That's great! I'm glad my response was helpful! 🙂

Thanks again for writing!
Lauren

Thanks so much for your thoughtful response!! I'm definitely going to check out buying loose grains and veggies, now that I know it might actually save me money. Thanks so much again for answering my questions -definitely going to check out this blog in the future!

Hello and thank you for your comment!

To answer your first question, living a Zero Waste lifestyle actually saves me a lot of money, particularly on food. This is very important for me as I am a recent college graduate living on a very modest entry level salary and I truly understand the importance of a budget. When I go shopping, I bring my own jars and fill them with bulk food saving exponentially as people pay a premium for packaging. The same goes for my vegetables and fruit. I buy my greens and vegetables unpackaged and unwashed which saves me a lot of money. An old post of mine (link below) shows what a week of food shopping is like for me. I usually spend between 35-45 dollars per week on food depending on what I am buying.

http://www.trashisfortossers.com/2013/07/a-week-of-organic-food-for-under-4000.html

I also save a lot of money on clothing shopping. Along with buying unpackaged, bulk, organic food, I do not buy new clothing from stores. Instead, I do all of my clothing shopping secondhand which saves SO much money. Like food, people pay a premium for name brands in department stores. I am careful to select secondhand items that are in neutral colors, easily washable and natural fabrics, and are well made to decrease the frequency that I need to go shopping. Having fewer articles of clothing also keeps my laundry cost down.

Another thing that keeps my living costs low is the fact that I live in a small apartment in NYC which is very easy to clean. I do not use a slew of cleaning products and rely mostly on using white vinegar, castile soap, and baking soda which are all items that can be purchased package free/in bulk and that cost much less than conventional cleaning products.

To answer your second question, I don’t typically shop at Whole Foods. I have actually only gone there a few times. The reason for this is that it is one of the only places in the city that I can find bulk, Organic bread and it is three blocks from my office. I was in a rush and needed bread for a dinner party that I was having and got out of work too late to go to the farmers market, where I would usually purchase my bread. I do the remainder of my food shopping at a small, local grocery store and a local co-op that both have huge bulk selections and only stock organic produce. I do not know much about Whole Foods and where their money goes, but I will definitely research that further.

Thanks again for writing! I hope this answers your questions!

Thank you Sara!! <33333

Lauren