The Cost Of Fitness

Many people shy away from fitness routines because of the misplaced belief that it is going to cost them an arm and a leg to get shaped up. This is a mistake; fitness can be achieved quite nicely without breaking the bank. Here are a couple of suggestions, with more to follow.

Gym Membership

Granted, membership in your local gym can get a little on the pricey side, but with a little judicious haggling, you may be able to obtain a decent membership for a fair price, in some cases, cutting the fee by as much as half.

A lot of gym memberships come from corporate accounts, so see if your employer has any such offers that would benefit your fitness goals. Who knows, you may even be able to include your spouse in the deal.

Getting fit does not have to mean going in debt. Rather, careful use of your finances may be enough to help spur your fitness goals.

If you don’t qualify for an employee gym discount, ask anyway. You have not because you ask not. Many gyms are hurting in the current economy, and they might be willing to add you to a company’s group plan in order to meet their sales goals.  You may also wish to consider part time membership, since those with flexible schedules may be able to avoid peak times of early mornings and evenings and enjoy the benefits of full membership without the cost.  Your best move is to visit the gym late in the evening; you are far more likely to talk to a manager who may negotiate a discounted monthly rate.

Secondhand Fitness Equipment

You can also look into the option of a fitness home gym, many of which may be obtained through garage sales. You’d be surprised at just how much seldom used equipment is out there. Granted, your machine may not be the latest, or the most state of the art, but you can still get a solid workout. Remember even Rocky whipped the big Russian and all he had to exercise with was a big log. If you don’t mind being slightly obsolete, you can pick up excellent equipment at a great cost. If you do attend garage sales, remember that late in the day is the best time to haggle over those hard to move items.

Another good second hand option is CraigsList, where you can search by keyword for the exercise equipment that you want. You can also get automatic updates when new items are listed for sale.

All to say, fitness does not have to be a pricey endeavor. In future installments we will look at some other methods for keeping both your midsection and your bankbook within acceptable parameters. We will work with you to examine the available options for achieving your fitness goals.

LeaseQ is one of the leading providers of fitness equipment financing and leasing in the United States.