Vegan - Cheaply

Bring re-usable bags with you when you go shopping, use them in place of grocery carts, use self check out and conveniently forget the most expensive items in the bags you then loan your groceries back into.
Works like a charm

Bring re-usable bags with you when you go shopping, use them in place of grocery carts, use self check out and conveniently forget the most expensive items in the bags you then loan your groceries back into.
Works like a charm

You know, that's part of the reason why store's make food (stolen items in general) more expensive? They're making up for the loss (that you have so conveniently created) by charging everyone else more for their food.

At least be decent enough to buy FOOD, you know the staples that everyone needs. And guess what? If you can't afford it, don't buy it. It works like a charm for me.

I'm 21 years old, I moved out to go to college when I was 18, and I pay for all of my own bills. Rent, electricity, water, etc., etc.,.

If I can make it, can't you too without stealing?

*Edited to fix a typo.

Well, the first thing you should do is stop buying so much processed food. If you're a vegan, then eat more natural, fresh foods. Lots of veggies, lots of fruit. And buy it at a regular grocery store. You are probably buying frozen dinners and canned soups and things like that that are attacking your budget but aren't necessary.

Also, eat more soups. I find that Pacific Foods organic broths are actually rather reasonably priced and when I make soup from one carton of their low sodium broth (and YES, they do have chicken FREE broth), it makes 5 servings or more depending on what I throw into that pot and how much water I use. And when you homemake soups and other foods, like chili, it FREEZES rather well. In fact, I can freeze my soups and chilis for up to a year.

Skip all of the pre-made juices. Go invest in a juicer, like the Jack Lalanne juicer and buy fruit and veggies to juice with. Or when you want a glass of juice, just get in the fridge and juice what's in there already. Plus, you can use the pulp for other things, like made-from-scratch muffins and other goodies that will cost you waaaaaay less than purchasing. You may think you don't have time, but just to give you an idea--when I make my chicken vegetable soup (not a vegan), it only takes me about 35 minutes and that INCLUDES cooking all of the chicken and chopping all of the vegetables unless I cheat and buy them pre-chopped at this one grocery store that does it for me. And then I have about 10 servings of that soup made. My chili takes roughly the same amount of time and yes, I do cook everything from scratch. No pre-cooked beans for me! Unless I cook my chili in a crock pot, in which case prep time is about 11 minutes (I've timed it). So you could save yourself all that time and money in the grocery store by going with a list that is prepared to make several meals and then going straight home and making them instead of wasting time buying things you can't afford or don't need.

Buy more dried beans and oats and wheats and beans in BULK. Bulk saves a lot of money in most cases. And don't be picky. Learn to like new things. Only liking lima beans or quinoa can cause a severe deficit in your budget. Get to know the other 300+ varieties of beans that are available and grains too.

And don't forget, there's always an option to grow some of your own fruits and vegetables and even herbs. This weekend, my fiance and I are going to begin the starters for our garden. We will begin finishing our backyard in a few weeks (what do I mean finishing...we'll be starting...it's just a heap of dirt and weeds right now) and those starters will make beautiful plants. If you live in an apartment, you can buy one of those upside down tomato growers or strawberry growers and you can buy an indoor system for growing herbs. If you have a porch or some space by a window you can Google terms like "apartment greenhouse" or "porch greenhouse" and get instructions for building your own little boxed in and portable garden.

You should also get on the net and find NOT ONLY your local farmer's market as those as typically only open a few months of the year depending on where you live, but also find your local food co-ops. I live in Salt Lake City, UT and there are about 25 local food co-ops for me to choose from. I belong to one where I pay $15 for the weeks I want to buy in and I bring one of those round laundry baskets and leave with it FILLED FULL of fruits and veggies. Most co-ops also offer things like breads and rolls and pastries and if you read what you're buying you'll find that many are vegan friendly.

Local produce growers may also have discount days where they go to parking lots of certain businesses in your area and unload their excess produce. Several reputable growers in Utah do that and I love it when they do. I can buy a full flat of strawberries from them for $10.

Craigslist can also be a helpful place during the warmer months when harvests are bountiful. Lots of people in your area may be trying to unload their extra squash, etc. Why not try getting on a local chat group of gardners and see if anyone has anything they want to give up if you come and pick it? When I went to Curves there was a lady there whose garden overgrew with cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers so she let me come with a large paper grocery bag and FILL IT TO THE TOP with cherry tomatoes. I filled another with green bell peppers. That year, my parents' garden overflowed with about 30 banana squash so that's what I gave her in return.

And like daisy89 said, really? Stealing? That is sooooo wrong. Again, like she said, if you can't afford it, don't buy it.

If you drink a lot of soy, rice or almond milk, you should consider going shelf stable. Those products are generally cheaper than the ones you buy in the dairy section.

Also, consider going to a discount store like Big Lots. My Big Lots here in Salt Lake all sell Silk brand Soy Milk at about 50% of the cost in the grocery store.

Bring re-usable bags with you when you go shopping, use them in place of grocery carts, use self check out and conveniently forget the most expensive items in the bags you then loan your groceries back into.
Works like a charm

You know, that's part of the reason why store's make food (stolen items in general) more expensive? They're making up for the loss (that you have so conveniently created) by charging everyone else more for their food.

At least be decent enough to buy FOOD, you know the staples that everyone needs. And guess what? If you can't afford it, don't buy it. It works like a charm for me.

I'm 21 years old, I moved out to go to college when I was 18, and I pay for all of my own bills. Rent, electricity, water, etc., etc.,.

If I can make it, can't you too without stealing?

*Edited to fix a typo.

Agreed. Seriously people...

Bring re-usable bags with you when you go shopping, use them in place of grocery carts, use self check out and conveniently forget the most expensive items in the bags you then loan your groceries back into.
Works like a charm

you realize being a thief makes you a total piece of garbage right?

I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but she's definitely not getting any karma points. Or helping herself and the rest of society by stealing.