Staying Healthy on the Cheap

Let’s face it, there are all sorts of reasons to stay fit and healthy beyond the obvious. A lot of people struggle with exercising on a daily basis or even a few times a week. It’s one of those things that you always know you should do but never really get around to.

But if you are serious about preserving your future mentally, physically, and financially, you simply can’t afford to let your health go. I know, you have tons of stuff to do and not enough time to do it in, but you’re going to need that 20-45 minutes of exercise a day if you want to be healthy and happy now and when you retire. Here are some things that you can do to get my exercise in without breaking the bank.

1. Utilize your workplace options:If your office has a gym on their campus that you can use, do you really have any reason not to? Sure you might have to come in early, leave late, or workout on your lunch break (The latter is my personal favorite, I never really needed an hour for lunch), but it beats shelling out 70$ a month for a gym membership that you may or may not use.
2. Workout at Home This may take an upfront investment if you’re looking at exercise equipment like a dumbell set or exercise bike, but check out your local craigslist. The funny thing about exercise equipment is that often times people think that buying it will immediately get them in shape somehow. Rather than get into a solid routine of working out made quick-and-easy by their recent purchase, they let their pricey equipment collect dust in the corner until they finally decide just to get rid of it. This happens so often that you can get some really sweet deals, so be sure to keep an eye out!
3. Go Outside: I was never a huge fan of running for the sake of running, but for the price ($0) you really can’t beat a nice jog through the park outside. Take advantage of this great fall weather (If you’re in Pennsylvania) and go for a soothing jog in the cool brisk air.
4. Get a workout video:I know, I don’t like incredibly irritating people telling me to step it up and keep it going either, but workout videos can be a cheap alternative to the gym and can actually keep you in shape if you pick the right one. Personally I always liked this video myself because it’s a good 40 minutes long, spares me the pep talk and cheesy music, and I really felt like I got a solid workout in, especially when I was in less-than-great shape. Do a lot of research here, there’s a lot to go through.
5. Walk Faster:Sounds obvious right? You can always burn more calories by doing your day-to-day activities at a quicker pace. I’m not saying you should sprint to your next office meeting, but walk at a brisk pace. I always run up and down the stairs to and from my office. Sure I may get some funny looks, but I gotta get up those stairs anyway, may as well burn some extra calories too!

Here’s to your health.(NOTE:Money Project 2 is still in the works, don’t get too impatient, ok? :))

-Xias