It’s an uncertain time here on planet Earth and that means, for a lot of us, it is crucial that we find ways to save our hard earned dollars. So many folks are unemployed, underemployed, furloughed, or just struggling to make ends meet.
For almost a decade, my wife and I lived on the strictest of budgets. It was hard and sometimes downright depressing, but we had certain financial goals (like paying off student loans!) that we wanted to achieve and that’s really hard to do when you live paycheck to paycheck.
I’ll never forget the week that we received an unexpected and large car repair expense that had to be paid immediately. It wiped out our small savings and our food budget for that week. We were flat broke and weren’t sure what to do.
I’ve never told anyone this before, but I went to our local food pantry and received a box of canned goods, a big bag of rice, a little produce, and some paper towels and toilet paper.
It was so unbelievably hard to swallow my pride and accept help. In fact, when I got back to the car I was sobbing. I worked hard, paid the bills on time, lived on a strict budget, and I still couldn’t make it work.
That was one of my lowest financial moments, but it was also an eye-opening experience. I had been so fortunate in my life, up until to that point, to be on the giving end of helping people. It was a whole new feeling to be on the receiving end! I was truly humbled.
Even today, every time I drive past that food pantry or drop off a donation of canned goods, I am so aware of the scary, anxious, worry that so many people are facing right now. The financial burdens that we all carry can be so heavy and stressful that it impacts our day-to-day functioning.
Thankfully, I was able to get back on my feet and recover from the financial burden of my car repair, but I know that for many people it is a constant struggle to figure out how to pay their bills, provide food and medicine, and other important items for their families.
I believe the biggest and best thing that ever happened to our budget was subscribing to the CFDG Plant Fueled Meal Plans. Once we had a fully stocked pantry, we watched our grocery bill plummet and it was awesome!
Keep reading, because Team Dirty is here with our biggest plant based money saving tips!
Plant Based Money Saving Tips From Team Dirty
Erica (accountant)
1. When you can, stock up on things when they are on sale.
2. Ask for lower rates on credit cards, insurance, cable, phone, etc… If you threaten to leave, companies will usually have an offer for you.
3. When you have the urge to spend on something unnecessary, go for a walk instead.
Tamie (meal plan / recipe wizard)
1. Buy what’s in season and on sale. Many meal plan produce items can be swapped out if needed to incorporate the most affordable ingredients.
2. Shop the clearance bins and discount stores. I’ve bought canned beans for 39 cents, nutritional yeast for next to nothing, even Bob’s Red Mill grains for $2. And stock up when you catch a bargain! Also, Aldi is a life saver! Organic produce, greens, non-dairy milk, spices, dried and canned beans, nuts, teabags, seed bread and whole grain corn tortillas, and more — super cheap and I’ve never had an issue with the quality. No Aldi? Buy the store brands rather than name brands. Kroger organic canned beans are less than $1 per can while Eden and others are $2-3 per can. We lived for years on a tight budget, feeding a family of 5 for under $80 a week, all meals included.
3. Stock up on the well-known cheapest ingredients — dried beans, oats, grains, frozen vegetables, rice, potatoes, canned tomato products, pasta. Example: a box of whole grain pasta, a can of tomato sauce, some Italian seasonings, and a bag of frozen peas can feed a family of 4 for about $4. (Here in the midwest, anyway! Pasta $1.79 per 1# box, $1 can of tomato sauce, $1 bag of frozen peas plus a few spices. Done.)
Maggie (photographer / recipe tester)
1. Shop the bulk bin section! If your closest grocery store doesn’t offer a wide variety of bulk items, take a field trip to a few other stores to see what is available. Bulk bins are great because you can buy as much or as little of something as you like.
2. The farmer’s market might just become your best friend. I am lucky to live in an area where we have a pretty abundant market year round, but even if you only have seasonal offerings, they can be quite a bit less expensive (and a whole lot fresher!) than similar products at grocery stores.
3. Substitute freely. If it’s difficult to find affordable ingredients, feel free to substitute! We offer a helpful substitution guide and you can always ask in the private Facebook group if you need specific suggestions. Whether things are not readily available or are too expensive, know that the recipes in the meal plans are very forgiving and almost everything can be substituted.
Kellie (meal plan tester and quality control)
1. Budget! Tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.
2. When I have a smaller grocery budget, I shop at the cheaper grocery stores (Winco and / or Walmart) instead of the nicer one that I prefer to shop at (Harmon’s).
3. It doesn’t get much cheaper than rice and beans! My grocery bill has dramatically reduced since going plant-based. Eating healthy does not automatically mean you have to spend more, but it does mean you’ll be spending more time in your kitchen instead of spending money on convenience foods.
Molly (Co-founder)
1. If your budget doesn’t allow for buying all organic produce, buy organic items that are on the Dirty Dozen listbecause these are the items that will be the most heavily sprayed with pesticides. Buy the rest conventional, they will usually be cheaper.
2. Reuse your glass jars from things like peanut butter and tahini as well as your produce and bulk bin bags so you don’t have to buy storage containers, plastic bags or plastic wrap. A win for your pocketbook and the big mama of us all.
3. Shift your mindset around money from “I don’t have enough” to “more is on its way!”. It might sound woo wooo but a simple mindset shift from lack (fear based) to abundance (love based) will start the cosmic wheels turning in your favor.
4. Make time for batch cooking so you don’t have to spend money on takeout or packaged food. Trust me, you have time!
5. Sometimes discount stores like Ross and TJ Maxx have great deals on spices and seeds. Definitely worth checking out.
Lyndsey (long-time Dirty)
1. Know which grocery stores have the lowest price for specific ingredients. For example, I know that my local grocer (Ingles) has coconut aminos for two dollars less than the more expensive Whole Foods.
2. Coupons! It may seem old-fashioned, but grocery stores still do coupons and now you can even get them sent to your phone. Watch for sales on your pantry staples and then stock up when they are on sale. I do this all the time for dried beans, oats, and flours.
3. Following the meal plans has saved us a ton of money on groceries because we are no longer eating out and we’re not throwing away unused ingredients at the end of the week. It is rare that we have leftovers but if we do, we stick them in the freezer for another time.
Sandrina (Facebook moderator)
1. Grow your own herbs! Herbs are very forgiving and grow well either in the ground or in a pot. Just a little bit of water and some light, and you’ll have fresh herbs for your meals without spending three to five dollars on a little measly packet.
2. Always freeze leftover soups, dressings, grains, and sauces that you are done eating. Even if it’s just a little, they will come in handy later.
Jen (meal plan / recipe wizard)
1. Stick to your grocery list and never shop when you’re hungry or thirsty. You will only buy unnecessary food and drinks.
2. Save veggie scraps in a baggie or container and store it in the freezer until it’s full enough to make homemade veggie broth. Big savings and the freshness can’t compare to packaged stock / broth.
3. Look for a produce mark down area in your grocery store. Produce that’s past its prime or blemished sometimes gets marked down instead of tossed out. Bruised or wilty fruits and greens can be sliced and frozen to use in smoothies or soups. If you don’t see a produce markdown area, ask the produce person, they might have stuff in the back that they can offer you for a great deal.
Karen (long-time Dirty)
1. Buy loose tea and a tea ball instead of pre-made tea bags – you’ll save money and packaging waste.
2. Pick up a set of 1.5 cup square or rectangle freezer-safe containers with lids (if you already have round ones, use those but if you are buying a new set, I recommend angles because they use space more efficiently). Cook a batch of dried beans, portion them out and freeze them in the containers. A 1.5 cup container is the equivalent of one can of beans – so it’s easy to grab one from the freezer, thaw it and use it in recipes and meals. Dried beans are super cheap to buy and easy to make.
3. Sweet oat breakfasts aren’t enough to keep me full for very long, so I end up spending money on vegan cookies at the coffee shop a block from my house. My best way to combat this, and it truly starts my day off on the right foot, is to buy bulk oats – currently I have a 7 lb (112 oz) bag of quick-cooking steel cut oats (this means they are squashed a little more so they cook faster) that I picked up from Costco. They cook the same as steel cut oats in the IP. I typically cook 1 cup dry oats to 3 cups water in the IP for 10 minutes with no seasonings. That gives me 4 portions of oats. An entire bag will make 56 portions of oatmeal and it costs $9 for the bag.
For breakfast, I heat up one portion with 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water, add 1/2 cup (sometimes more) of beans, 2 – 3 tablespoons of salsa (I like Green Mountain Gringo), a pinch of salt, 1/4 – 1/2 of an avocado (use the side without the pit first and save the side with the pit in a container in the fridge and use it the next morning), ample cilantro, and a squeeze of lime if I have it on hand. Sometimes I add frozen corn too. A 16 oz jar of that salsa will last 11-13 breakfasts. Avocado is pricey but you really only need 1/4 per person so if you have two people eating this breakfast in your house, one avocado rocks 4 servings. The cilantro lasts all week long and the beans are cheapo.
Here are some other money-saving tips that we cooked up for you.
- Drink tea or water with cucumbers or lemon instead of drinking alcohol. This helps your wallet and your liver!
- Be mindful of wants vs. needs. Do you really need the thing you’re about to buy or do you want it? If you want it, write it on your “to buy later” list.
- Every time you have the urge to buy a fancy coffee, stash that money in an envelope and don’t count it for a year. After a year, use the money in the envelope to pay off credit cards.
- Find a clothing swap near you or start one if there isn’t one that is active.
- Participate in your local Buy Nothing group.
- Look into cloth diapers for your little one. There is a learning curve but you will save money and help the environment.
- Shop at thrift stores and yard sales instead of buying things that are new.
- Spend more time in nature. It’s free and it will invigorate your soul.
- Put every $5 bill that comes your way into an envelope and stash it away for a year. After a year, use the money to pay off credit cards or other debts.
- Get a library card and check out books instead of buying them.
- Check out your local community calendar and find free events.
- Host a potluck for friends instead of going out to dinner.
- Buy your own nail polish and do manis and pedis at home.
Do you have any money-saving tips to share? Or do you plan on trying any if these tips? Talk to us in the comments below!
Today’s soup costs under $5 to make the entire batch and it serves 4 people with leftovers.
Split Pea Soup
Makes 6 cups
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Author: Molly Patrick
Ingredients
Instant Pot Ingredients
- 1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed (200 g)
- 1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup / 160 g)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion (65 g)
- ½ cup chopped carrot (65 g)
- ½ cup chopped celery (60 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (about 10 turns)
- 4 cups water (945 ml)
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley (5 g)
Stove Top Ingredients
- 1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed (200 g)
- 1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup / 160 g)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion (65 g)
- ½ cup diced carrot (65 g)
- ½ cup chopped celery (60 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (about 10 turns)
- 5 cups water
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley (5 g)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
Place the split peas in a strainer and rinse with water. Place the strainer over a bowl and set aside for now, allowing the excess water drain out.
Press the saute button on your Instant Pot (IP) and heat up the inner pot for 2 minutes. Add the potato, onion, carrot and celery and saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water when the veggies start to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Add the split peas, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and stir. Cook for about a minute and then add the water and stir one more time.
Turn the IP off and lock the lid into place, making sure the nozzle is in the sealing position. Using the Manual (or Pressure Cooking) mode, set the timer for 13 minutes. Use the natural release method when the timer goes off.
When all the pressure is out of the pot, carefully remove the lid and allow the Soup to cool for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring to help it cool faster. After it has cooled, blend the Soup in batches with your blender (or all in one go with a blender stick) until creamy and smooth. Pour the soup back into the inner pot and stir in the parsley.
Let it cool completely before storing in the fridge.
Stove Top Instructions
Place the split peas in a strainer and rinse with water. Place the strainer over a bowl and set aside for now, allowing the excess water drain out.
Heat a large pot over medium heat for about two minutes. Add the potato, onion, carrot and celery and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water when the veggies start to stick to the pot.
Add the split peas, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and water and stir. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low and place a lid on the pot at an angle. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 30 minutes, turn off the heat, take the lid off and allow the soup to cool for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring to help it cool faster. After it has cooled, blend the Soup in batches with your blender (or all in one go with a blender stick) until creamy and smooth. Our the soup back into the pot and stir in the parsley.
Let it cool completely before storing in the fridge.
Notes
This Soup might seem thin at first – this is normal. It will thicken as it cools.
The Soup in these pictures is topped with Coconut Bacon and Pumpkin Seeds.
Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with abundance.
Xo
Molly
