The environmental benefits of buying organic produce have been well known for years, and organic cosmetics also come with a wide range of both environmental and health benefits. But it’s not difficult to notice the instant price increase on organic products. The cost of feeding a family on organic food can often be expensive and impractical, and the term “organic” is often an excuse to slap a huge price tag onto cosmetic products. Here are a few tips on buying organic on a budget, helping you to enjoy the benefits without breaking the bank.
Buying organic food
There’s no doubt that conventional supermarket vegetables are less expensive than the equivalent organic range. But buying organic on a budget isn’t difficult, and with a bit of preparation and prioritizing, your weekly food shop can contain a wide range of organic food without a noticeable increase in price.
Plan your meals
By planning your meals out for the week, before your weekly shop, you can be sure of exactly what to buy and how much of it you will need. This helps to prevent wastage whilst helping you to save money. Where possible, buy your meat and vegetables in bulk, and prepare larger batches of food in one go. Individual portions can be frozen and eaten later in the week, letting you avoid wasting leftover ingredients and enjoy the benefits of cheaper organic ingredients.
Buy seasonal
If you know of a nearby market which offers reasonably priced seasonal produce, take full advantage, it can be a great place to visit when buying organic on a budget! Seasonal produce is usually less expensive, due to being sourced locally rather than being flown from overseas to keep up with the country’s demand. Plenty of organic food can be bought while in season and frozen, or prepared and stored for use during the out of season months, meaning no trips to the supermarket to buy overpriced produce.
Prioritize
Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to make every food purchase an organic one. In this case, it is important to prioritize which foods should be organic, and which you can live with eating their conventional counterparts. One of the leading reasons for people buying organic produce is to reduce their exposure to pesticides, meaning that it is often best to prioritize fruit and vegetables based on how heavily pesticides are used when they are grown.
The fruit and vegetables most likely to be exposed to pesticides are:
apples
celery
cherry tomatoes
cucumber
grapes
Therefore, it is often sensible to buy the organic versions of these fruits and vegetables if your budget doesn’t stretch far enough for other produce. Produce that is generally considered to contain the lowest levels of pesticides includes asparagus, avocado, cabbage, sweetcorn, mushrooms, onions and cantaloupe, so try to eat more of these if your budget for organic foods has become tight.
Cosmetics
The problem with the world of cosmetics is that the term “organic” sends product prices through the roof, with many consumers sharing the belief that cosmetics using organic ingredients have a superior effect upon the hair or skin. While there are times when this may be true, the cosmetics industry often exploits these beliefs and charges increasingly high prices for their products. Fortunately, you can still buy organic cosmetics whilst sticking to your budget.
Shop around
Whilst organic cosmetics can be expensive, not all of them are extortionate, and some companies work to make organic products more accessible to everyone. Dr Organic is one such company, selling a wide range of organic cosmetics and toiletries which make use of effective, bioactive ingredients. Products in the Dr Organic range include face washes, deodorants, toothpastes, moisturisers and even anti wrinkle creams, and are in a similar price range to many other conventional everyday products. Dr Organic, as well as a small range of other cosmetics and toiletries are available at Holland and Barrett on the high street, meaning they are just as easy to get hold of as more well known, conventional products.
Another great way to shop around for organic cosmetics and toiletries is to try websites such as Big Green Smile, who offer a simple way to browse and buy organic cosmetics and toiletries online. Again, organic products are available for little more than conventional products, and with items such as soap, refill packs are available, allowing you to save money by buying in bulk. Keep an eye on their special offers page, which lets you know which items are discounted or included in their popular 3 for 2 offers.
Double up
Buying separate products to perform different tasks can become expensive. A great way to keep your expenditure down is to buy versatile products which can perform a number of uses as toiletries and cosmetics. A body moisturiser, for example, can just as easily be used as a hand, foot or cuticle cream, and a good quality organic bar of soap can easily be used to wash the body and the face. For some inspiration on using a versatile, organic ingredient for a number of uses, take a look at Uses for coconut oil- Nature’s most Versatile Ingredient?
Image sourced: Jeremy Keith
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