Getting in Shape Without Going Broke
I’m the kind of chick who has always been weight conscious. I’ve never starved myself or cried over my weight but I always make sure I get a good workout in and I hate the discomfort I feel when I put on weight and my jeans dig into me. Because eating is truly a joy in my life, I can’t do the diet thing and have to keep my weight in check through exercise and portion control. Over the last 10 years, I have spent too much money on exercise. I’ve joined gyms, signed up for personal trainers, ran in races, invested in dumbbells, yoga mats, medicine balls.
Now that we’re moving, it’s time to cancel our pricey gym membership. I’m sad to not have access to a nice gym but I vow to get my exercise in without going broke. In the past, this is what exercise has cost me…
- Gym membership ($180 a month for 2 people) – we did get good use out of swimming pools, tennis courts, exercise classes and a rock wall though!
- Personal trainer – $80 for a 1/2 hour session
- Running in a race – anywhere between $20 and $80 depending on the length and size
- Indoor rock climbing – $25 a session
Now that we are moving to Seattle, I plan on taking advantage of the beautiful outdoors and saving on exercises expenses. I’m going to put off a gym membership for as long as possible by doing the following:
- Walking. The great thing about living in downtown is that you don’t need a car and you can walk everywhere. All this walking helps to keep the fat off. I used to live in NYC when I was younger and walked everywhere. I never ever had to think about my weight because I was doing so much walking everyday!
- Hiking. With the mountains and hills everywhere, I will make an effort to go hiking on the weekends with my husband. Great for a nice butt!
- Biking (maybe). We don’t have bikes right now so if we decide to go biking, we’ll have to invest in bikes which are expensive. I’m also not sure if we’ll have space in our apartment for 2 bikes so we’ll have to see. It is tempting though because there is a waterfront bike trail right outside the apartment building we’re looking at!
- Fitness DVDs. I believe in the benefits of resistance training, yoga and pilates so instead of signing up at a studio, I figure why not do it at home on my mat? Most DVDs are around $13. Here are some great ones…

Exercise is not only a great way to keep the fat off but it’s also very beneficial to your health. If exercising can help reduce your chances of heart disease or cancer or stroke, I’d say it’s well worth the amount of money you put into yourself right now rather than having to pay medical bills later on.
Are there any other inexpensive/free ways of exercising that any of you out there practice?





The husband and I love to eat. It’s a great way to just get away, experience different cuisines and have some private time to talk and bond. Although I’m all for saving money, I just need to eat out at least once a week. It’s one of those things my husband and I really enjoy and aren’t willing to cut out. So if we’re going to be dining out, why not earn points towards a free meal in the future? That is why, I always use 





