I believe an organic and healthy lifestyle is possible on any budget! You can eat right and stay fit without paying a fortune. Here are some of the ways I go about doing that.
Before we get started, you need to understand the meaning of organic and healthy lifestyle. It’s not just about the food you eat or the skincare brands you buy, but the fact you deal with all life’s needs in a way that is best for your health, well-being, your bank account, and the environment.
Here are Tips To Live An Organic and healthy Lifestyle On A Budget:
DIY Everything
DIY EverythingMake your own cleaning products
The ingredients that go into natural cleaning products — baking soda, white vinegar — It is cheap and easy to make. And if you want to be fancy, add a few drops of essential oils like peppermint, lemon, or lavender. The cost of making products from them is about one-tenth that of their commercial equivalents.
Make your own beauty products
Many stores-brought beauty products contains fillers, harmful chemical, and filled with ingredient names you have no idea what it means. When you make your own beauty products, not only will you know exactly what it is inside, it is also cheaper. For example, I often use coconut oil as my body lotion, hair mask, and teeth whitening. It is single ingredients, inexpensive (in the long run because a jar goes a long way), and it works.
Grow your own
If you have green thumb, you can grow your own garden. Even if you don’t have a backyard or balcony, you can still grow a few pots of herbs right in your house.
Buy store brand
If you have a green thumb, you can grow your own garden. Even if you don’t have a backyard or balcony, you can still grow a few pots of herbs or start a vertical garden right in your house.
Explore different ways to shop
Become store savvy
As an organic lifestyle is becoming more and more in demand, many big chain stores like Walmart, Safeway, Costco, Trader Joes, and Target wants to be part of that lifestyle. Before heading to Wholefoods, check out the grocery store nearest to you first.
Another store to shop for organic products includes Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Homegoods. The only downside of these stores is that you have to buy it when you see it because it may not be there next time you go!
Get Farm Fresh Produce and Meat Delivery To Your Door
Now a days you can get anything delivered right to your door. Why not get your farm fresh produce and meat deliver to your door? Depends on the service, you may save a few bucks.
Produce And Meat Delivery services:
Buy local and shop at the farmers market
When produce is in season, they tend to be less expensive. Depends on which farmers market you go to, often the produces there are cheaper than the grocery store (you will want to do some homework of comparison). And if you go towards the end of the farmers market hours, you may even score some fantastic deals!
Join Thrive Market
This website is a health food store stocked up with non-GMO and organic groceries at drastically reduced prices (up to 25-50% off). I’ve found that the quality of their products is always as good as what I can buy locally, and they carry many of the brands I love and support. The way they work is similar to Costco because you need to join to shop, but their fee is reasonable (works out to about $5 month)
Shop on Amazon
If you live in an area where access to organic and natural products is very limited, you should check out this Amazon. They basically have every brand available on one site. You can also order organic produce from Amazon Fresh if they deliver to your area.
Check out discount stores
One of my favorite discount stores is called the Grocery Outlet. To me, this store is like the outlet of Wholefoods. They offer organic produce, household items to wine for a fraction of Wholefoods price. You’ll find name brand groceries and farm fresh organic produce for 40-70% less than conventional grocery stores.
Some of my other favorite discount stores includes HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, Ross, and Marshalls. These stores not only carrying home decors, clothing, furniture etc., they carry discounted panty, and beauty items for less!
Join a local CSA – Local Harvest
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal produce directly from a farmer in their community. It is basically a farm share. A farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public.
Sign up to get credit card from your favorite store
Get Whole Foods Prime card
If you are a Whole Foods shopper, I highly recommend that you get this card! Extra instant 10% off in-store on Prime items, 5% cashback on Amazon and Whole Foods Market, 2% back at restaurants, gas station and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases. And of course, this also means you will be Amazon prime member (movies, faster shipping time, etc.).
Get the Red card
If you are a Target shopper, you should check out Target’s Red card. With the Red card, you save 5% at Target. REDcard holders get free shipping and extended returns. Apply NOW!
Buy things in bulk
Buying in large quantities is always cheaper than buying in smaller portions. Shop at places like Costco and Sam’s Club – you will get great deals! This only works if you actually use alot of it. Otherwise, you are just wasting money.
Prioritization of meat
While it would be best that everything you buy is organic, check your shopping list and decide which items are essential to be organic. For example, if you have to chose organic chicken vs. organic ground beef. I recommend organic ground beef because USDA does not allow hormones and antibiotics to be used for chicken. However, antibiotic is allowed used on beef (unless the farmer decided not to use it on their animal, they can label raised without antibiotics). Another reason to purchase organic ground beef vs. solid cuts of meat is that in the latter the bacteria tend to remain on the surface of the meat. Once you cook it, most of the bacteria are destroyed. When the meat is ground, however, those same bacteria get mixed throughout the meat, contaminating all of it. So if you like your hamburger on the rare side, the pathogens may still be alive and well in the center of the beef patty. Ground beef (like other ground meats) can also go through several grinding steps at processing plants and in stores, providing more opportunities for cross-contamination to occur.
Prioritize your produce
While buying all organic is more ideal but when you are on a budget, use the dirty dozen and clean 15 list. These lists, will help you prioritize what produce should be purchased in organic.
Buy the whole animal
Buying a whole animal is cheaper than just a portion of it. For example, a whole organic chicken cost less per pound, vs. just the breast, legs, or wings which are more expensive per pound.
Go frozen!
When the fruit/vegetable is not in season, it is cheaper to buy frozen. Costco sells organic frozen fruit and vegetable, just saying! Double saving bonus. If you are wondering whether frozen fruit/vegetable is healthy for you, the answer is in most cases, and it is more nutritious than fresh because they were package during their peak of freshness!
Eat less meat
Organic meat is expensive, instead of spending a significant portion of your budget on meat, why not spend it on alternative plant-based protein source.
Reduce waste by buying less
You deserve to use every penny you spend on that produce. The average household wastes between 20-30% of their food, through mismanaging the larder, over buying, and poor storage. Be sure to buy what you need and invest in a great storage system.
Help save the environment while saving $
You can start saving instantly just by changing all the light bulbs in your house to energy saving light bulbs (LEDs). Other ways include, use more public transportation, bike more often, home energy audit, use more recycled plastic, etc. But one step at a time!
Cook more and eat out less
Eat out only twice a week – eating organic at home is significantly less expensive than eating at organic restaurants.
Take advantage of sales
Take advantage of the ‘buy one get one free’ sales or buy one get the other for a discounted price. You never know when it will go on sale again, so make sure to take advantage of it and store it for later use. (This trick only works if you really love the product and it is a staple at your home – otherwise this could lead to wasted food)
BYO
Bring your own tea/coffee
Bring organic tea with you and ask for hot water. A cup of tea can cost up to $5 dollars, vs. $1 dollar you would tip the barista or server.
Check out my favorite coffee leaf in a tea bag that you can bring with you wherever you go.
Bring your own water bottle
Bring filtered water with you wherever you go in a reusable safe water bottle, so you never have to buy expensive bottled water. If you do have to buy bottled water, try boxed water. Its better for the environment than a plastic bottle.
Pack your own when it comes to traveling
When you travel, pack your own food and snack. I always bring a container of frozen fruits and my Nutribullet with me where I go. This way, I can ensure I am getting my fruits in even when I am traveling.
Lastly, remember a pricey restaurant doesn’t equal organic or quality food – going to a grocery store and picking up some organic food will save you money and your health.
Compost
Compost all food waste to put nutrients back into your garden (you will spend less on fertilizer). If you don’t have a garden, check your local compost program. You may still be able to compost!
Storage your produce properly
Refrigerate or not to refrigerate
Some produce and nuts last longer in the fridge than at storing at room temperature. Refrigerate when you need to.
Get reusable bee wax food storage wraps
Instead of buying the traditional ceramic wrap, which is terrible for the environment and your health, check out reusable bee wax food storage wraps (cheaper in long run).
Find coupons
Download Honey
A browser extension that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout with a single click.
Use cash redeem App
One of my favorite ways to save is this app that pays you real money whenever. What I love about this app is it not just for one particular store, it is saving app for daily living! It includes many chain grocery stores (Costco, CVS, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods etc.) and you can use it for clothing (includes mobile shopping as well like eBay, Zulily, Poshmark etc.), pets (Petsmart, Petco), travel (Booking.com, priceline.com , Hotel Tonight etc.) and dine out! Sounds too good to be true right? Check out my ibotta review to learn more!
For a limited time, you can get $10 just for trying the app by using this link.
Google for promo code
I know this sound like a duh but before I buy anything online, I always search to see if there are any promo code I can use. If you install Honey, you won’t need to mannually do this.
