Let's look at the numbers...

I get annoyed when I hear people talk about juicing and their complaints about calories and cost.  Yes, the cost is higher, but the cost can be manipulated to be cheaper, and if you drink one Starbucks coffee a day, buy a beer at a bar, or eat out at restaurant once a week, then there's no excuse.  The calories?  The math's below.  Yes, good health does does come at a price, but seriously, it's not that much.  It's called priorities, people.

Yields over 5 cups of juice....5 CUPS!:

1 VERY large apple (300g):  140 cal & 14g sugar ($1)

2 lemons:  40 cal ($0.40)

12 leaves romaine lettuce:  40 cal ($1)

1 cup spinach:  7 cal

1 cup parsley:  22 cal  ($0.50)

½ cucumber:  22 cal  ($0.50)

1 large carrot:  30 cal & 2g sugar ($0.10)

Total:  301 cal, 16g sugar($3.50)

Yields 1 serving size bowl cereal:

1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch:  190 cal & 13 g sugar

1 cup 1% milk:  110 cal & 12.7g sugar

Total:  300 cal, 25.7g  sugar

The Cost:

• Yes, juicing is a little more pricey than a bowl of cereal in the morning, but the cost can be tinkered with.  Organic is the way to go, but if you can't afford it, you can't afford it.  Buy non-organic and your price will go down.  Also, notice how the apples and romaine lettuce are the most expensive items.  I put two apples (or one VERY large) in my juice because I make a LOT of juice.  I like it a little on the sweet side sometimes, and sometimes I don't.  Also, when you first start making green juice, you will probably want it sweeter, and then you will see your taste buds will start to need less "sweet."  Therefore, depending on taste preference, how much apple you use will affect the overall cost, sugar, and calorie levels. 
• Romaine Lettuce is one of the more pricey greens.  At my local grocery store, a head runs for $1.99 non-organic, and $2.99 organic.  I use at least a half head in my juice, but I also mix in other greens.  I'll use any leafy green lettuce, kale, and/or spinach.  All of these greens are nutrient dense, and are less expensive than romaine.  If you can't afford to use romaine every day, then don't; supplement with other greens that are less expensive.  Also, when I'm out of fresh greens, or running low, I have a jar of spirulina powder I use to supplement.  Just 1 tsp. has a huge nutrient dense profile!  When I go this route, I juice whatever I plan to juice, then pour it in the blender with 1 tsp. spirulina, and give it a quick spin to distribute.  It's still great!
  

The Nutrition:

• Fresh, unpasteurized, GREEN juice supplemented with a small amount of fruit is so much better for you than a bowl of cereal that has been most likely fortified with synthetic vitamins, mucus forming (and hard to digest) cow's milk, refined processed sugars, and acidic pH producing non-sprouted grains.  FYI, I know there are many worse things to eat for breakfast than cereal, but I decided to take the generally understood "healthiest" option to compare with juice to be the most fair.  Cereals do provide a good source of fiber, which is good.  Also, there are some great cereals out there made with natural sugars and sprouted grains, but you're going to pay extra for them...like you pay extra for quality juice.  Raw fruit/veggie juice is loading with enzymes and nutrients!  Enzymes helps us digest food, eliminate toxins and waste, assimilate nutrients, and support our immune systems.  They're, like, kind of a big deal.  When we pasteurize juice, we cook out all the enzymes and much of the nutrients, hence the necessity of having raw green juice as apart of your daily food intake.  Look at green juice as your daily mutli-vitamin and cell cleanser!

 

*Please don't feel like you need to rip me a new one if these calorie numbers are slightly off, etc.  The point is to get a fairly close general idea for comparison*