by Plant Based News | www.plantbasednews.org
You have probably heard that veganism has a reputation of being expensive. Because vegan-labeled snacks and candy can sometimes be pricier than similar products that are made with animal byproducts, some people mistakenly think that it’s expensive to be vegan.
However, it can be within reach of those who must live on a budget. In fact, it can help them stick to a budget.
Just consider this family that saved enough money by going vegan to finance a two-week vacation to Greece! Inspiration Andrée Pags reported to CNBC that her family saved $2,800 within six months by eating vegan. It all started with a viewing of Cowspiracy, the stunning documentary that Leonardo DiCaprio helped produce for Netflix.
Darren Aronofsky, the director of Noah and Black Swan, said that Conspiracy is a "documentary that will rock and inspire the environmental movement". With how much it influenced Pags and others, it´s easy to agree with Darren.
After Pags watched Cowspiracy and subsequently checked out the NutritionFacts.org website, she and her husband experimented with their diet by going vegan from Thanksgiving to Christmas in 2016. It didn´t end when the lights and decorations came down, though. They remain vegan to this day. Thrifty After six months of eating vegan, they went on a two-week trip to Greece this past spring. They explored such places as Crete, Athens, and Rhodes.
So how did they do it? Well, Andrée Pags shared that it was pretty straightforward.
1. They spent less on food
She discovered that plant protein is cheaper than protein from animals. She primarily shopped at Costco and often bought canned food because of its convenience. However, she also shared that dried beans and lentils would have been even cheaper. Ultimately, she saved between $1,310 and $1,470 within six months by simply spending less on food as a vegan family.
2. They didn’t need as much medication
Although not every vegan family is lucky enough to be able to reduce their medication, the Pags family was able to do so. Andrée didn´t experience allergies on the vegan diet, and she also had less of a need for ibuprofen that she used to take.
3. They went out to eat less frequently
Dining out can end up being a significant portion of any food budget if people enjoy frequent trips to restaurants. The Pags family found that there weren´t many solely vegan restaurants in their city, and the vegan options in other eateries weren´t especially tempting. Also, they were able to eat well at home, so they didn’t need to dine out as frequently. This saved them at least $1,200 over six months. Andree chose Greece as a holiday destination to make the money go further.
4. They wasted less
Andrée used to throw out meat that went old because she miscalculated how much she would need for the family. She found that the vegan food she bought tended to last longer, and she no longer had to toss out meat, butter and cheese that got old in the fridge. Over time, she wasted less as a vegan, and that resulted in a monetary savings of around $60 over six months.
Adding up Overall, Andrée estimated that she saved around $2,800 that was used on the family´s vacation. Since Greece is cheap, that was used for their two-week getaway. She explained what they ate on the trip in her CNBC article.
Does this ring true to your own experience as a vegan? What ways have you found to cut back and save money through vegan living?