You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get fit. Forget those fancy bikes and expensive gym fees. Excellent equipment and workout accessories can be found right in your own home. Public spaces and the great outdoors are also great places to move it without spending a penny. Try these 8 cheap ways to get in shape to invest in yourself and get the job done:
Frugal fitness tips
How do you get the most from your fitness regime without breaking the bank? Consider these ideas to stay in shape on the cheap.
1. Take Advantage
Take advantage of summer gym deals, like reduced monthly payments and waived activation fees. Chat with salespeople at several gyms and be sure to ask for a free pass to experience the facility and classes before committing.
2. Stay Home
If dragging yourself to the gym a few times a week is enough to send you into a couch-ridden funk, skip the membership and work out at home. Rotate several DVDs to keep yourself motivated and to avoid muscle complacency. Since workout videos range anywhere from $8 to $30, download the Coupon Sherpa mobile app for in-store savings at Target, Sports Authority and more. Cable users or Netflix subscribers can also stream workout videos as part of their monthly subscription.
3. Go Online
Paying for personal training gets pricey, though good instructors are worth their, um, weight in gold for people with big fitness goals. If you’re looking for basic guidance, get it for free from websites like Fitbie or Exercise TV on Hulu, or subscribe to a health magazine. After all, you can’t beat $15 a year for weight loss advice and at-home program recommendations.
4. Make it Public
Thomas Jefferson said, “Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.” Apply this lesson to your fitness regimen and share your goals via Facebook or Twitter, letting your friends keep track of your status and offer support during the inevitable lulls. Better yet, create a Facebook group of like-minded friends to swap tips, recipes and encouragement.
5. Buddy Up on Personal Training
If reading articles about getting in shape doesn’t do it for you, consider going halfsies on the cost of personal training. According to SmartMoney, the majority of personal trainers offer discounts for group sessions even if they represent a gym that doesn’t promote this fact. As with anything, it never hurts to ask and you may be more encouraged to attend sessions with a friend.
6. Daily Deal It
Groupon and other daily deal sites are good for more than deeply discounted laser treatments. Health clubs compete hard for new business, so you should have a plethora of options. Look for daily deals on discount or limited-time memberships, and feel free to play the field of gyms in your area. Doing so may give you free access to consistent workouts for a few months.
7. Buy Used
Fitness equipment can get expensive but it shouldn’t be the reason you avoid exercise. Hit up discount retailers for basic fitness accessories like dumbbells, yoga mats and medicine balls for a fraction of fitness-store prices. Thrift stores are another good outlet for discount essentials, and you can always scan Craiglist for bigger equipment. Be sure to research equipment and thoroughly test and inspect used items before purchase.
8. Mobile Motivation
The best motivator for exercise is knowing how many calories you burn while pumping iron, as well as how many you avoid by eating right. Luckily, there are many apps to track your progress on both counts.
