Fitness is one of those areas where you can literally spend as much money as you have. There are gyms that cost $10 a month and there are gyms, sorry, boutique fitness studios—that will run you $50 or more per workout. There is a similar wide open price range for clothing, appliances, home equipment and everything else. So where can you save money without sacrificing a good workout? Almost everywhere, it turns out.
How to save money on gym clothes
You can work out in the best technical moisture-wicking fabrics and/or tights that hug your buttocks, or you can work out in tattered old sweatpants. Your lungs and muscles don’t know the difference.
There are some elements and characteristics that May it is worth paying more. One is a sports bra: meIf you have breasts and plan to do “high-impact” exercise (running and jumping), your choice of bra is very important. Bras that provide a lot of support in larger sizes tend to be expensive. But if you’re just starting to exercise and shopping for bras puts you off, any common, comfortable bra is usually good enough for low-impact activities like bicycling and lifting weights.
When it comes to shirts and shorts, cheap stuff is fine if it’s comfortable for you. Some people hate the feel of sweaty cotton, so if that’s you, you may want to pay for absorbent fabrics, though you can buy off-brand stuff pretty cheap. If you don’t mind the fabric, you can use any shirt you already have. Pro tip: buy black t-shirts from the men’s section at Target ($4 each) and they are my most comfortable workout tops.
Compression tights and shorts are another area where paying more can get you better quality, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bargains to be had. Mid-range brands like GRRL and Senita make quality garments that last and don’t show through, but I’ve also heard great things about cheap leggings on Amazon. (A good place to look for recommendations on the latter and find sales on the former: the r/xxfitness style saturday threads.)
How to save money on sneakers
There is a wide range of shoes that can work for exercise, depending on the type of exercise you are doing. That is if you even need shoes.
For yoga, barre, Pilates, and certain types of kettlebells and “functional” training, you don’t need shoes at all. Socks with sticky soles are recommended for barre classes, but you can get away with regular socks. And the others in this category are often done barefoot. (Check with the gym to see if they require or recommend footwear.)
For running, the important thing is that your shoes are comfortable when you run. Yes, running shoes can be stupidly expensive, and they wear out so fast they’re basically disposable. But a cheap pair of sneakers is fine to start with, and some shoes last much longer than you’d expect. (In my experience, more expensive shoes tend to be made with fancy foams that wear out faster, making budget models an even better choice than the price suggests.)
For weightlifting and general exercise, flat-soled shoes like Converse or Vans (or their off-brand equivalents) are versatile and affordable. Once again, you may already have a pair.
weight lifting shoes, of those with raised heels, are another type of shoe that is much more expensive than it has the right to be. On the plus side, you don’t need (you can wear flats and do squats with plates under your heels) and if you buy a pair they will last you a long time.
How to save money on a gym membership
It’s annoying as hell to search for gym memberships. Some gyms won’t tell you the price up front; others will, but then it turns out there are hidden fees or you’ll have to upgrade to get “perks” that seem to be part of the basic membership.
but yes cFull gyms are worth it. We have a post here about the tradeoffs you make when you join one of those gyms with a $10 or $15 monthly membership. Basically, you won’t normally have access to a barbell, so your dreams of being a powerlifter or competitive powerlifter will have to be put on hold. But if you just want to get strong and fit, you absolutely can with the dumbbells and machines at Planet Fitness, Crunch or the like.
For more options, consider expanding your search to community gyms. Your town may have a gym that’s available free or cheap to residents, and the town next door might have one whose non-resident rate is still a good deal.
How to save money on fitness apps and devices
This is almost a trick question. You don’t need any of that. You may jogging without a smart watch. You can log your miles, your weights lifted, and any other metrics you want to track in a paper notebook. You can remind yourself that actually no matter how many calories you think you have burned a fitness tracker.
I’ve used a bunch of different apps and devices, mainly because I tried them for work; and I still record everything in a paper notebook and leave all my watches and trackers at home.
How to exercise for really free
- Go running. (This requires shoes and, for some of us, a sports bra, but putting one foot in front of the other is free.)
- Go for a walk, hike or ruck. (Rucking is walking with a weighted vest or backpack.)
- Use a fitness track, which you can find in many random parks. They have equipment for bodyweight exercises and a place to jog.
- Make the reddit bodyweight fitness workout. Some moves require a bar (like pull-ups or rows), but you can find one at an exercise trail or just keep an eye out for conveniently placed rails.
- Or try These Bodyweight Exercises That Are Really Good For Building Muscle. Again, some require minimal equipment like a chair or railing, but many do not.
- Do some cardio with YouTube videos, whether you prefer K-pop choreography or retro routines by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons.
Is home gym equipment worth it?
Some items of home gym equipment are definitely worth the price on their own. Some appropriately heavy weights it will fill the void that is often left by jogging and bodyweight exercises. A few pairs of dumbbells or a few kettlebells are a great idea. If you can scrape together the money to buy a squat rack, barbell, and weights, you can do a lot with it.
But beware the temptation to build an entire home gym. I speak from experience 😀Before the pandemic, I had a rusty barbell and some assorted weights. Now I have a squat rack and an embarrassing amount of kettlebells, and I can’t park my car in my garage anymore. I love all my heavy iron sons, but they are not money savers.
A home gym is a good option for someone who is willing to work out with a limited amount of stuff, say some kettlebells, and feels pretty confident that they will be happy with it in the long run. Splurge on a couple of adjustable competition kettlebell and maybe a spin bike, and you’ll have all your fitness needs covered for a long time to come. Or at least until you start to wonder if it wouldn’t be nice to have a bar, also…
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