With 2023 just around the corner, many of us get to thinking about the things we’d like to achieve in the new year. And regularly topping our lists is the desire to get fit and to save money. Now, you’d think the two wouldn’t necessarily go hand in hand, right? After all, January is the peak time for gym memberships and let’s face it, they don’t exactly come cheap. Considering we’re all trying to survive a cost of living crisis, gym memberships are way down our priority list.
However, let’s not fall at the first hurdle. You see, there are plenty of ways we can save money and get fit in 2023, we just need to get smart. And with that in mind, we’ve put together 10 ways you can start the year off on a positive note by not only helping you to get fitter, but also helping you save money in the process too.
Let’s check them out!
1. Create A Home Gym
You love working out but can’t justify the expense of a gym membership. So, why not create your own gym at home instead.
Now, we know what you’re thinking… that home gyms require lots of expensive equipment and masses of space to house it all in. And let’s be honest, most of us have neither the money nor the space for this level of luxury. However, creating a fitness space at home can be done on a budget and can take up as little room as the size of an exercise mat.
You’ve still got time to add some last minute present ideas to your Christmas list, so ask for vouchers which you can put towards buying some basic fitness equipment. Even better, wait until the January sales and grab yourself a bargain, plus this mirafit discount code will also help too.
Items to include in your initial home gym wishlist include:
- Dumbbells
- Resistant bands
- Non-slip exercise mat
- Foam roller
- Skipping rope
All of these items can be purchased quite cheaply and can be conveniently stored out of the way when not in use. This means you can easily work out in your living room, the corner of your bedroom, the garage, or if space is really tight you could even take it out with you to a local park and exercise outside.
2. Buy Multi-Functional Equipment
If you’re already a keen gym goer, but you’re looking for ways to save money in the long term, it might be an idea to invest in a few key pieces of equipment to have at home. Whilst the initial outlay may be more, over time you will save money by cutting out both membership fees and the cost of traveling to the gym.
If you are looking to buy some investment pieces, the most economic thing to do is to look for fitness equipment that is multi-functional. So, rather than buying an ab curler for example, which can only be used for your abs and which also takes up a lot of room, opt for an exercise ball instead. This can be let down in between uses if you are limited on space and can also be used for multiple exercises, such as press ups, glute bridges, sit ups, knee tucks, hand offs and many more body strength exercises.
3. Focus On Your Goals
In order to stick to your new year resolutions, it’s important to be specific about what your goals are. So, if you want to save money and get fit in 2023, you’re going to need to list out your aims, your intentions, and how you’re going to achieve them.
It’s important to be realistic with your goals. We’d all like to be knocking out 200 push ups after a week of working out and saving hundreds of pounds just because we’ve stopped having takeaways, but we all know it’s not as simple as that. If you make your goals too difficult you are much more likely to give up on them. Choose something that is achievable, but also that stretches you slightly. The big lesson here is to know your limits.
4. Team Up
If you’re serious about wanting to save money and get fit in 2023 how about throwing some accountability into the mix. Sticking to resolutions is much easier when you make yourself accountable to someone or something. For example, if you’re planning on going for a run the next day it’s far easier for you to change your mind and talk yourself out of it, than if you’d arranged to go with a friend. You still might not feel like going, but you won’t want to let your friend down and so will end up going, and likely feel much better for it as well!
And that’s just one friend, imagine if you had a whole team who were relying on you to show up. Joining a sports team has many benefits. The yearly subscriptions are way cheaper than a gym membership, but you still get as good a workout. Plus, the social element of team camaraderie and new friendships does absolute wonders for our mental health.
Ask around on local Facebook groups to find out what sporting options you have in your area. Many clubs offer trial sessions so why not go along and meet the other team members and try out a new sport. This could be the start of something new for you in 2023.
5. Spend Wisely
Saving money doesn’t mean not spending any money at all, but the money that you do spend should be put towards the things that will give you the greatest benefits.
Certain fitness items are worth spending slightly more money on, whereas others don’t need to be the most expensive version. One brand of resistance band is unlikely to differ that much in quality compared to another brand of resistance band, in most cases you’ll be paying more for the brand name rather than the product itself. However, when it comes to products, particularly footwear and apparel like running shoes and sports bras, it’s always worth paying a little bit extra for comfort and a higher level of support.
It’s useful to make a list of the items you’d like to buy and then work out your budget. Once you’ve figured out how much you can afford to spend, divide it out between the items, making sure you allow more money for the items you’ll use the most and those that will benefit you the most.
6. Online workouts
If you really want to save money and get fit in 2023, how about working out for free? Despite what gym adverts and fitness brands might lead us to believe, exercise doesn’t actually need to cost you anything.
There are countless workouts available on YouTube and best of all most of them are free. Sure, there are some subscription based channels that require payment, but if you’re happy to put up with a few adverts interspersed between sets (to be honest we’re glad of the rest!) there are plenty of free workouts out there to choose from.
And let’s not forget activities like walking, running, and dancing, all of which are free. If that isn’t motivation enough, then we don’t know what is!
7. Fitness Apps
As well as online workout videos there are also tonnes of great fitness apps available to download. These apps can be anything from workouts and diet plans, right through to trackers which allow you to map out runs and cycle routes in advance and that also then record your stats. This is great for tracking your progress and showing you how close you are to achieving your fitness goal.
At this time of year, Google Play and App Store include a kind of top picks for January round up on their store front, as they know these are popular searches during January when everyone’s trying to stick to their new year resolutions. This is great as it means you’ll have your pick of the best apps to help you achieve your own personal goals, so definitely keep an eye out for that when you next log on.
8. Get Outside
Yes, it might be cold, wet and possibly a bit snowy, but whack on some layers, waterproofs, and some grippy footwear and get yourself outside. There’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored and the best bit of all is, it’s free!
Exercising outdoors is proven to have many health benefits. From wild swimming and hill hiking to outdoor gyms and trail running, outdoor pursuits boost our endorphins, help to alleviate the symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), improves circulation, boosts our Vitamin D exposure, and lowers our blood pressure. Embrace the elements and allow your adventurous side to emerge to reap the benefits of everything that nature’s playground has to offer.
9. Find Out Your Work Perks
The pandemic shone a spotlight on how important it is to get our work life balance on an even keel. When we were forced to work from home, many of us were overjoyed at the prospect of working in our comfies, not having to do the daily commute, and being able to work more flexible hours. However, the downside to this was that we struggled to separate our work life from our home life. We found it harder to switch off from work, to not constantly check emails, and gradually we started taking less and less breaks throughout the day. Our mental wellbeing suffered as a consequence, and this is something that companies are trying to help out with now that most of us have returned to the office.
One of the ways in which companies are contributing to the wellbeing of their employees is by offering them certain work perks. These perks consist of things like health insurance, volunteering days, walk to work schemes and gym memberships. If you’re unsure what your company offers, speak to your HR department and ask them to clarify whether there are any work perks you’re currently unaware of.
Some companies may also have a deal with some of the large chain gyms, in which employees are offered discounted rates. And there may also be other health and wellness services available to you as an employee of that company. There’s absolutely no harm in asking, and if it turns out there aren’t currently any work perks, then there’s also no harm in asking for some.
10. Join An Independent Gym
If after reading all this, you still want to join a gym, consider joining a smaller independent one rather than one of the big brand gyms, as this could be a way to save money. Big gym chains often tie you into fixed contracts and their rates will be non-negotiable as they are set by head office and remain the same across the board. Independent gyms on the other hand are more likely to be open to a bit of fee negotiation and often keep their membership fees slightly lower in order to compete with the big gym companies. Plus, it’s always good to support small biz, right?
Conclusion
At a time when many of us are struggling to find money to heat our homes, the mere thought of spending money on fitness seems absolutely ludicrous. But what we have to remember is that our health, both physically and mentally, is important. So, if there are ways we can both save money and get fit in 2023 then it’s absolutely crucial we do so. Taking care of yourself now, will save money in the future, which is why it’s important we look for ways to stay active and healthy in our daily life.
We hope we’ve helped to inspire you and show you that there are indeed ways you can work out on a budget, or in some instances how you can exercise for free. Now, all that’s left to do is to actually get out there and do it. And that part’s up to you!
