Besides your financial wellbeing, your personal health should be one of your top priorities. What is all your wealth worth if you can’t enjoy it fully by not being healthy?
Personal fitness is the goal of many people but it can be expensive to get, and stay, in shape. Gym memberships, exercise equipment, and trainers all add up quickly. While they can be a necessary expense, it is possible to get in shape without breaking the bank.
Here are a few ways to save money on your gym memberships while also getting in the best shape of your life.
Find Your Motivation to Get in Shape
The first step to getting in shape on a budget is to get motivated. This means finding a reason deep inside yourself that will push you to get in shape despite any other obstacle.
Without an inner drive to get in shape, it will be very difficult to achieve your goals in the long term. Find that motivation to push yourself to work out by yourself instead of going to an expensive gym. Figure out what will make you get up and go for that run instead of sitting on the couch.
Once you are motivated and have a fitness goal, it is time to start working towards it… without breaking the bank.
Ditch the Gym Memberships and Personal Trainers
If you are paying for a gym membership, try canceling it to save some money each month. Some people may have multiple gym memberships to specialty gyms, like boxing, Crossfit, spin cycling, or yoga, on top of a normal gym. Cut those out and try to do your workouts for free.
If you are paying for a personal trainer, cancel those classes as soon as you can to save even more money. Sure, it might be a little tough to get out of bed to do a hard workout at first, but you’ll get used to it soon. Plus, you’ll save a ton of money by taking control of your fitness yourself.
Take a hard look at everything that you are spending money on for your fitness. You might be surprised to see the monthly fees and how they add up. If you’re nervous to cancel them outright, put them on a 3 month pause to try to do your workouts yourself.
Figure Out Your Favorite At-Home Workout
Now that you have stopped paying for your gym memberships and personal trainers, it’s time to start your own free training. The awesome thing about fitness is that you can do almost anything to get in shape for free.
The first step is to figure out a few exercises that you enjoy and can do by yourself for free. This could be simply walking or running around the neighborhood. It might be going to a nearby lake and swimming a few laps.
Or it could be a high intensity interval session with pushups, pullups, and lunges. Bodyweight exercises can be a great workout that don’t need any extra equipment and minimal space.
These exercises should be the bread and butter for your workout routine. They will be the ones that you can do any day without thinking about it to stay in shape.
Get Inspired by Social Media
Now, don’t get me wrong about surfing social media. It can be a discouraging place if all you see are people who are in better shape than you, so don’t focus on other people’s bodies.
Instead, use social media to find new workout routines to shake up your exercises. Youtube is great for finding new exercises and programs that will get your heart pumping.
You can follow along on many of these videos as if they were your own personal trainer in your own living room. Not only do you get an awesome workout in, but you don’t have to pay a penny to do it!
Search Craigslist Free Ads
Sometimes, there might be a type of exercise that you really want to do at home but can’t afford to buy the equipment. It could be a weight machine, rower, elliptical, or even free weights that would make your workout more efficient.
Brand new, this type of equipment could be hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Instead of buying new, look on classified free ads like Craigslist to see if anyone local might have what you are looking for.
Often times, someone might be moving or sick of their exercise equipment and are looking to give it away for free. That is your chance to pick up some functional equipment at no cost to you. I actually got an elliptical for free once and use it periodically for a great high-intensity interval workout.
Some of the better equipment might not be available for free but could be purchased used for a fraction of the price. You can search for other deals that will help you get in shape without breaking the bank. Gym liquidation sales can be a great time to pick up some equipment for pennies on the dollar.
Find a Local Workout Group
Working out alone can certainly be tedious if you are not used to it. For those times that you need a little push, try getting together with a group of friends to work out. Going for a run or doing yoga together can be an easy way to be social while also staying active.
To spice it up, every time you meet have a different person lead the workout. If you have a running group, let everyone take a turn selecting a route and pace. A yoga group could vary the poses and which areas to focus on. This will help to keep things interesting and not make one person be responsible for all the planning.
If you don’t have friends that are quite into the same level of fitness as you, see if there is a local group that you can join. Search on local ads or Facebook groups to see if anyone gets together regularly for free classes.
Enjoy the Money Saved and Your Fitness
As you learn new exercises, you’ll notice yourself getting in better shape without the large hit to your bank account each month. Over time, your progress should help to fuel your motivation, making it easier to continue working out at home. Plus, the financial savings each month should help to keep you on track.
While gyms and personal trainers are very useful tools, it is possible to get in shape yourself without spending any extra money.
