I've been eating vegan for 2 years now (before that vegetarian for a while) and I'm ALMOST consequent except for a little cheese every few weeks or so
That was the only part I found hard to give up.
Almost all of the people I hang out with eat meat and everything else, but I found the acceptance of my diet to be pretty high after the initial lack of understanding. I think one of the reasons for it is that I don't try to evangelise anyone, I only give my reasons when I'm asked for them (and I've read quite a few books about that topic, so I have a broad palette of arguments). Thus I guess I'm lucky that I have little to no pressure when it comes to others judging what I eat and what I don't eat.
What I always do is bringing my own stuff when I'm invited to a barbecue or something and know that it'll be a meat feast. I try and prepare my veg stuff really nicely and beautifully, bringing vegan sausages, steaks (there are a few really good ones out there!) and veggie sticks so that others won't get the false impression that I'm lacking anything, since there's a common prejudice that vegans always sit in the corner nibbling on grains all evening lol. Most meat eaters are pretty surprised that there are other meat alternatives than the horribly prepared wobbly tofu they usually offer in asian restaurants and find my patties, sausages, gyros or sauce bolognese actually really tasty.
I've also read a really useful book called "Living among meat eaters" by Carol J. Adams which deals with exactly these issues. Of course, every now and then you run into that really stubborn meat fanatic who'll try "talking some sense into you", but I'm pretty good at ignoring that and asking him/her to let me eat what I want, since I let everyone eat what they want as well.
On a sidenote to that, I found that I've become increasingly more self-conscious and less adaptive after I switched diets. More able to stand up for what I want, so to speak, but I'm not demanding or aggressive - or trying to talk a bad conscience into others for eating meat. I mean I've been eating meat for over 20 years and remember well how I never understood why someone would choose to be a vegetarian, let alone vegan. Giving up on meat was a process I had to want and undergo on my own.
As for the junk food and easy/cheap alternatives, I don't know which options you have in the area you live in. I'm blessed with a vegan fast food restaurant (Mojo Burger
... they're also really good and make healthy stuff) right around the corner and a few great organic supermarkes that offer ready-to-eat stuff at reasonable prices, but when I have really little time and want to cook for myself I usually end up making a veg stew of some sort. Tossing potatoes, carrots (I always have those two at home) and whatever else I may have, like cauliflower, broccoli, leak etc into a pot, boil that in vegetable broth, add some spices and blend or not blend it afterwards depending on how I feel. Takes me less than 10 minutes, can be left alone while it boils (to game in the meantime, lol), and if it's a big pot, usually lasts for 2-3 days in the fridge. Not very creative, but quick & cheap (and healthy). I also like making ratatouille, fried potatoes, pasta or asian woks - I find all of these really fast and easy. I got a few good vegetarian/vegan cookbooks, but I must admit I don't often cook with recipes.. I tend to experiment with the stuff I have and though I wouldn't say I'm a great cook it usually turns out okay :D But if you're looking for a certain recipe I can skim through my books and see if I find anything
