The cost for a membership at a club or gym can be up to hundreds of dollars per month, especially if you have your whole family there. Soul Cycle and Peloton are now popular options that come with a hefty price tag. How can you save money while still putting your health first? There are definitely alternatives to joining a fitness center and paying high end dollars.
Get Outside
Walking, biking, running, swimming, and hiking are all great options that you can do outside and can be incredible workouts. And the best part is that they’re FREE! Even taking the stairs at work and choosing a parking spot farther from your entrance can make a different in your fitness. A Fitbit or Apple watch can log your steps to keep you focused or on track for your fitness goals. You can download podcasts or books to keep you motivated to keep going and it will make the time go by quickly.
Make Money
There are several apps where you can earn money while you exercise. The app Achievement rewards you with cash for tracking your healthy daily activities. The app includes exercise trackers and even food trackers. If you’re already doing the tracking, you might as well earn money for it.
Employee Benefits
You might be thinking of health insurance when you think of health benefits that your employer offers. It is not uncommon for some benefits to include free or discounted gym memberships, free fitness trackers, an office gym, or even cash back or bonuses for meeting certain fitness/health goals. Employers know that the healthier their workers, the more productive they are and the less sick time they take.
Community Recreational Centers
Community rec centers are in your local community that are subsidized with taxpayer money. Events and activities are either free or discounted for locals. You may find all sorts of options like exercise classes, sports (volleyball, baseball, soccer, badminton, etc.), art classes, and many more. Your rec center might even have a full weight area. This is definitely a place that you shouldn’t dismiss and should be on your list for research.
Local Groups
You can check out www.meetup.com and other local centers for an opportunity to meet new people and find and get your exercise on. If you’re not sure what’s available in your local community, do a quick Internet search. You can find running clubs, local fitness studios, healthy restaurants, lifestyle bloggers and so much more.
Your Personal Neighborhood
If you are part of a home owner’s association (HOA), you may have options within your very own neighborhood. Some options include, lap pools, exercise classes, basketball and volleyball courts, weight rooms, and others. You may have many possibilities that you’re not even aware of. Since you pay for your HOA dues, these are all items that you have already paid for. That’s why this should always be your first place to research since you’ve already paid for it. If your selection is not amazing, you may consider talking to the HOA board to find out what other options you may be able to add.
Exercise at Home
You can do workouts in your very own home. There are exercise DVD’s that you can do at home or even channels that offer only exercise all day long. Of course, even the library has exercise DVD’s that you can borrow. You can get a lot of variety and not even pay a penny. You can also ask your friends to see if they want to trade for a while to get more variety in your workout. The easiest thing to do is find workouts on YouTube. You can pretty much find anything that you want and it’s all FREE, just like the library.
If you prefer using exercise equipment, you can check out Craig’s List, FB Marketplace, Mercari, Play It Again Sports, or even your local Goodwill. You will frequently find exercise items offered on freecycle as well. Freecycle www.freecycle.org is an organization designed to keep items out of landfills by reusing items. One person’s trash is another’s treasure. All items are given away for free. People post items that they are offering that range from clothing, bikes, washing machines, and televisions. Some are working perfectly fine and others aren’t. There are 3 options that you see on freecycle. Offer means that you are offering up an item for pick up for free. Taken means that the item is spoken for and is pending pick up or has been picked up. Wanted means that the freecycler is looking for a specific item. I have used all of these options many times. The only down side to participating in freecycle is that the items are not tax deductible. The way I look at it is that if I’m also receiving items from individuals, then it’s a wash. I may not be getting the deduction, but am receiving other items for free.
Exercise equipment is something that people may purchase but only use a few times so you should be able to get something in good condition at a reasonable price. A simple jump rope that needs next to nothing for storage is another excellent way to do cardio at home.
Weights
If you are more into doing weight bearing exercises, you still have other options besides going to the gym. You can purchase exercise bands reasonably and can use them for a variety of exercises. Your own body weight can be used for many exercises as well like push-ups, sit-ups, triceps dips, etc. What about filling up gallons of milk with water and using them for weights or cans of food? There are lots of options. Walking lunges outside while carrying your water jugs can kill you (in a good way). You can also stay fit by doing more chores around your house. Instead of paying someone to blow your leaves or mow your lawn, do it yourself. Consider it your workout for the day. You’re getting exercise as well as getting things done around the house. Do you have a trampoline for your kids? Get on it and try jumping for just a few minutes. It will definitely have you out of breath.
If you prefer to purchase the weights, choose a few that you commonly use for several exercises (5, 10, or 15 lbs. for women) and it’s definitely cheaper than joining a gym. If you need someone or something to keep you motivated, find a neighborhood friend to work out with you to keep you going. To split the expenses, you each could buy half of the equipment that you will be using. It’s a nice trade off.
Gym Options
If you have decided that you can’t be successful at home, think about what other options you have without having to pay the full amount for a gym membership. One option is to work a few hours a week at the gym front desk or nursery or if you have the skills, teach a swimming or group fitness class. Depending on the facility, you will usually get your membership for free while only having to pay any additional expenses to add a spouse or family. This can save you thousands of dollars a year and you’re getting paid. It’s definitely a winning scenario.
Just because your finances are tight, it doesn’t mean that you have to forego getting and staying healthy. There are always options to figure it out. Always think outside the box when pressed with a financial difficulty. It’s not always an either/or situation. You can be creative to figure it out.
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