Living Large for Less
By Jenna Humphrey & Elizabeth Castoria
Leading a fab, veg life means knowing when to save, how to make the most of basics, and which splurges are really worth your hard-earned cash—regardless of how much you make.
Downturn, shmownturn. Just because the economy’s been circling the drain for a while now doesn’t mean we need to forego the good parts of life. While pinching pennies is never a bad idea, knowing when to let them go can be about a thousand times more fun, especially when you know exactly how to make the most of each one. Most of us probably aren’t planning any around-the-world trips right this second, but that’s no reason to think that all good times must cease until we’re magically millionaires. (OK, so maybe we weren’t all millionaires at the best of economic times, either.) Great meals, easy entertaining, and maybe just one or two splurges here and there make for a life that’s rich in experience, if not in moola.
We’ve pulled together three plans, each for a varying level of income. Whether you’ve always been of the thrifty persuasion (aka been a broke college student), or you’ve been forced to downsize from your $20 million mansion to one that’s worth a mere $5 million since Madoff made off with your money, we’ve got a rundown on the best buys for vegetarians—from food to fashion.
The Young & Hungry Idealist
Disposable income: $300/year
What’s in your shopping cart?: Free samples from the farmers’ market, thrift-store t-shirts
Inner circle: Colleagues from campus AR and Green Party groups, local co-op clerks
Fave dining spot: College cafeteria and grassy knoll at the park
Last vacation: What vacation?
Must-have groceries: Bananas, broccoli, dry beans, garlic, green onions, miso, multigrain bread, peanut butter, red bell peppers, rice, romaine lettuce, spinach, tofu, tomatoes, tortillas
Your story: You’re 20 years old, and one broke cookie. After moving to the big city to “make it,” you’re now just barely making rent. What you do have, though, is a teeny bit of play money—300 smackeroos, to be exact—to blow on whatever your little heart fancies. Getting freebie yoga classes by volunteering at a studio takes care of your workout requirement. For entertainment, there’s Saturday night penny poker with friends with a one-dollar buy-in, lubricated with only the finest: Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s. And one mustn’t forget the 2am, 100-percent-off Dumpster Food Special—don’t knock that free-ness until you’re a hungry activist with nothing to spend but goodwill and your youth. The one thing you don’t count change on is the best body care on the market—Zuzu Luxe cosmetics, Derma e moisturizer, and Giovanni hair prods so that your hair shines like the million bucks that you so don’t have. At the market, your motto is: Waste not, want not. Frugality certainly needn’t equate with fuddy-duddyness, and with smart buys you’ll be able to make great meals—this week and next week. Combine simple flavors for scrumptious results. Make quick tacos of beans, rice, and grilled green onions; warm, homey miso soup with spinach and cubed tofu; quick, crustless quiche with broccoli and bell pepper; and, of course, all the Elvis-style peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches you like.
The Up & Coming Do-Gooder
Disposable income: $3,000/year
What’s in your shopping cart?: Weekly home delivery from local CSA, Geoff Rowley-designed Vans slip-ons
Inner circle: Friends from yoga class, the waitress at the local veg diner
Fave dining spot: Soul Vegetarian in Atlanta
Last vacation: Weekend getaway to Portland, Ore.
Must-have groceries: Angel-hair pasta, balsamic vinegar, capers, cherry tomatoes, frozen artichokes, peaches, pineapple, red-leaf lettuce, rice-wine vinegar, russet potatoes, shiitake mushrooms
Your story: Congrats! You’ve landed that non-profit job stabbing baby seal clubbers in the eye. (Figuratively speaking, duh. What? You think this work pays?) This affords you, oh, $3,000 a year in splurge funds. First big buy? That would be a Vita-Mix and some cookbooks, maybe Moskowitz’s, since you’re all post-punk now. Later, for a special-occasion treat, go nuts on Chinese Laundry satin flats and a real swank haircut à la Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction at your neighborhood Paul Mitchell salon. At home, get all fancy with some organic hemp sheets to roll around in while you dream of the day that the seal-pelt industry officially becomes the seal-hugging industry. Breathe a little breath of relaxation: you’ve got enough money in the bank to cover this grocery trip, and could even indulge in a post-grocery-shopping latte, so you can be a little looser with your purse strings. By adding more flavor-packed elements, like shiitake mushrooms, you’ll get more out of your meals for just a few extra bucks. Take your everyday eats to the next level this week with flavorful additions to staple meals. For dinners, make quick Italian-inspired pasta tossed with capers and artichokes or oven-roasted potatoes with a chopped-shiitake drizzle. When the urge for something sweet hits, splash fresh peaches with balsamic vinegar for a light, refreshing dessert.
The High-Rolling Herbivore
Disposable income: $30,000/year
What’s in your shopping cart?: Truffle oil, Prius with hemp interior, solar-paneled summer house in the Hamptons
Inner circle: Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman, and the owners of New York City’s Jivamukti Yoga School
Fave dining spot: Candle Café in Manhattan
Last vacation: Dubai
Must-have groceries: Apricots, asparagus, avocados, blueberries, Bosc pears, broccolini, fennel, French fingerling potatoes, fresh artichokes, garam masala, hemp oil, kalamata olives, raspberries, saffron, smoked paprika, star anise, white truffle oil
Your story: Sure, you’re used to a steadier—and stronger—cash flow than most, but it’s still a good idea to take stock of how your stocks are being spent. After opening your own yoga studio, it’s time to hook up a few of those young-and-hungry activists—who could have been you earlier in life—with work-trade gigs. With a surplus $30,000 to spend this year, you’ll be jetting to Thailand for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. After that, instead of heading straight to New York City for a weekend of overindulging on Olsenhaus shoes, like you might have in years past, order those puppies online. Of course, one mustn’t forget one’s roots: make hefty donations to Food Not Bombs, Mercy For Animals, and Animal Place to fund all your fellow activists and animal rescuers, many of whom depend on donations and get really strapped for cash during hard times. Since you’ve been pretty tame in your big-time spending—not even one trip to the French Riviera this year!—feel free to indulge when it comes to food. Exotic spices are really what set this list apart, as they’ll transform any recipe into five-star fare. Fancier veggies lend themselves to more indulgent cooking, so go on, get some equally inspiring seasonings to make their flavors really pop. When you’re using top-notch ingredients, cook to impress: finish off your fingerling-potato salad with white-truffle oil, caramelize your pears in sugar and star anise, and make simple salads explode with flavor when you combine avocado, fennel, raspberries, and a hemp-oil-based dressing. Of course, hosting a dinner for a few of those up-and-comers who still can’t quite afford the goodies you can, will make everything taste better.
Posted: May 17 2009 06:36AM By liz
As a 24 year old vegan with a 10 month old son, i thought that this article would have actual information about budget living as a vegan, which can be expensive. How about real tips, like how to grow your own garden, or starting a community garden, or where to stock up on bulk items. Or how about brands that are vegan friendly that don't cost twice as much as non vegan products. I love the magazine, but found this article to be less than what it promised.
Posted: May 19 2009 12:59PM By Priscilla
Ditto for Liz's comment! This seemed more like an ad for Giovanni hair products and other goods than a helpful article.
Posted: May 21 2009 14:37PM By Ryan Suzanne
I agree, we need real help, real recipes that have low cost ingredients, I like Liz's comment about low cost vegan brands. What about online resources that are currently offering free shipping or other promotions?
Posted: May 24 2009 06:24AM By Sarah
Loved the humor in this article for sure, but I wouldn't put in income. So a high rolling herbivore only makes $30,000 a year. You might want to add $30,000 + per year. Or take out the price range and do titles. It's also never a good idea to assume that you know all vegan readers to love Yoga. What if someone hates yoga? I do. It might help to make a list of products and tell readers how much those products cost at Trader Joe's versus Whole Foods or Safeway for instance. That breakdown will help readers to shop wisely. Also give us some budget friendly recipes that are really tasty.
Posted: May 27 2009 06:57AM By Heather
I totally agree with Liz! Does anyone know where to find a list of vegan friendly products that don't cost an arm and a leg? My husband and I have 3 kids to feed and we can't afford the $10 a bottle shampoo and so on. We can't rely on mac and cheese and bologna obviously...help!
Posted: May 27 2009 10:54AM By Colleen
One way to cut costs is to share your rent by having a roommate. Veggie Roommate is an online roommate matching website for vegetarians. It's free and is found at veggieroommate.com.
Posted: May 30 2009 08:28AM By Elaine Vigneault
Heather, Eat beans and rice, potatoes, and oatmeal as your staples. They're vegan, healthy, satisfying, readily available, and CHEAP! More tips: - Center your diet on nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods. The cheaper, healthier ones are: in season or frozen. - Shop around: I?ve found that the same products in the ?health food? section is often more expensive than if it?s in the ?ethnic food? section. - Order some things online and/or in bulk.
Posted: Jun 07 2009 06:35AM By christine
I'm a newbie at veganism but already I'm finding good bargains at several local farmers' markets. I work in downtown L.A. and there are two in downtown that I know of every week, one on Wednesday in Pershing Square, and one on Friday at Bunker Hill. Also, check out places like the 99 Cents Only store - sometimes they have nice big bags of rice; you can do a LOT with rice! :-)
Posted: Jun 11 2009 06:37AM By Nathan
I don't know if this is just in my area, but isn't Two Buck Chuck now Three Buck Chuck? Being on a tight budget does necessarily preclude having a stock of "exotic" spices. Find somewhere that sells spices in bulk, like a co-op, so you don't have to pay for the McCormick-mark-up and so you only buy how much you need. The right combination of spices can turn plain-ole' beans into a gourmet meal! Also, keep in mind that dumpster diving isn't always legal - i.e., it can be considered trespassing and even outright theft in some countries. Try talking to some of the produce employees, if you (non-dairy) butter them up a bit they'll set aside spoiled produce next to the dumpster in a box so you don't actually have to go diving! End up getting a box of bruised and mealy apples? Make apple sauce! Or I've even dehydrated them into a delicious snack that's lasted for months (think $1 central air filters tied to a box fan rather than a commercial dehydrator). Some of the best sweet potato biscuits were made from potatoes saved from the landfill. Anything that can't be salvaged can go right into the compost for your home/community/friend's garden. Even if you don't think you have the time/space for a garden, I'm sure you can find friends who have either or both to spare! Split the labor and split the harvest, plus it's a fun and cheap way to spend more quality time with close friends. Bring back the liberty garden! (Without the war part of course!)
Posted: Jun 11 2009 16:33PM By aveganjourney
Here are some of my afordable bathroom favorites: Jason products for hair and skin.Ocean Potion for sunscreen (no rabit on label but they are vegan friendly). Kiss my Face instant sunless tanner doesn't leave me orange. I also love coconut oil as a lotion. It may seem pricy but it goes a long way and has many uses other then cooking with it.
Posted: Jun 12 2009 08:09AM By Jennifer
this article was pointless. I really thought it was going to offer advice and tips on how to live large on less. greatly disappointed.
Posted: Jun 12 2009 08:10AM By Delited
This looks like it belongs in a teen magazine at the end of a stupid quiz. 5 thumbs down...
Posted: Jun 19 2009 12:50PM By Edith
I live in Maine & in summer we go to these farms where you can pick your own strawberries, blueberries, & also buy produce diretly from family owned farms, it's a lot cheaper than at the grocery store. Shop around, I even found some good things at Wal-Mart, for example, last week they had mangoes on sale for 69 cents. At whole foods one mango was $2.49. I agree with Elaine, some of the healthies foods are the cheapest, like apples, rice, potatoes, dried lentils, split peas -- I like the goya bags they usually have recipes on the back.
Posted: Jul 01 2009 10:27AM By B.A.D.
Heather: Check out Melomeals.blogspot.com features a vegan chef/mom who lost her job and is now living/feeding two teen boys on 3.33$ a day! Great site.
Posted: Jul 01 2009 16:28PM By Christina
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/healthy-foods-for-under-1/?emc=eta1 Healthy Foods for under a buck. This is a list of 20 items, only 3 are non-vegan. oatmeal, beans, rice, kale, peanut butter, you can make tortillas cheap.
Posted: Jul 01 2009 20:26PM By shawn
Why can't you write and research a real article about vegan family with kid's. This article was useless. I love you mag, but....
Posted: Jul 02 2009 07:46AM By The Vegan Good Life
Trader Joe's has reasonable prices on vegan and organic food, as well as cruelty-free beauty and household care. Check out their vegan food/beverage product list: http://www.traderjoes.com/Attachments/Vegan.pdf Thrift store shopping is fun and frugal for vegan clothes and other items (find one that benefits charity through http://www.thethriftshopper.com/). Clothing swaps are also great. Consider organizing one among your friends, or in your community. NBC did a piece on this being a growing trend, and a great way for parents to get clothing for their children (and swapping the ones they've outgrown). Donate the leftovers to charity. Books, including vegan cookbooks? Magazines? Music? DVDs for yourself and the kids? Skip Netflix. Hit your local library. It's green since it's communal sharing, and you'll save a lot of green. Haircuts? I hit Supercuts. I get my hair cut for just $15 (I shampoo at home and skip the styling). Yours in vegan and budget-savvy living, The Vegan Good Life http://www.thevegangoodlife.blogspot.com/
Posted: Jul 02 2009 08:06AM By steph
i was also hoping this would be an actually helpful article. very misleading and disappointing
Posted: Jul 02 2009 08:55AM By kibbles
I was really hoping for some tips! Oh well. Maybe next time.
Posted: Jul 02 2009 15:12PM By Michelle
short-lived blog, possibly useful entry? http://veganonabudget.wordpress.com/2007/09/25/tips/
Posted: Jul 03 2009 09:57AM By Rachel
Hrmm..I have to echo what other have said. We were making around 115k a year and certainly had 30k a year in free funds. We live in a small, suburban home. There's no way we'd be affording a house in the hamptons. If you CAN afford that, you more than likely have far more than 30k a year in disposable income. Anyway, I was really hoping for some actual tips, as my husband has since been laid off due to the lovely economy and we're packing up shop and moving in with my family after two months of fruitless job hunting.
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