Exercising on a Budget? Try These Tips to Save Money on Fitness

Ditch that expensive gym membership or personal trainer and work out for less. You’ll save loads of money while still getting your cardio or zen on. Below you’ll find loads of tips to save money on exercise at home and outdoors. It’s fitness on a budget!

Work out at home with YouTube

There are so many options to get moving at home with YouTube workouts. However, make sure you follow someone reputable. Exercise & Sports Science Australia, an association of accredited exercise professionals have put together a range of workouts that you can do in the safety of your own home.

Work out with an app

Apps are a great way to train. You can use apps like the 7 Minute Workout, Couch to 5K running app to motivate yourself to exercise. Most apps offer a stripped-down free version. For more bells and whistles, you might have to pay a few dollars. Still, it’s cheaper than a gym membership.

Get a fitness tracker

Want some motivation to get moving. Get a fitness tracker. You can choose something entry-level like the Garmin Vivofit or splurge on an Apple Watch or Garmin fēnix. A fitness tracker is the perfect device to track your exercise each day and inspires you to keep moving. You’ll find yourself frequently check how many steps, kilometres and exercise minutes you’ve done in a day. By tracking steps, you’ll want to take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator and walk a short distance instead of jumping in the car. It’s also a great way to track your sleep, calories and water intake.

Attend free fitness events

Check your local city guide for free or discounted fitness events. Before COVID-19, Lululemon offered free in-store yoga classes while local councils offered free fitness classes. Live Life Get Active is a registered health promotion charity that specifically looks at addressing health, fitness and happiness issues facing people today. Issues such as obesity, diabetes, mental health, and illness recovery. It’s teamed up with local councils across Australia to present boxing, cross-training and yoga classes.

Workout with your kids

Skip paying for a babysitter while you exercise. Work out with your kids. You can do workouts at home together or head outdoors and exercise together. If kids are young, go for walk or jog with them in the stroller. To make it harder, push the stroller up a hill.

Exercise on your commute

See if you can squeeze some exercise in on your commute to or from work. Can you bike or walk to work? Or get off a few stops before work and walk the rest of the way? Skip the elevator at work and take the stairs.

Use an outdoor gym

If you still want to work out, check with your local council to see if they have any outdoor fitness stations. Councils across Australia are installing outdoor gyms which can be usually found near to playgrounds. They are a great option to get some cardio in on your walk. Locally, you can also use council fitness equipment with fitness stations at Islington Park, Braye Park at Waratah, Warabrook Wetlands Reserve, Warners Bay Foreshore and Fingal Bay playground.

Swim for less

Swim for free at the beach or ocean baths or at swim at council pools using a season pass or multi-ticket pass.

Do a fitness challenge

Sign up for a free fitness challenge like a burpee challenge, skipping rope challenge or a 5K run. You’ll get motivated without having to pay a personal trainer

Buy second-hand or demo models of exercise equipment

If you want to do a workout at home, check eBay or Gumtree for people selling their used workout equipment. You can also contact local gym supply companies to see if they have demo models that they are looking to sell at a cheaper price. These are great options to get an exercise bike, weights and other fitness paraphernalia to use at home.

Yoga classes

If you love your yoga but don’t want to sign up for an expensive membership, choose a community centre option or pay what you can yoga studio.

Do Parkrun

Walk or run Parkrun 5K every Saturday morning in locations across Australia. It’s a free timed race that you can do with friends and family. In this region, you can participate in Parkrun at 11 Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter locations.

Buddy up

If you want to catch up with a friend, go for a walk or run together instead of meeting at a cafe. It’s cheaper and better for you.

See if you qualify for a corporate gym discount

As a perk, some employers offer complimentary or discounted gym memberships for employees.

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Want more tips on saving money? Check out our article How to Easily Save Money – 101 Tips to Save on Family Expenses.