Expensive lifestyle?

[juliew]

Hi,
I have been trying to eat 80/20 for about a year now and it is realy draining my wallet!! Can someone shed some light on going 100% and affording it?
So appreciative!!
In Joy,
Julie

[michigan roman]

welcome to site :)

heres a thread on budgeting


http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=22555&highlight=budget ..

[spicyfull]

Just Eating can be as Expensive as you make it. But being RAW, You can Grow your own Food in a pot or a Garden, inside or outside. You can buy on Sale and Freeze. You can Forge Fields. But the simpliest thing to do is to "SPROUT". Life is All about What you want to do, if you want to do it Bad enough.........You Will.

[RawKnitster]

For me, the cost of food is just one side of the issue. I save more in medical expenses than I spend on food.

[mattshor]

When I was preparing food just for me--expensive. Hard to buy in bulk or prepare things as efficiently. Now that there are two of us working on eating at the very least high raw, it is becoming more affordable.
There are tricks to it, just as there are with cooked. Save the expensive things for treats, and make staples out of the cheaper foods. cooked foodists rarely have filet mignon for every meal. It just takes getting used to when you start out raw, because you haven't grown up with the conditioning of what to consider a basic staple and what are the tricks for making things last.

[ruffsongraw]

SO true! it is all about learning (or rather UN learning). i agree that it is expensive (at least initially!). for me, getting the appliances was one expense, then having to go more often to the grocery store (i live 20 miles out of town) WAY more often b/c produce doesnt last as long as pretend/processed/shelf food, and initially i was eating more...but i agree with Mattshor above. dont eat filet mignon equivalent, try to eat simpler--i find the "gourmet raw" with 10 or so ingreds is waymore exp per meal and also some of the stuff is hard to find andmore exp, but YES savingon medical costs is big & whatever else has been eliminated....these times are tough and i am sure the price of produce went up when everythin else did, and organic--ouch.
budgeting adn planning is key, just like eating SAD.
goodluck!!
jen

[squawkers7]

I still need to learn a few tricks with this too.

Seeing as I live in government-run National park, you won't find a bunch of gardens around and you are not allowed to go foraging. There is only 1 small & expensive grocery store here...the closest Safeway is just over an hour away.

[rftm0115]

there's a 5/5/5 rule that can save big on time and money. :p

5 ingredients or less.
5 mins. or less.
5 dollars or less.

since i dislike the kitchen, this really works for my lifestyle and money wise. plus, i feel super healthy!

[recycledsoul]

you could volunteer at a co op or organic store, then you can get freebies and discounts.
grow your own food, its muchhh better, cheaper

[juliew]

Any examles? Can you be more specific about the 5/5/5 thing? Sounds cool!

[raweater]

One way I keep my cost lower is to compare the cost of items per calorie because in general with raw food it's the number of calories that determines how filling it is (this is completely false with cooked food though).

Most people think fruits and vegetables are cheap and nuts are expensive but it's only an illusion, because fruits and vegetables are 90% water they are extremely expensive per calorie and nuts are 100% calories they are far cheaper. Of course we need fruits and vegetables but by adding 500 calories of nuts per day for example which costs pennies you can expect to eat about 500 calories less of fruits and vegetables which would cost several dollars.

I have a tread here comparing both cost extremes of eating just vegetables or just nuts:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42827

[tiggerbounce]

Keep it simple and eat in season items. I do have certain cravings that I indulge, but I try to not plan my menu before I go to the store. When I am there I see what is on sale and what looks tastiest. I eat FAR cheaper than the rest of my family does and they are primarily SAD. (Married w/children so can not just choose who I live with, ya know? :D ) And the rest of the family grazes regularly on the raw fruits and veggies that I get for myself -- and there are 5 of us total. 3 kids who bring friends home as well. Sigh. When I am doing the shopping and meal prep for the household our bills for food are between $450 and $600 for the five of us for the month.

It can be done for far less than most people think. You just have to wrap your mind around a new way of eating and shopping. And when you are starting out, if you must do gourmet, start out with simple gourmet. Like soups, chili, smoothies, wraps, and ease your way in to heavier dehydrator items as you go if that interests you. You would be amazed at how diverse your foods can be with just a blender, a citrus juicer, a food processor and some good sharp knives. And think of those expensive nuts as a treat rather than a pantry staple.

If you have the space, definitely do have a garden.

Simple raw with simple equipment = less expensive and more time out of the kitchen and doing things that are more fun. http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e367/gatsby6306/thsmiley_eat.gif And I like fun.:D


Hope it all goes well for you.




http://www.vegansoapbox.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/vegetables.jpg

[irishserra]

welcome to site :)

heres a thread on budgeting


http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=22555&highlight=budget ..

I think that's like the fourth or fifth time I've read a post from you with this link...LOL!!!...Feel like a broken record, yet?

It's awesome info, though.

Thanks for reminding us!

[cherry.chops]

also at the begining you tend to eat more. when i started raw i was spending £40 a week on veg etc. |Now sometimes £40 worth of stuff lasts me 2 weeks because my body has settled into it and i dont need so much food to fill me up now. :)

[raweater]

And think of those expensive nuts as a treat rather than a pantry staple.

Please see my post above, it's only a great illusion that nuts seem expensive, the reality is they are by far the cheapest food, especially coconut which could allow you to eat for just over $1 a day top if you wanted to eat just coconut (which of course wouldn't be healthy, it's just an example).

[JCB44]

What is more expensive the food you eat or the doctors you will have to see