Top Ten Ways to Save Money on Fitness
With classes, gym memberships, dvd products, clothes and sneakers, staying fit can slim down your wallet as much as you. But staying fit doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor and in fact, there are tons of ways to stay fit for free or for a reduced sum. They key is knowing where the bargains are. I’ve got the Top Ten Ways to Save Money on Fitness for you!
1.) Free Community Fitness Classes- These days free fitness classes are everywhere and they aren’t the bottom of the barrel type classes. You can experience high quality classes and instructors that some people pay $30-$40 per class for free! Lululemon and Athleta both offer free in-store classes on at least a weekly basis. Check your local store for a schedule. Some boutique fitness studios also offer free community classes, usually at less busy times like after lunch or early afternoon. I recently took the hubs to a free Flywheel class when we both had a Friday off! Also, some fitness studios offer a free first class.
2.) Scour for Groupon/Living Social Deals- These websites usually have great deals on gym passes and class packages, which can help you save a bundle! Sign up for their emails and you’ll get some great options sent straight to your inbox.
3.) Take It Outside- You can save a lot of money but forgoing a gym membership and working out outdoors. Check out my Outdoor Workout for some ideas. Cycling, running, walking and hiking are all great options for an outdoor workout.
4.) Online Classes- Online classes offer some of the best in the fitness business but for a fraction of the price. A few of my favs: YogaToday, Fusion Fitness, and Physique 57. Plus continue to check back for more of the best. These classes are just as good as the studio classes but you can do them in the comfort of your own home and for as little as $5 per class or even for free!
5.) Free Passes to Health Clubs- Most gyms offer a free pass for a day, three days or even a week. Take advantage of these passes and go check out your local gym. You may even be able to negotiate a lower rate because now that they’ve got you on the free pass, they want you to sign up. Don’t give in unless they come down on their rates! Even if you don’t sign up, you can at least get in a few good workouts!
6.) Refer a Friend- A lot of studios and gyms will give you a free class or a reduction in price if you refer a friend. Studios want to get more people in the door so if you can drag along a friend or family member, you’ll reap some of the benefits!
7.) YouTube- YouTube often has free full length classes online. The only drawback is you have to spend some time searching and sifting through clips until you can find the real deal but once you do, add it to your favs. It will be time well spent and more calories burned for less money!
8.) BLOGS!- This one seems almost too obvious but more and more blogs are adding workout plans and videos for you to use completely free! You can see my workouts here. A few of my other favorite sites include: The Fitnessista, Blogilates and Tone it Up.
9.) At-Home Videos- You all know how much I love at-home DVDs. There are a ton of options out there and you can get some DVDs for less than $10. I mean, there is no excuse with that!! If you’re afraid of getting bored, organize to do a DVD swap with some of your like minded fitness friends to keep things interesting.
10.) Dance Studios- People rarely turn to dance studios for classes but I have to tell you, these studios have some of the least expensive classes around! I’m still paying less than $20 for my Zumba class at Alvin Ailey. Most dance studios offer adult dance classes but that isn’t really your speed classes like Zumba, PIlates, Yoga and African Dance are usually offered by studios to attract more mainstream clientele. Give it a try, you’ll thank me!
Readers, do you have any tips for keeping your fitness costs down?