About RawShopper.com

Hi! I hope you're enjoying the Raw Shopper site and finding it beneficial!

First, you're probably wondering: So, what's the catch?
None. You don't pay a thing to use this site. It's FREE FREE FREE! (OK, not FREE for me -- I'm paying the bills, but FREE to you! ).

What helps me pay those bills is when you click on a store that happens to have an affiliate program. The store then pays me a small comission based on what you spend with them.

Right now, most of the stores on Raw Shopper do not have an affiliate program but I include them anyway. I am determined to share the best data I can find.

A Brief History of Raw Shopper

Why did I start this site?

To help make raw more affordable and fun!

Where in the world did this idea come from?

Well, my raw journey officially set sail around September 2008 and like many new to raw, I was extremely eager to try new dishes (OK, ravenous actually) and found myself constantly playing in the kitchen with raw recipes.

That introduced me to a world of new ingredients. With some sleuthing, I found some ingredients locally. And many of the prices were, well... ouch! A little expensive. In some cases, VERY.

I like to support local businesses and yet realized I might be able to do more for my family by finding online stores. Being a busy mom, I like the convenience of the world wide web. Also, some ingredients I just couldn't find locally, even despite living in bountiful California. Some items just required additional detective-work to track them down.

Inspector Angelique

Fortunately, I like to investigate.

And I like to shop. Ummm wait, that's not exactly right. It's not the shopping as much as bargain-hunting! I've always loved to shop for a good deal. Even as a kid, I was decorating my room with flea market finds and vintage clothing, beaming over my latest aquisition or creation. This has continued through my adult life and (someday I'll have to tell you how little my wedding dress cost...) I don't know why, but being thrifty is fun to me. It's not about feeling lack or desperate and I don't live like a pauper. I just enjoy spending money wisely and know there are others out there like me.

So back to raw... I found myself spending a lot of time on the web trying to find products and excitedly digging up more stores and products. I also saw that there was a wide range of prices and I had difficulty figuring out who to buy from.

"Being raw is too expensive!"

Meanwhile, I'd occasionally hear from fellow raw enthusiasts that being raw was too expensive, and some said they even had to reluctantly go back to a S.A.D. (standard American Diet)! C'est n'pas vrai! On one hand, I could understand, while also it was heartbreaking to hear folks knowingly making unhealthy decisions out of desperation.

Cleaning house, in more ways than one

Now as my raw lifestyle cleaned out my body, I also felt some other unexpected shifts.

Gratitude.

Happiness.

Love.

Awareness.

Sometimes I'd suddenly feel a burst of joy, gratitude, or love that could lead me tears.

My brain fog was clearing.

My energy was through the roof, and I felt like a sunbeam with a saddle on. A growing energy source, struggling to be free to shine. I wanted to help others, give more to the world, live life more fully. But how?

Then one day, it hit me...

Like a ton of flax

I realized that I had an odd talent that might actually serve the world.

I had already started keeping prices and stores in a spreadsheet for my own use (yes, for fun -- seriously) and said casually to my husband Zane, "Wouldn't it be nice if there was a site that listed raw stores and prices in one place, for us all to share?"

After some fateful steps and little angels (thank you Karen Knowler, for your Raw Professionals Online program), I decided to go for it! Sure, I didn't know whether I would earn income and the best part is -- it didn't matter. I trusted that if I stay focused on my desire to give and to be grateful, that I would be abundant and be able to continue giving. And Raw Shopper was born!