Staying fit and healthy is important – but what if you’re on a budget? In this article, I’ll review my top tips on frugal fitness. It’s possible to get and stay in shape without spending hundreds of dollars per month! I’ll share my advice that has saved me thousands of dollars over the past 4 years.
Read on to learn about frugal fitness.
What is Frugality?
Before I dive into how to save money on fitness and exercise, let’s cover the meaning of being frugal. Frugality means being smart with the resources you’ve given. Resources include money, time and physical possessions. A frugal person not only considers the price of an item, but they consider:
- How long the item will last
- The lifetime cost per use or cost per wear
- How much they should spend on a product or service to get the longest-term value
Frugal people aren’t necessarily looking to get the best deal on everything. For example, a frugal person is happy to spend more on a quality pair of gym shoes that will last 5 years instead of a cheaper pair that will last 1 or 2 years. Aside from saving money, a frugal person who is frugal knows that investing in a higher-ticket item will:
- Save them time needed to visit the store and repurchase the item
- Help them look and feel better – high quality can make you feel good about yourself!
- Save another product going into the landfill
Frugal Fitness Will Help You Feel Good
Why You Should Be Frugal with Your Exercise Routine
Practicing fitness on a budget obviously saves you money. Additionally, it’ll help you feel mentally well. There’s no better feeling than knowing you’re staying in shape and enjoying your workout routine while saving hundreds of dollars per month! After I created and stuck with a frugal fitness plan, I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing both my physical and financial health were being looked after.
Frugal Fitness: Why You Don’t Have to Spend a Fortune to Get Fit
Believe it or not, it’s possible to get and stay fit without spending a fortune. While I’m a huge believer in investing in proper fitness equipment, you should focus on buying dumbbells, yoga mats and the like that you’ll actually use. When you invest in a quality set of exercise equipment, you’ll be able to use them for years to come. You’ll also feel good knowing you’re investing in your wellness!
Health is Wealth: Frugal Fitness Guide
Now that I’ve covered the meaning of frugality, let’s get into my top budget fitness tips.
Cheap or Free Ways to Work Out
Go for a Walk or Run
The original workout for absolutely free! Going for a walk or run releases endorphins. Strolling through the park or running through the forest is also great for your mental health.
Choose Other Free Outdoor Activities
Besides walking or running, you have a ton of other free options at your fingertips! Climbing stairs are a favorite of mine. Make it even more enjoyable by finding stairs near your home. In the past, I’ve often gone to the local park and have taken advantage of the various staircases available. Another fun and free activity is doing squats using picnic benches. No equipment needed!
Opt for Fun Indoor Activities When It Rains
You may be thinking to yourself, “Free activities are great and all… but what about when it rains?” There are many free and fun activities to do when the weather isn’t optimal. Some of my favorite rainy-day activities include:
- Wall squats
- Yoga
- Walking up and down stairs
- Stationary walking
- On the spot jogging
- Burpees, jumping jacks and push-ups
Make Use of YouTube Videos
There are a wealth of free workout routines and videos on YouTube! I personally love following a Yoga With Adriene video. Watching her videos help me stay calm and get recentered after a chaotic and busy day (or week).
Use What You Have at Home
If you’re like millions of others (including me!), you probably have an old yoga mat or jumping rope lying around. Make use of what you already have at home. Take some time to declutter your garage and find old basketballs, exercise mats and bikes lying around. Investing a bit of money to get a treadmill fixed or bike tuned up is usually better than going out and buying a new one.
Invest in Cheap Workout Equipment for Home Exercises
While you can exercise for free, it’s a good idea to consider purchasing quality yet cheap workout equipment for home exercises. My favorite items I’ve purchased that have lasted me years include:
- A yoga mat
- 2 lb dumbbells
- 5 lb dumbbells
- 10 lb dumbbells
- A 20 or 25 lb kettleball
- Resistence bands
- A workout towel set
- Smoothie shaker
Use a Fitness App
There are many free fitness apps that can help you get and stay in shape for $0. I love the Just Dance Now app and use it multiple times a week. It’s a great way to pick one of your favorite songs and try your best to do the movements as accurately as possible. Check out this article by Garage Gym Reviews for the top 10 free fitness apps.
Look for Discounts
When doing fitness on a budget, you can still buy memberships and products! Be sure to look for discounts. Many gyms offer new year incentives. When I signed up to my gym membership, I received a 3-month discount. Additionally, be sure to check out different fitness classes in your area. Many offer free trials or your first few classes for free. Additionally, many offer a discount for purchasing class packages. When making a purchase be sure to ask yourself if you’ll actually use the membership enough to justify the purchase.
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Additional Frugal Fitness Tips
Invest in Quality Fitness Equipment
Saving money is important and the point of this article! However, it’s important to remember that we’re talking about frugal fitness – finding value when working out, managing your nutrition and getting a handle on self-care. Some essential items that I’ve invested in and cannot live without include a pair of quality running shoes, bike shorts, leggings, a sports bra (if you’re a woman), workout tops and a smartwatch to track your heart rate.
Frugal Fitness with a Community
Make and Stick to a Fitness Routine
Having a routine for anything you do in life is crucial. Create an achievable fitness routine you know you can stick to. For example, my routine includes a yoga workout, a stair-climbing session and a running session – a total of 3 times per week. This routine is ideal for me because it mixes different activities up so I’m not bored. Additionally, 3 sessions per week is achievable. While my ideal self would love to exercise 6 days a week, I know that’s simply not sustainable with my schedule. It’s better to slowly add more days or increase your workout time than go hard from the get-go!
Exercise with a Friend or Family Member
Exercise takes commitment. While it’s possible to go at creating and sticking to a routine alone, it’s a lot better (and more fun!) for you to do it with a friend. Ask a trusted family member or friend if they’d like to participate in a free fitness challenge with you. Even if they’re only up to coming out once a week while you want to stick to three workouts a week, having someone alongside you will help you stay motivated.
Furthermore, having an accountability partner in addition to an exercise buddy is an important way to stay motivated. Find a trusted family member or friend with whom you can meet with once a week. Grab coffee or lunch and update each other on your fitness journeys. Check in about:
- How many workouts you did
- What types of workouts you did
- Any mental or physical struggles you had
- How much better (or worse!) you feel this week
Frugal Fitness Challenges
Challenge yourself to commit to a low-spend or no-spend challenge on fitness-related purchases. For an entire month, cut down on or completely cut out your exercise-related spending. Get creative with saving money! This could be anything from:
- Working out at home instead of paying for fitness classes
- Cutting out buying post-workout protein shakes at the gym
- Doing a zero spend challenge on fitness equipment and clothing purchases
Budget-Friendly Fitness Events
Check your local Facebook Marketplace and community papers to see if there are any cheap or free events going on. Many cities host outdoor festivals where there are free dancing classes. Additionally, many community centres and libraries offer fitness classes at a deeply discounted rate.
Other Tips
Meal Prep and Nutrition Strategies – Taking a Holistic Approach
Frugal fitness isn’t limited to what workouts you do and where you do them – it also extends to nutrition and grocery shopping habits! Take some time out of your week to review:
- What you ate this week
- How healthy the meals were that you consumed
- Areas where you can improve your grocery shopping list health-wise and price-wise
fit and healthy is an investment and will require some adjustments to your budget. However, it’s possible to eat healthy while enjoying a fit lifestyle!
Need some inspiration? Below are some of my favorite recipes:
- Chocolate banana protein shake with Vega Chocolate protein powder – recipe here – best blended and served in a shaker while on the go
- Hummus and pita
- Apples and peanut butter
- Yogurt and fruit
- Bananas and an egg
Aside from choosing budget-friendly meals and snacks, take the time to rehaul your entire meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking routine. May as well while you’re at it!
DIY Recovery and Self-Care Techniques
Being frugal while staying fit also extends to self-care. After your workout, it’s crucial to spend a few minutes stretching. Additionally, I like to undertake several other steps so I feel good after my workout. Below is my exact post-workout routine that keeps me on track without breaking the bank:
Stretch
- Spend 5-10 minutes doing post-workout stretching exercises.
- Equipment needed: yoga mat, stretching bands
Shower and Mask Up
Treat yourself to a nice skincare routine! I personally use the following products. They keep my skin hydrated and I feel refreshed and cooled down after a hot and sweaty exercise routine:
- Shower gel
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Moisturizer (body)
- Cleansing face wash
- Toner
- Vitamin C serum
- HA Moisturizer
- Face mask
If you’ve already washed your hair or conditioned it today, skip those steps. Additionally, you can leave your cleansing, toning and moisturizing routine for later in the day if you want. Tailor it to your age and personal needs!
Additional Resources
- Frugal Grocery Shopping and Cooking article by Frugal Fun Finance
- Budget-Friendly Meals for Athletes article by Kelly Jones Nutrition
- 11 Ways to Get Fit for Free article by Save the Student
- 40 Ways to Work Out on a Budget article by MyFitnessPal
- How to Get Fit Without Going Broke article by the NY Times
- Fit on a Budget article by Educate Fitness
Conclusion – Frugal Fitness
Frugal fitness is a multi-step process, but it’s well worth the effort. Getting in shape on a budget will keep your mental, physical and financial health in check. Find a friend or family member to go on the journey with, find workouts you love and prepare delicious snacks and meals that taste great. Have fun!
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
