I buy is used up-if it starts to go funky-then it's turned into juice and used immediately or frozen.

Do you have a local food co-op? I can buy nuts, seeds, grains, nut butters, and a few other items in bulk on the cheap.

Also-rethink LIFE. You do not need $$$ for many activities-you can hike, swim, read, explore, jump, laugh, run, play tag, Frisbee, whiffle ball, four square, jump rope, kick the can, red rover, clapping games, marbles, board games, library, crafts, music,etc all for free.

Also-because I want to live this way I don't buy my dc clothes. Seriously. The *ONLY* things I buy are socks, underwear, and shoes. All their other clothes are from other people or Salvation Army/Good will. I bought 4 dc their school clothes for less than $200-bags and bags and bags of good clothes-Levi's, Land's End, LL Bean, The Children's Place, Columbia, Gramacci, and more.

You have enough $$$-it's just a matter of shifting priorities and you current thinking patterns.

You can cut corners on other things like cable TV, cell phone plans, electricity, gas, heat, activities, clothing, car payments.

When we were 1st married and had 2 *very* sick babies dh brought home 16K a year. Their CO-PAYS totaled 3K in the first year! We had a $775 house payment. We had 3 light bulbs, ate enough-but no more, had no cell phone, cable, INTERNET, TV. We used oil lamps and read a lot. :p We did have a radio, but that was it. I had the boys in cloth diapers that I washed at night (the elec. was cheaper between 10 pm and 6 am). I line dried *everything*. All of our entertainment was in the form of free activities. In those years we spent alot of time with friends just hanging out and talking. We went for walks and read library books to the boys. It was tough, very very tough-but they are also our fondest memories. Thru all of that I was able to pay off our school loans and our car!

The way you spend your $$$ speaks of your values-it shows your heart. :)

Zaphirah

09-16-2008, 07:15 AM

Oh-I wanted to add a few things: we buy organic, but only when $$ allows, usu working off the list that goobygirl posted.

Also-we were all 100% in '05 for 30 days. Then I stayed raw and the dc went gluten/dairy free. I didn't see much of a price difference btwn raw and healthy gf/cf foods.

We are all going raw in a few days again. I have been transitioning them over a period of 1-2 months. So now, there is very little waste. Also-one tip from my dh-if it ain't PIZZA don't call it pizza, etc. What he means is he feels that raw foods are rejected because it's call raw pizza but it doesn't taste just like SAD pizza so you set people up to be disappointed. (I'm thinking little kids and die hard SAD fans, here.)

Also-just let them eat what they want. Over time their little bodies will become in tune with what they need, so again, very little waste.

Eva

09-16-2008, 07:43 AM

I've been able to concentrate well enough to prove myself with my job and keep getting raises and promotions -- since going raw and clearing the muddly fuddle in my head. Only works when I'm 100%, and man does it work!

So? I'm making more money, enough more that my budget is larger and can include whatever raw food I want. That and travel, those are my priorities. But, I walk or take the train and sure wouldn't spend that money on a car or gas. I just recently chose not to take an expensive set of classes. Instead, I am teaching things to myself (with books and my friend google). Why not? LOL, my head is clear, it's much easier to do.

And yes, I shop at a farmer's market and save money where I can. But my point is that my life has become so much more abundant in so many ways since I went raw. It boggles my mind. So, my cost vs. benefit analysis includes:

Costs:
More expensive food
Social changes
Everyone doesn't understand

Benefits & Reduced Costs:
*No longer pay for doctor visits
*No longer pay for prescriptions for Ritalin just to manage
*No longer buy coffee or wine
*No longer go to expensive restaurants -- although I do enjoy a raw restaurant when they're around and make gourmet food at home when I feel like it
*No need for fancy soaps, shampoos, lotions -- can use very simple and natural items
*My world is a brighter place
*I make almost triple the salary I made right before I went raw! (And I'm... shhhhh... getting ready to launch my own business in 3-5 months... have the energy to both work full time and prepare for that)
*No aches, pains, belly issues, aggravated ulcer, headaches (Hmph, although I have had some issues the last few days and realize NO amount of cacao is OK for me. My body treats it like coffee -- and it may not be raw so has nothing to do with raw food not working!)
*Etc. (And there is a big list with the etc.)

So, to answer the question... It's crossed my mind. But I can't afford NOT to eat raw!

Phatgirl70

09-16-2008, 09:52 AM

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, this thread is AWESOME. I never would have thought of some of these ideas. Keep them coming, they are truly great.

brownies

09-16-2008, 11:11 AM

with this issue in mind I created this thread: Frugal tips to eating raw on a budget (http://rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=44464)

Don't be discouraged. I just takes some working out. Their are some great tips in that thread.

Stina

09-16-2008, 01:57 PM

Holy Moly Goobygirl! That was a lot of valuable information. Thanks for taking the time to share that with us. You're on the ball! :)

goobygirl

09-16-2008, 06:21 PM

Stina,

My husband calls me the "coupon girl" because I hate to pay full price for anything. The one thing I did pay full price for was my Vitamix, which I got ten years ago, and is still going strong on a daily basis. That was totally worth the price. I haven't even replaced the two containers.

I come from a frugal family, and although I don't mind paying for food, I try to be frugal as much as possible. I don't buy household cleaners (except for trader joe's multipurpose, occasionally), and use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning and as well as make my own laundry detergent (easy, fast, cheap - you can find recipe online, basically is washing soda, 20 mule team, and a bar of grated soap (fels naptha or you can go with a vegetable bar). I use vinegar as the clothes softener (in the rinse cycle). You can put essential oils in the wash (a few drops) if you like scent, I don't. Vinegar and water is a great glass cleaner. Vinegar and baking soda in the toilet over night is all I use. If you wanted more bacterial fighting power, you use hydrogen peroxide or grapefruit seed extract, which is also a good vegetable wash/cleaner.

http://www.pureliquidgold.com/household.htm

We create a lot of waste and buy things we don't necessarily need. You go to most people's homes, and under their sinks is filled with a chemical soup of crap they don't need, but someone told them they did, so they buy it.

I don't have a plasma tv or the latest toys, and there's nothing wrong with it if you want it. I rent and don't own. My cars are 23 years old (i'm serious). I never had the need to keep up with the Joneses or anyone else, I'm fairly happy (even when my family tells me I should "want" more).

So, be creative, look for ways to do things differently. I know that almost everyone has a skill that other people don't have and are willing to pay for (even if that means cleaning houses). Hey why not set up a business cleaning houses with all natural products? Buying in bulk and selling to others (like here: http://www.deliciousorganics.com/coop.htm)

Or something with a green angle? People are looking for ways to make life easier....and you may be able to help them with that.

Stina

09-16-2008, 06:55 PM

Well said Goodbygirl. I am a housecleaner! My raw journey has helped tremendously with me being not only more energetic, but also so cheerful that my housecleaning business has grown to include caretaking/companionship with senior citizens, and that's been really wonderful.
Thanks for your home-grown inspiration.

Ilse W.

09-16-2008, 10:02 PM

Mongodelight - Life in the US is expensive. Some of our food prices increased about 50% in the last year, especially produce. A head of lettuce at my organic farm costs $2.50, at the town's farm & health food store it's still $1.79. Even though Washington is a major apple growing region, I can't get organic apples for less than $2.99 this year. I am currently buying a lot of things that are conventionally grown at the farm store's own farms, which are not certified organic (because they can't afford certification), but they don't use pesticides and herbicides. It still costs a lot. I buy whatever I can from the bruised/over ripe section.

Goobygirl - Fantastic ideas. I retired at age 55 (3 years ago) from a city job, so I have a fairly decent retirement income, but I still am out of money when there is still month left. I could use a small part-time way of making extra money. I also want to do something I can do at home, because I'm thinking of moving between here and Germany every three months. So I need a job I can do anywhere.

Zaphira - Hat's off to you! There is nothing as effective as learning about the adversities other people have to endure to give me an attitude adjustment. I'm counting endless blessings tonight.

Eva - You are half my age, but I'm going to adopt you as one of my heroes. I have ADD (I am a perfectionist sitting in a huge mess of a house, a yard full of weeds, wouldn't want to invite friends, have my head full of tons of things I would like to do, but am a master procrastinator) and love reading about your life and how it has changed since you went raw. It gives me great hope.

Bodhi

09-16-2008, 10:03 PM

I didn't read all the treads so if this has been mention please disregard anything I repeat.

Home garden, indoor and outdoor
foraging
Plant fruit trees. While they are growing look for people who have trees planted in their yard but don't harvest them. I live in Oklahoma and we have a lot of people who have apple and pear trees, not to mention peach and pecan trees, who don't pick them fruit up.:D:eek:

goobygirl

09-18-2008, 01:49 PM

Some more ideas for buying organic:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cheap/20040901a1.asp

Eva

09-18-2008, 02:15 PM

Eva - You are half my age, but I'm going to adopt you as one of my heroes. I have ADD (I am a perfectionist sitting in a huge mess of a house, a yard full of weeds, wouldn't want to invite friends, have my head full of tons of things I would like to do, but am a master procrastinator) and love reading about your life and how it has changed since you went raw. It gives me great hope.

Wow, thanks for your kind words and the visual. I'm sitting here smiling because I can picture and feel all of it! That used to be my life. Now I'm a perfectionist AND a neat freak and still creative... unless something unravels my neat little life (a day of of bad food!, not being able to exercise much because of injury, but those are not part of my life these days). It makes me batty that I went through so many years of meds and nonsense when I could have beaten this on my own. Oh well... And that's just why I can't afford to not eat raw. This is the ticket to freedom!

Ucat

11-27-2011, 12:15 PM

You could do a juice fast for 1 week in a month but drinking cheap fruit juices from concentrate (with no added sugar or anything else of course). Although canned juices are not raw but, hey, who cares, juice fasting is still extremely good for you!

I'm eating raw on a budget for 100 days and logging my progress and daily expenditure here:

http://www.cheap-health-revolution.com/100-day-raw-food-challenge.html

Maybe it can give you some ideas, and also some examples of what not to do! E.g. don't eat too little, even if you're trying to save money. It ends up coming back at you in a day or more, in the form of tiredness, irritability, lack of energy and motivation.