Newly vegan but poor

[VeganForHealth]

I cannot seem to re

welcome @VeganForHealth and I hear you



Emma JC

I cannot seem to like the more imitation things like vegan cheese, tofu, imitation meat products etc. I do really enjoy vegtables, beans, legumes, and rice and then typically change up spices and sauces. There are a lot of good vegan Thai or Indian sauces as well as pestos and marinaras. I have learned that i really enjoy a lot of meals with just veggies. Would some be better if Bacon, chicken, sausages, etc were added, likely very much so but for health reasons I just stick to delicious plant based foods and I do still really enjoy them. I had a shift from food only for deliciousness and was fat and unhealthy to food as nutrients and health and and keep that as a top priority every day. I still make pretty much all delicious foods. It is not as easy as running but a restaurant or fast food but typically tastes better and is vastly more healthy. It just takes more time to prepare.

 

[PTree15]

I want to add a point about clothing...

I believe we need to "bring back" some traditions and crafts like sewing (I put this in quotes b/c I've been sewing for several decades - took a long break now I'm back doing it again and loving it), that way we can make our own clothes and/or give new life to second hand items. You can often find a decent sewing machine for cheap on Craigslist, thrift shops, or a garage sale, and there is a never-ending abundance of tutorials on YouTube if you've never sewn anything before. Sewing is a skill that will last you a lifetime, can be very sustainable, and is almost guaranteed to bring you joy. You don't need a fancy, expensive machine - something that does a straight and zig-zag stitch works fine for most things. And literally anyone can learn how to sew. There are some pretty cool guys that have sewing tutorials on YT as well. Armed with a machine, you can make anything from clothes & accessories, to household items like towels, sheets, and napkins, to backpacks, to upholstery, and anything in between. A huge bonus is that if you're making clothes, you know you're going to get something that fits and will last. Being a petite person myself, I almost never find anything off the rack clothing-wise that fits me, and if I do it's very likely in the junior's department and probably fast-fashion that's going to end up falling apart before it even goes out of style.

Just my 2 cents

Yes! I need to up my sewing game. I've made only placemats and napkins so far. I do knit and crochet, though, and I've made afghans, scarves, hats, cowls, ear warmers, hand warmers, all for pretty cheap.

Becoming a smart shopper is key to reducing costs. Keep an eye for sales and shop in season. For example, I rarely buy apples out of season because the prices are about $2 to $3 higher per pound. Same with, say, butternut squash. Veggies and fruits in season are a lot cheaper.

For yarns and materials, again, I watch for sales and stock up when I can. If you get really good, you can even sell some of your handmade goods.

 

[KLS52]

I’m going to be poor soon as I will be retiring from my job in 8 weeks. I will have to bookmark this thread lol. I might be poor but, man, will I be happy!

 

[shyvas]

I’m going to be poor soon as I will be retiring from my job in 8 weeks. I will have to bookmark this thread lol. I might be poor but, man, will I be happy!

Join the club.

 

[Frederic Lavender]

Hi,

So I’m at uni which means I cook for myself and have a lot of control over my lifestyle choices. I have decided to go vegan and have been doing a slow transition rather than one extreme to the other.
I don’t yet feel super knowledgeable about vegan life, and I have two main questions.

Firstly, I am struggling with balancing buying products that are better for the environment with products that contain all the things you need to stay healthy, e.g soya milk has the closest amount of protein to normal milk but I heard it’s still not great for the environment compared to other vegan milks because it needs a lot of water to produce the beans? Any advice on which brands are planet friendly and full of nutrients rather than just low cal?

Secondly, how do you maintain a good vegan diet on a low budget? Cheap foods like beans, lentils and veggies don’t give you all the nutrients that meat and dairy do, but I don’t want to start living off supplements and protein powder because these are expensive for a poor student! I’ve found that vegan protein bars etc are often more expensive and contain less protein than normal ones, and even vegan quorn chicken is an extra £1 or so than normal quorn. How can I get in all my protein etc without having to spend too much more?

I haven’t told my family about my new choice yet because I want to show them when I go home for Christmas break that I have stayed healthy while on a vegan diet for a couple of months first, but I don’t think I’m eating enough calories or protein yet on the budget that I have as a student. Any recommendations?

Also on a side note, how do you know which clothes shops are cruelty free?

Thank you, sorry this is a long one!

Hi Rosie,

Welcome! I think you are doing the right thing but doing it slowly and incrementally.

I don't know the science behind the soya and whether it is good/bad for you but all I can say is that by eliminating cows milk is a great start.

About the food, lentils, beans, veggies, rice, bread is about my diet and I am training in the gym for muscle. I recently got some blood work done and I was told to supplement B12 and that's it! But on the side, the only other supplement I take is protein shakes but they can be cheap depending on where you are. I'm in the UK so I use MyProtein vegan when they are on sale as it's the only one I can afford!!

As for clothes, there are lots of companies out there, I know a few I use regularly but you just need to search and it will depend on your budget too. Some companies might label it vegan but still use animal glue!!