Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Vegan message board for support on vegan related issues and questions.
Topics include philosophy, activism, effective altruism, plant-based nutrition, and diet advice/discussion whether high carb, low carb (eco atkins/vegan keto) or anything in between.
Meat eater vs. Vegan debate welcome, but please keep it within debate topics.
Cirion Spellbinder
Master of the Forum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:28 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Presumably somewhere

Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by Cirion Spellbinder »

If a single human makes nine US dollars an hour and works forty hours a week what would their healthiest and cheapest food options be? Is the veg*n diet practical for the working poor?

The following math has been done to calculate the bare necessities of any worker in California of the United States per year assuming he/she has no health issues, is not subject to crime, and does not purchase any house furnishings or other objects not necessary for survival.

+ $17,280 for working
- $9,000 for housing
- $900 for property taxes
- $207.84 for electricity
- $1200 for public transportation
- $100 for phone
- $80.04 for unlimited talk and text plus 500 MB of data
- $200 for clothes
- $300 for water
With $5,292.12 remaining
User avatar
miniboes
Master of the Forum
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:52 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Netherlands

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by miniboes »

5,292.12/365=$14.5 of money left per day

Since it is possible to eat vegan for $4/$6 a day, I would say a vegan diet is quite appropriate here. Then, you still have some money left for things like reparations.
"I advocate infinite effort on behalf of very finite goals, for example correcting this guy's grammar."
- David Frum
Cirion Spellbinder
Master of the Forum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:28 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Presumably somewhere

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by Cirion Spellbinder »

miniboes wrote:5,292.12/365=$14.5 of money left per day

Since it is possible to eat vegan for $4/$6 a day, I would say a vegan diet is quite appropriate here. Then, you still have some money left for things like reparations.
Would it be cheaper and healthier to have a nonvegan or vegetarian diet? Would this vegan diet provide substantial nutrients and calories? What should they buy?
User avatar
brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10280
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Vegan is cheaper than vegetarian in most cases. Cheese and milk do not offer good nutritional value.

A vegan diet is also correlated with healthcare savings, and probably less lost work from sickness (like smoking), which is something many people don't take into account.
Cirion Spellbinder
Master of the Forum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:28 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Presumably somewhere

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by Cirion Spellbinder »

Would someone mind clarifying what foods they would want to buy?
User avatar
brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10280
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Cirion Spellbinder wrote:Would someone mind clarifying what foods they would want to buy?
Buy frozen vegetables, $1 - $2 a day worth (a pound or two).
Buy dried beans, about $1 a day (after soaking and cooking, you should have a couple pounds).
I also like to get some whole grain bread or pasta or something.

Unnatural Vegan will upload a video on a recipe soon for around $4 a day that's nutritionally complete. I'll link it when she does.
Cirion Spellbinder
Master of the Forum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:28 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Presumably somewhere

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by Cirion Spellbinder »

Awesome! Thanks!
User avatar
Mr. Purple
Full Member
Posts: 141
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 9:03 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by Mr. Purple »

The cheapest foods that exist are vegan. Beans are so insanely cheap that you probably couldn't eat 1$ worth even if that's where all your calories came from the whole day. 80 cents for 3 pounds beans is unmatched. It's awesome that they also so well rounded and nutritious. Rice is also dirt cheap and is the classic combo with beans. You probably could eat healthily under 2$ a day if you need to be extreme about it for whatever reason.
User avatar
brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10280
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by brimstoneSalad »

User avatar
brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10280
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: Veg*ns on Minimum Wage

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Here's another one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v62DJHyHys4
Post Reply