How much does fitness cost$ ?

rosevalleygirl23

I add this up now and again in my head, especially when I want to go out and buy the next thing. The consumerism gets to me at times. Does being healthy really need to cost so much? For me, I spend to make exercising more accessible? What do you spend and why?

I've purchased:

treadmill
gym membership
fitbit
clothes/shoes
apps

MelodyandBarbells

I spend a bunch. I know it's completely unnecessary but fitness must entertain me. So, here goes:

Three gym memberships. One is in a town I visit occasionally and is more of a punch card. I'm hooked on my classes and need them
Shoes with decent padding. Once they suck at doing their job they get replaced (big $$)
Recently splurged at under armour for nice-ish gym clothes; sports bras I like ain't cheap
Gas $$, one of my gyms is pretty far, I won't say how far
My crappy car got replaced in part for the routine mileage my gym trips were adding and I needed something safe
Heart rate monitor
Gym bag; Double up on some personal grooming items to stock the bag easily

mustapekka

I actually think I'm saving money! I haven't really done the maths, but since I started this journey I've really cut back on going out to restaurants for lunch and dinner. Some weeks that was almost a daily occurrence. The gym membership I've gotten is paid by my company. I have bought shoes, clothes and other sporting equipment though.

AmyRhubarb

Apps
MFP - Free
Runkeeper - Free
Nike+ - Free
Nike Training Club - Free
Zombies, Run - on sale $3.99

Heart Rate Monitor
New Balance N4 - $26 on on eBay, brand new

Shoes
Asics trail runners - $55-65 on sale & with coupons x 3 (I'm on my third pair)

Workout clothes
Hard to figure a total cost, but I'm a frugal shopper, and get most of my stuff on clearance racks at Target, Old Navy, TJ Maxx & Marshalls

Weights
Probably my biggest expense besides shoes, but collected the dumbbells over several years. Scored a 20lb-er at a thrift store, and used b-day money to get my set of 15s and another 20 last spring.

Workout DVDs
Most of my collection were around $10 each (I think I have 7 or 8), or free when I checked them out from the library. But I rarely use them now, relying on my apps instead - Nike Training Club is awesome.

Madame_Goldbricker

As little or as much as you want it to I guess....

I have a gym membership (£28mth) all inclusive :happy:
New trainers I buy online in the sales soo not that pricey.
Workout clothes I get from the local supermarket so generally (£5-10)
Walking/running outside costs me nada though :bigsmile:

Katla49

We bought a food scale and dishers. We buy good quality food and always have, but we're now eating less and buying less. Then there is the health spending. We're exercising more, we're healthier, and we haven't been sick as often so we're buying less medicine. This weight loss process is saving us money and making us feel better. Win, win.

Samthefrog

Hmm, well I think I come out even when it comes to food, because I would spend about $40 a week eating out, but now I spend about $50 on good, healthy things at Trader Joes and stuff for all three meal. As for other things:

Water Aerobics class fee: $3x 3 days week
Dance class fee: $42 for 8 Mondays
Swim fee for Mondays without dance: $2
Water weights, shoes, swimming suits: $100
Hula skirt, sandals, music CD's: $25

So all together, maybe $50 a month? Geez, I guess I could afford a fancy gym membership, but I would never go, so it would be pointless. At least it's $50/month on stuff I enjoy and I'm willing to do!

Sashoi

So far only thing I bought was a 5 DVD set of Jillian Michael's DVD's for 20 bucks. I own a treadmill already n a stepper and tons of DVD 's the only thing I plan on purchasing next year some time is an elliptical n adjustable weights.

pugsleyjean

I actually think I'm saving money! I haven't really done the maths, but since I started this journey I've really cut back on going out to restaurants for lunch and dinner. Some weeks that was almost a daily occurrence. The gym membership I've gotten is paid by my company. I have bought shoes, clothes and other sporting equipment though.

Same here! I run/walk in my neighborhood. Do simple exercises, dance around the house making up my own exercise routines and I pack most meals ahead of time for lunches so Im not spending money going out to eat. I did spend about $14 on a pair of really comfy yoga pants that I mostly end up lounging around the house in and use my old shorts to do the workouts.

Athena53

I get the senior rate at the community center gym- $50/year.

I work out in shorts and T-shirts although I've recently bought a couple pair of Spandex bicycle pants. No major costs there.

I've had the same bike for 13 years, pool in the back yard. OK, I guess maintaining that is expensive.

I had to get a Fitbit or a HRM to record workouts so I get credits under my company's wellness program, but I save nearly $2K/year on health insurance premiums, so that's well worth it! (I have both.)

I can see where it could be very expensive if you started buying UnderArmour and Lulemon and a titanium-frame bike.

Oh, yeah- the charity bike rides are getting expensive. I don't want to hit up friends and family for money so I just write a check. At least it's tax-deductible.

clepant

My clothes but they last forever
My running shoes....will not sacrifice on them
No gym membership
My equipment has been with me for years. Total Gym, Pilates machine, elliptical.
Owned my yoga mat for years as well as my jump rope.

Bought a new bike this summer after owning my original for 40 plus years. I think I was due for one.
My kayak is about 12 years old too.
Use a stop watch on my watch and manually load my running routes for free on websites.

I have cut out fast foods and lots of eat outs so I think I am saving money not to mention all the preventative medical issue that would or could arise from me being obese.

Alchemicalanarchist

Iam the type of person that does not like to just throw money at a problem to make it go away.

So all I bought was a Yoga mat then I did Bodyweight Exercises at med and high intensity.

Stage14

So far, I've bought

gym membership -$37 a month, but it includes free tanning, 24hr access, and I can use any of their locations, which means I can workout at the one near my job between office hours and performances during show weeks and the one 2 miles from my house the rest of the time.

Good stability running shoes - $80 on sale

Pyle Sport HRM w chest strap - $25 on eBay, works great

3 or 4 workout DVDs, Wii games, and dumbells for working out at home/office - all used, maybe $50 total.

It hasn't been expensive for me because other than the monthly gym membership, the purchases have all been spread out as I progressed in my workouts. I will have replacement costs for the shoes and probably the HRM eventually, but otherwise, I'm pretty set with a variety of workout options. However, I do NOT buy name brand workout clothes or sports bras, and I'm not much of a gadget/technology person so free apps and a cheap HRM are more than enough for me. I can totally see how someone ran competitively or spent a large portion of their time pursuing fitness related hobbies could spend a lot more.