In forming your New Year's Resolutions, most likely you made a commitment to save money and also get in good physical shape. However, it's hard to put away extra dough when you've put out so much to join a gym, eat healthy and buy the latest fitness gear.
What if you could save money and stay fit at the same time? Here's how:
•Join a fitness club now. The beginning of the year is the best time to become a member of a gym. Around New Year's is when the clubs draw in all the people who have made weight-loss resolutions. The smart thing to do is to pay your dues up front taking advantage of the discounted yearly rate, instead of paying month per month.
•Try to get the best price. Fitness clubs are getting hit hard by the economy. They may be more willing to give you a discount rather than lose you as a customer. Ask whether you are eligible for discounts by being an active member of other community organizations such as volunteer groups or through your insurance plan. Some gyms give you a limited membership option to provide you with less expensive rates, which may restrict the hours or the areas of the gym you can use.
•Ride your bike to work. If you're close enough to ride your bike to work, instead of traveling by car or public transportation, go for it. Think of all the gas money you'll save. I've even heard of some employers who reward their employees who bike to work. By biking to work you'll keep off the pounds, get a good cardio workout and save lots of cash.
•Economize your home gym. Working out at home doesn't demand that you purchase a weight-lifting system that costs thousands of dollars and takes up your entire garage or living room. One hot item this season is the Iron Gym, an as-seen-on-TV gadget that turns into a pull-up bar when secured in a doorway, a push up and dips bar when placed on the floor, and an ab toner when used with the attachable arm straps. Look for other inexpensive exercise equipment that will give you a good work out.
•Become part of a fund-raising team. You can join with a non-profit organization to help out in an athletic fundraiser. Some groups offer you free training lessons since they want you to raise money for their cause. If you can endure a 10k run, and you've got 50 to 100 sponsors, that's more money for the non-profit group. You'll be surprised how many people will support you if they know their tax-deductible contributions are going toward a good cause.
Charitable organizations that often coordinate athletic fund raisers are the March of Dimes, American Heart Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and many others.
•Learn to buy the right equipment. Spend time researching the costs of the items you need. Make sure you don't end up buying something expensive because you gave in to an aggressive salesperson.
You'll want a good pair of running shoes and an easy-to-use heart-rate monitor. However, many products are very expensive just because of the name brand or include features you really don't need. Check out retail stores like Target or WalMart for workout clothing. There are secondhand stores that sell all kinds of sports and fitness equipment.
John
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