Too Poor to Be Fat

JRMcCaghren

I've been trying to get my mom on a diet. Today I was asking her why there aren't more fruits and veggies around the house (a fresh peach or plum is way better than a cookie imo). She said "we can't afford plums when they're $2 a pound." After this I began thinking of the hidden costs of being overweight. Not the big stuff (e.g. heart surgery, diabetes), but the little things we don't generally think about. Here are some of the things that my weight is actually costing me:

I have to buy shoes fairly regular, because the soles wear out.
I have two chairs in my apartment. Both of them are in bad shape because of the weight they have to support.
The pad my desk chair sets on is broken, and needs replaced badly.
Doesn't apply to everyone, but when I'm not on track I eat fast food a lot, and that can get very pricey.

What is your list? What are some things that being overweight was/is costing you?

Maybe fresh fruit isn't so expensive after all.

lthomas42

Having to buy clothes every time I gain more weight! Especially pants and skirts, as I gain most of my weight in my thighs. I usually buy maybe 1 or 2 new pairs of pants or a skirt every year as old ones wear out, but this year I've bought about 8 pairs of pants to keep up with my increasing weight. No more of that for me, thanks!

Cathy92

I don't agree with your mom if she's trying to say that 'junk' food is cheaper than healthy food. When I buy fresh fruits and veggies, I leave the grocery store with a lot more bags than if I buy chips, ice cream and baked goods...also, 'fast' food like burgers and fries isn't as cheap as home cooking.

nikisab120

I agree with you. Whenever I get off track, I eat a lot of fast food too which I think is more expensive than getting your weekly foods at the grocery store. It helps to look at the sale ads to see what fresh foods are on sale that week and that will save you money.

Cathy92

also, I work in a store that sells plus size clothes...they cost more than the exact same item in 'regular' ladies clothing.

janesmith1

Clothes for fat people look awful. Clothes for fat women are just horrific bags. While some fat women wear nice looking clothes they're tailored for them - ie, Oprah, Kirstie Alley. Clothes are just sh** in larger sizes.

cheetahcub2010

When I was at my heaviest I wore out my 3 favorite pairs of jeans, Haven't replaced them yet, but they're $50+ a pair.

StacySkinny

It costs me a lot in jeans. My thighs rub so the insides of my jeans wear out faster than the rest and then they are useless. But I figure that's probably going to happen when I'm quite a bit smaller too. You have to be pretty tiny for your thighs not to touch. lol

Hmmm I'm trying to think of other ways it costs me but I really can't.


And yeah, I feel your mom's pain - eating healthier is pretty expensive NOW but I'm sure it saves TONS of money in the long run. Junk food is super cheap but it costs so much in the end. IMO people can't afford NOT to eat healthier.

IvoryParchment

Plums aren't in season. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables is inversely proportional to how good they are. Look for what's cheap now.

And look for the bulk fruit and vegetable stores or coops. You can get a large bag of vegetables for the same price as a single package at a grocery store. You might get someone in line with you to agree to split up your purchases if two heads of lettuce is too much.

sarscott

Its more expensive to buy the big sizes
then add on the shipping costs for those stores you can only get plus sizes through the mail
I go through jeans like crazy because I wear the inner thighs out fast
Depending on how overweight you're talking, plane tickets can be super expensive

agthorn

Plums aren't in season. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables is inversely proportional to how good they are. Look for what's cheap now.

Definitely this. Apples, oranges, pears are all in season and cheap at the moment. Buy the plums in early summer.

ElizabethRoad

I know this isn't what you're asking but come on, surely cookies cost $2 a pound as well.

it_be_asin

Plums at $2 a pound doesn't sound expensive to me, that's how expensive they would be in the middle of their season in Australia when they are in plentiful supply. However, everything is so gosh darn expensive in Australia.... mumble grumble serum I can get on the internet for less than $50 is $135 from the beautician's down the road...

katiepie111

everything costs more to me when im bingeing/not eating healthy. always trying to make sure there is junk food in the house, not budgeting properly, not living properly. the price of a gym membership and healthy food (it actually costs me less buying healthy food) is priceless to me.

auntie_missy

While I do think it's more expensive to eat healthier, I also know that when I was eating poorly, I always managed to find money for another soda or some Arby's. Now that I don't eat that stuff, I always manage to find money for greek yogurt and fresh veggies, you know? It's about prioritizing. And you're right, there are things that are more expensive when you're fat - look at clothes. Many stores charge an extra dollar or two for plus size clothes.

hipsgalore

LOL I am rolling @ janesmith1

lmelangley

One of the reasons I started this was because I kept watching my siblings getting sicker and sicker over time - and consequently needing more and more medication. Neither has a good prescription plan on their health insurance. I decided I needed to do something or all my money would be going to co-pays and deductibles.

BrewerGeorge

Let's be honest: fast food can be an incredibly cheap way to get calories - that's one of the problems!

You can get 600 Cal from McD for $2 + tax. (McDouble and small fry) I have a few recent immigrants working for me and they've both said that they lived on McD when they first came to this country with very little money. Sure, you can do better with rice and beans, but start adding significant vegetables and fruit and you'll get above $4/day pretty quick.

sarahstolberg

I just went to Aldi and got food for DH and I for about 10 days for $90. And I would say half of my cart was fresh produce, dairy, and meat. I did get some canned foods that were cheaper than the fresh (what's out of season right now), but I try to get the low-sodium ones when I do that. I can feed both of us for about $10/day - I think that's pretty good!

When I saw your title, I thought it meant you were too poor to buy junk food If you know where to get the low-priced staples, you can easily eat a healthy, varied diet for much less than eating junk food. For the cost of a package of cookies I can buy the staples to make the cookies (and bread, and several other meals and desserts).

StacySkinny

Let's be honest: fast food can be an incredibly cheap way to get calories - that's one of the problems!

You can get 600 Cal from McD for $2 + tax. (McDouble and small fry) I have a few recent immigrants working for me and they've both said that they lived on McD when they first came to this country with very little money. Sure, you can do better with rice and beans, but start adding significant vegetables and fruit and you'll get above $4/day pretty quick.

Exactly. You can get a burger for one dollar at McDonald's but once you factor in the price of the meat, bun, condiments, cooking and prep time, etc, you can't even make it that cheap at home. It's ridiculous. That's why the poorest people in our country are also usually the fattest. Sad but true.

jenny95662

yea we just bought a mattress a year a go last one we had when i was thinner lasted us 5 yrs till we had water damage from our neighbors house fire. It was in great condition now the one we bought a year ago is all sunken in and uncomfortable but just on my side. On my husbands side is in perfect condition like it was when we got it cause he is a skinny little thing lol Its embarrassing i broke my bed basically from being so heavy. Had to buy new shoes just yesterday thanks to my heel killing where before i did not have to spend 100 on shoes now i do. So much to make me want to lose this weight not to mention i have high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome so i am on meds for those and that costs plus the constant blood work and doc appts ahhhh its a lot of money when you add it up

TrekkerCynthia

Try ethnic grocery stores. I go to the hispanic and asian markets and never pay over $1/lb for any fresh produce, if I don't want to. They will have some exotic varieties now and then that I go for, but that is my choice. I usually walk out with a ton of bags for about $35.

StacySkinny

Try ethnic grocery stores. I go to the hispanic and asian markets and never pay over $1/lb for any fresh produce, if I don't want to. They will have some exotic varieties now and then that I go for, but that is my choice. I usually walk out with a ton of bags for about $35.

I totally agree. My boyfriend and I shop at 99 Ranch (an Asian market) and the prices there are awesome! We usually spend about $30 - $35 dollars a person for a week of groceries there, as apposed to when we used to shop at a "regular" market where we would spend at least $10 dollars more per person. The difference is pretty dramatic.

bms34b

As a college student, I feel pretty confident that I've figured out cheap eating. Oatmeal for breakfast every day, bought in bulk. Cheap, healthy, whole grain, low cal, boom. Seasonal fruits and veggies for other meals, very cheap, roasted with olive oil for meals. Check those grocery store ads - they've got great deals on produce. Rice and chicken breasts from costco (less than $1 per breast) and combine with delicious spices and water instead of soda, food is pretty darn cheap and can still be delicious with the right seasoning. (My favorite is any menage of onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, and whatever else I can find on sale!)

IvoryParchment

Fresh herbs are amazing if you have a place to grow them.

Saezimmerman

My list: Clothes - having to buy replacements because of fit rather than just when they wear out.
Tylenol/Aspirin - this extra weight makes me clumsy. I have to take pain relievers for my knees and ankles when I trip or stumble and hurt myself.
Gasoline - my weight not only impacts my fuel economy in my car but drains my energy so that I am more apt to take the car even if I could walk to the store.

Sadly your mother has to find her own motivation to lose weight, just like we all did. The best you can do is support her when the time comes.

--Disclaimers: 1) the next part is just for fun. 2) I am an accountant and I can't help it.--

Now for the two issues I saw with your mothers arguement regarding cookies. First, what do you get for $2 in plums? 210 calories, 7 grams of dietary fiber, and 44 mg of Vitamin C. What do you get for $2 in cookies? (assumes generic sandwich cookie) 2385 calories, 0 grams of dietary fiber, and 0 mg of Vitamin C Essentially you pay for empty calories.

Second, cookies are not a necessity. If someone is trying to argue that they can not afford to buy healthy groceries, I will happily point them to the aisle with the dried beans and bags of rice. $2 in beans and rice (one bag each) 2700 calories, 96 grams of dietary fiber, 8.4 mg of Vitamin C. (I realize I am ignoring the cost of the onion, garlic and diced tomatoes that make it taste good but you get my point.)

december8teen

This reminds me of a scenario of myself and my housemates. Generally whenever I'm around, the fridge is full of fruits and tubs of yogurts which costs me more than $30 on just that. And on the other hand, they got Oreos and KitKats off the shelf at $1 each when it's on sale.

It definitely sounds like they had the "better" deal at first glance, but like you said, it's the consequences of having junks that is eventually going to cost more. And yea, it's the health of our body that is at stake.

december8teen

Plums at $2 a pound doesn't sound expensive to me, that's how expensive they would be in the middle of their season in Australia when they are in plentiful supply. However, everything is so gosh darn expensive in Australia.... mumble grumble serum I can get on the internet for less than $50 is $135 from the beautician's down the road...

Word. Why is everything in Australia so expensive? Yikes!

IvoryParchment

Yogurt is just overpriced milk. Get a yogurt incubator and make your own. I did a lot of that when I had no money. Sandwiches with sliced hardboiled eggs were cheap. I froze my milk in a plastic container and carried it in a bag lunch.

Flavorings for beans can be cheap if you use bulk spices. And onions are cheap. Just boil the beans or lentils in salted water, and saute onions and/or spices in cooking oil to pour over them right before serving.

nrvo

Pants. It was cheaper to lose weight than buy all new pants (and to replace the pants that my bottom literally burst through. While I was out in public).

There are tons of cheap, healthy foods! You can buy a big bag of rice or dried beans for just a couple of bucks, and it will last awhile. In regards to fruits/veggies, buy seasonal! And check your store circulars before you go so that you can plan ahead. If you have a farmers market near you, try going at the end of the day - vendors are more willing to negotiate for lower prices.

For everything else, always check the price per oz. Usually it's cheaper to buy the larger containers of food (yogurt, milk, cheese, etc), but sometimes when smaller containers are on sale (or if you have a coupon!), that can be a better deal.

IvoryParchment

For everything else, always check the price per oz. Usually it's cheaper to buy the larger containers of food (yogurt, milk, cheese, etc), but sometimes when smaller containers are on sale (or if you have a coupon!), that can be a better deal.

lol, my dad the engineer used to bring a slide rule to the supermarket to find out which packages were cheaper in the smaller sizes. The other dads would watch him and buy what he bought. Glad the markets have the price per unit posted on the shelves now!