Seven Ways to Exercise on a Budget
This is the second post in a four-part series on "Dieting on a budget" - tips and tricks for sticking to your healthy habits during the credit crunch. If you missed the first part, it's at Seven ways to food shop healthily on a budget.
When money is tight, it's hard to justify monthly gym fees, expensive workout gear and regular sessions with your personal trainer. You might feel resentful about spending money on exercise - why should you have to pay to do something which feels like a chore?
Keeping active doesn't have to cost much, though. Here's seven ways to slash the price of your exercise routine - and even make some extra cash!
1. Jog outside, not on the treadmill
Are you running on a treadmill under fluorescent lights, trying to ignore the background thump of music and the pounding feet either side of you? Rather than paying for this "privilege", get outside instead! No-one will charge you an extortionate monthly fee for jogging round the block.
2. Cycle to work or to the store
Instead of using your car to get to work or to do the weekly food shop, drag your old bike from the attic and dust it off. If your journey is only a few miles, you might as well cycle - saving money on gasoline (which has risen steeply in the past few months.) If you cycle to the store, you'll have to get all your shopping home on the bike - so you'll be less tempted to add things you don't need to your basket.
3. Don't buy expensive kit
There's no reason to spend a fortune on the latest Nike-emblazoned sports kit. An old t-shirt, a pair of cheap jogging pants and some non-branded trainers will serve just fine. If wearing a nice outfit makes exercise more enjoyable for you, why not put "gym clothes" on your birthday or Christmas wish-list? Alternatively, search eBay for discounted (and often brand new) clothing.
4. Get second-hand exercise gear
When you're equipping your home gym, scour the classified ads in your area. There are bound to be people selling off almost-new equipment ... for a fraction of the retail price. Whether it was an unwanted gift or a resolution that failed, someone else's exercise bike might be just what you're looking for.
If you're in the US, Craigslist is a good place to start. UK readers might try Gumtree. Do use your common sense, of course, and check that the machine is in full working order before handing over cash.
5. Work out with an "exercise buddy"
Rather than paying $50/hour or more for a personal trainer, buddy up with a friend. You can meet up and work out together (which will make it much harder for you to talk yourself out of it at the last minute), and you'll find you urge one another on at tough points. You can even make it a bit competitive, if that motivates you to work harder...6. Take a part-time, active job
If you're a teen or student, I'd bet you could use a bit of extra cash. Why not take on a Saturday job - casual, physical work like mowing lawns or cleaning people's houses could bring in some much-needed money and keep you fit at the same time. If you want something more exciting, try training as a sports instructor for a summer camp, or see if your local sports centre could use extra kids' coaches over the vacation.
7. Head to the park this weekend
Rather than forking out for movie tickets and popcorn, or going to the mall, take your family for an afternoon at the park. With a few toys such as a ball, Frisbee and kite, you can have hours of fun for free - and get plenty of exercise whilst doing so.
Have you found any good ways to exercise on a budget? Let us know in the comments below...
(And look out for the next part in this series - Seven ways to eat out healthily on a budget.)
Photo from Flickr by vanz
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Having a work out buddy is the best tip. You will keep each other motivated and will be the reason you get out of bed on a cold winters morning.
Replynice tips
the fittest iv ever been was wen i used to run 6 miles a day. and that of course cost me £0. of course i couldnt do that distance at first, but the fact that it was free was a big motivator for me as i built up to it - knowing that i was working towards having a fantastic and convenient workout option that would cost me nothing for the rest of my life!
also there is just adding in little bits of exercise throughout the day. i dont drive, so i just dont bother paying for the bus if i can walk it. its cheaper, and, in london, often quicker!
ReplyI use my kids as weights & workout buddies - I walk around a local park with them in a double stroller - they weigh 50lbs combined, not to mention the stroller weighs 35lbs by itself (of course, it is on wheels). It's good for them to get outside and take in nature, and it gets me some much-needed exercise.
I like the idea of looking for cheap workout gear as well - I'm desperately in need of some new shoes!
ReplyAll great tips, but I do take exception to one thing--if you're a runner, don't skimp on good shoes! You may be able to get away with cheap shoes for lower-impact activities, but for running, it's worth splurging on the best you can afford and replacing them every few hundred miles. If possible, go to a good running store where they have treadmills for you to "test-drive" the shoes.
ReplyYes - please don't run in any old pair of shoes! You have a high chance of serious injury. Go to a running store and have yourself fitted with a good pair of real running shoes. Your health is worth the money.
ReplyWalking or running, you need good shoes - if you are going several k a day - nothing worse than pain from improper support, blisters, etc.
ReplySO true. I can't walk *that* day much less the next if I forget the good shoes and have to wear my cheap daily beaters.
Feet are important, and walking, treadmill, running, even elliptical machines can wear your feet out. Do NOT listen to advice that says "and some non-branded trainers will serve just fine." It might not be true for you and you can actually hurt yourself by listening to that kind of advice.
ReplyI definitely agree. I used to go running in my flat Puma shoes, and I got an awful cramp-like feeling in my foot for two weeks. I invested in a good pair of running shoes, and it came with a pair of cushioned soles, and now it feels like I'm flying.
ReplyI’m a huge fan of exercise videos! They’re usually fairly inexpensive and you can use them over and over again. It’s also great because you are able to workout in YOUR home, at YOUR convenience and don’t have to worry about bad weather.
You can also scan your cable for fitness channels that offer a variety of workouts (FIT TV is the one I have). They offer anything from Yoga to Belly Dancing. Even better, if you have a Tivo or DVR you can record your favorite shows and do them at your convenience.
- Lauren
ReplyI have found a great blog article about the best exercises to do to lose weight quickly. http://weightcontrolinfo.com/2008/07/02/8-best-exercises-to-lose-weight-quickly/
ReplyFollow the program of Milo of Croton - once the steer is grown, you can sell it, too...
Okay, seriously, these are all good tips, but the most important thing is, whatever you do, if you give up a routine, be careful that your new routine is at least as effective.
ReplyI second the advice about the shoes...cheap shoes can give you serious problems down the road, like tendonitis, ITB syndrome, bruised toenails, etc. I always make sure I have decent shoes, but I AM smart about buying them. I almost always find a pair that I like on sale and when I find them, I buy a couple pairs. I tend to find that brands like New Balance and Asics hold up better than Nike and they cost a bit less as well.
One of my favorite cheap exercise ideas is getting workout DVDs from the library. You can keep them for a week and try them out to see if you like them. If you don't like it, take it back. If you really like it, you can buy it from somewhere like Amazon.com.
Another thing you can do is volunteer to walk your neighbor's dog or dogs at the local animal shelter. It's great exercise and the dogs love it as well.
ReplyI second that comment about Nike. Think about shoes only in terms of what is good for your feat, and that does not nessesarily meen the most expensive trainers. Cheep, quality running shoes do exist, you just have to find them.
ReplyI got a treadmill, a ski machine and a bike all three for $40, all almost brand new. They belonged to a local Sports Club for their guys' wives or girlfriends to use but apparently only a few people used them and, like most people they gave up their diets after a week, and the things never got used again.
And about the shoes, thats a good point about Nikes. I used to run in an old pair of wal-mart shoes and my back would hurt (im only 18!) and when I switched to a cheap pair of Nikes I was better.
ReplyI agree with the other comments that good shoes are a must. However, other than that there are great ways to exercise with little or no money, as shown by this list. I like the idea of having an exercise buddy. They can be very helpful.
ReplyI can't work out with exercise buddies. All my workout buddies whine too much. I tried running with my sister and she started whining about a mile into it saying she wanted to go home. When I bike with my husband, I start hearing "I'm TIRED! When are we going to take a break?? I'm STARVING!". My best workout buddy was my dog, but now she's more of a walking buddy instead of a running buddy.
ReplyI always buy good shoes, but I get my workout clothes from Wal-Mart. They are cheap and you can find some that look pretty stylish.
ReplyNetflix also has a lot of exercise DVDs you can rent, and much more current ones than any library has.
As far as shoes, I read somewhere that most running/walking shoes are designed for people weighing around 150 pounds, so the more you weigh, the faster shoes will break down. I've never had problems with the cheaper shoes, but YMMV.
I like walking, so I always wear a hip pack or a daypack with stuff in it. A baby in a sling or backpack is good, too.
ReplyI agree that it doesnt need to be expensive to lose weight and get fit. It doesnt cost anything to go for a walk,run,do push ups or sit ups or stretch on the floor. If you want anything bad enough you will do anything to get it. Saying that you need the best equipment or an expensive gym is an excuse in my opinion.
ReplyTry discountworkouts.com. They have some really good but inexpensive dvds that have two workouts per dvds.
ReplyI like Netflix and on demand exercise programs, and hiking is also great so you can be outdoors.
ReplyYou all are brainwashed if you think the only good running shoes is by Nike.
Reply