Weekly Mission

One of the many refrains one hears as a vegan is just how "expensive" vegan food and fashion can be. Well, it certainly doesn't have to be. Bestselling author Kathy Freston addressed the issue in her recent "Eating Vegan on the Cheap" article on HuffPo. She gave a few tips such as buying in bulk and going to the farmer's market at the end of the day when farmers are more willing to discount their goods.

But what if you want a deal on things not found in the produce or bulk sections? What if you want to go out to dinner? What if vegan fashion makes you drool as much as vegan food does, and you don't want to pay full price?

Good news, savvy shoppers. We have entered the digital age of online deals and steals. Thrifty is nifty. Take advantage.

This week your mission is to follow, "like" or subscribe to at least two of these fantastic resources.

  Groupon - from sinfully good Cinnamon rolls from Cinnaholic Bakery in Berkeley to tasty toasted sandwiches at Terri in Manhattan, Groupon's got you covered. Not only do they feature a good deal of vegan businesses, they also cover health food stores and fun ways to get your body moving (kickboxing lessons, anyone?) Here's how it works: you enter your geographic location, and every day, Groupon features a different daily discount from a business in your area. You like it? You sign up and enter your credit card info. Once enough people sign up, the deal activates, and you all get a nice fat coupon to print out. You can subscribe to Groupon or just check their homepage every day to see what they've got.

 Living Social - similar deal to Groupon and also often feature vegan businesses. Today's downtown NYC deal is $20 of goodies for $10 at the new Cowgirl's Baking. I just bought it. If three more people buy it, my deal is free! Viral marketing at its smartest.

Co-producer of our film Vegucated, and leader of the NYC Vegan EatUp group, Demetrius Bagley, has his finger on the pulse of these deals in NYC and tweets about them regularly. Feel free to follow him on Twitter.

Yoli shares links to printable coupons on her website and on Twitter .








Vegan Coupons/@vegandeals - also posts coupon links on Facebook and Twitter.

 Girlie Girl Army's Cheapskates Section - sweet deals for fashionistas, gourmands, and gorgeous green girls. Do you subscribe to Girlie Girl Army yet? It's my favorite weekly e-newsletter - and is in the running for top green mom blog!




Chic Vegan is another great site with a newsletter that features discounts on eco clothing and accessories.

Got any other ideas for vegan deals and steals? Don't keep 'em to yourself; lettuce know!

Smilies and savings,
Marisa