Being Vegan on a Budget: You Can Do It!

A lot of people think that being a vegan means you have to spend a ridiculous amount of money on food. Its actually the opposite! My food bill has drastically decreased since I have stopped eating meat. There are some tips I have learned along the way and I hope they help you. Here are some ways you can be a vegan without spending a lot of money:

Buy produce at your local farmers market.

Almost every city, suburb, and rural area has a farmers market. If you don't know where one is in your area, do a search online. Buying your fruits and vegetables at a farmers market is a LOT cheaper then the store. If I spend 20 dollars at the farmers market, that is equal to me spending 50 dollars at the store for the same amount of produce (I actually counted one time)!

Buy rice, beans, and pasta in bulk.

These items are usually a big part of vegetarian and vegan diets. Thankfully, they are pretty inexpensive. Also, dry beans are cheaper then canned so I recommend buying dry beans whenever possible and cook them yourself.

Make your own milk.

Making your own rice and soy milk are very easy and its cheaper then buying it at the store. I like to make my own milk because I can experiment with different flavors and sweeteners. I have written articles on how to make your own rice and soy milk:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2034511/how_to_make_rice_milk_from_scratch.html?cat=5

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2025738/how_to_make_soy_milk_from_scratch.html?cat=5

Clip coupons.

Normally, there are coupons for rice, pasta, frozen, and canned goods in the Sunday paper. Even though the average coupon is between .25 cents and 1.00 off, you can get a few dollars in savings depending on how many coupons you have. Those few dollars you save every time you shop really starts to add up over time.

Buy canned and frozen produce.

This is a good option if you don't cook often, or a farmers market is not in your area. Canned and frozen foods are usually cheaper than fresh produce. Frozen foods are just as nutritious as fresh and canned vegetables are great to use when you are in a hurry.

Cook large batches of food at one time.

Rice and pasta dishes are perfect for making in large quantities. For example, I can fix a large batch of "dirty" rice and that lasts for a couple of meals. If I get tired of eating the same dish every night, I just put the extra servings in my freezer. It also saves time because I don't have to cook every night.

As you can see, You do not have to spend a lot of money being a vegan. All it takes is a little creativity and knowing your options. With these tips, you can enjoy having some extra money in your pocket!