11 Affordable Ways to Stay Healthy This Year

If staying on top of your health is your main mantra this year, knowing how to stay fit, affordably, is just as important as figuring out where to start. Although hopping on the latest luxury gym membership might sound appealing, for example, spending more than $100 a month on exercise can blow your budget.

Fortunately, with a little bit of creativity, you can eat and exercise in a way that keeps your financial wellness intact, too. Here’s how. 

Simplify your eating habits

1. Meal prepping

Preparing meals in advance on a Sunday can sound like a dull way to spend the last day of the weekend. The thing is — it really works to curb expenses on dining out and gives you the power to make smart food choices. 

Not only do you control your spending by cooking at home, meal prepping allows you to make conscious decisions about the ingredients you put into your body, and the portions you consume. There are a number of free and easy recipes online. Packing your meals can also be more efficient with a set of meal containers that can be found on Amazon for about $10.

2. Plant-based proteins

Protein is an important part of every diet, whether you’re an herbivore, vegetarian, or vegan. Meat proteins, however, can be expensive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average price for lean ground beef is about $5.50 per pound.

If you’re not interested in converting to a 100% meatless diet, consider having a “meatless” day each week. Plant-based, high-protein options, like beans, are a versatile and affordable ingredient to use in your recipes. In fact, the BLS found that the U.S. average cost for a pound of dried beans was only $1.40. That’s about $4 in savings compared to the ground beef option!

3. Try the Pantry Challenge

Before running to the grocery store to stock up on ingredients for the week, commit to the Pantry Challenge. In this challenge, you’re required to use the ingredients you already have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer to come up with creative dishes. 

This exercise has a few benefits. First, you’ll save on a week’s worth of grocery budget by not spending additional money on elaborate recipes. Also, it encourages you to use what you have to avoid wasting food that’s hidden in the depths of your fridge.

4. Freeze your veggies

The tricky part about buying vegetables is that they can go bad quickly. It can be discouraging to keep up with healthy eating habits when your spinach constantly goes bad. An easy way to curb this faux pas is to select veggies that are sturdy enough for freezer storage. Sure, you can buy frozen vegetables, to begin with, but the price per unit is typically more expensive. 

If your local grocery store or farmer’s market has a deal on veggies, like spinach, green onions, broccoli, and bell peppers are perfect candidates for the fresh-to-frozen technique.

5. Drink more water

One way to curb cravings and unnecessary spending on food is to make sure you’re well-hydrated. It helps you feel full, and some research suggests that when your body sends signals that you’re hungry, it might actually be an indicator that you’re dehydrated and thirsty.

During your busy day, it’s easy to forget to drink the recommended eight cups of water daily. A good reminder is to stash a reusable water bottle on your work desk, in your car, on your nightstand, and even in your purse so you have on-the-go hydration, all day.  

Related: 6 Ways to Practice Self-Care

Stay active everywhere

6. Stretch daily

Setting aside a few minutes out of your day to stretch can help you relieve tense muscles and prevent injury later on. It’s an easy way to avoid another activity-related trip to urgent care which is worthwhile not just for your body, but also for your finances.

You can stretch on your own after getting out of bed in the morning, during work breaks, before and after exercise, or as a way to calm your body before heading to bed.

7. Keep running shoes at your desk

If you work at a conventional 9-to-5 job, capitalizing on your lunch break is a great way to make time for exercise.  Keep a pair of athletic shoes at your desk so you always have the ability to take a brisk walk outside. A 40-minute walk is a step forward (pun intended) toward an active lifestyle overall. Plus, it’s available at no extra cost to you.

8. Workout with YouTube

Instead of committing to an expensive monthly gym membership, you can have effective cardio and strength-based workouts from your own home. 

Leverage YouTube fitness channels to satisfy any workout routine you’re looking for — whether it’s hip-hop dance, aerobic, plyometric exercises, or free-hand weights. YouTube fitness routines offer free content in the comfort and privacy of your space. 

9. Use apps to track fitness goals

Accountability can help you maintain your health goals throughout the year. This includes your diet and exercise regimen. There are a number of apps you can download straight to your phone to help make tracking and accountability easier. Whether you’re looking to track your calorie intake with an app, like MyFitnessPal, or track your jogging, like MapMyRun, apps can help you measure your progress over time.

10. Mix-up your workouts

If the appeal of trying a premium gym is too appealing, consider doing a test run of your local fitness centers, first. See which program works best for your fitness preferences by trying ClassPass. For a flat monthly rate, you’ll have access to thousands of fitness studios around the world. From cardio kickboxing to yoga meditations, this option is a good way to “taste test” your way to a workout that you’ll love long-term. 

Again, this is still a pricey way to clock-in a workout compared to jogging around your neighborhood. However, it’s an option you can take if you know a gym environment can help you stay motivated.

11. Talk to someone

Maintaining your wellness doesn’t stop at physical health through exercise or diet. Much of your overall well-being relies on your mental health, too. Although mental health counseling or therapy sessions can be emotionally intimidating, talking to an objective third-party about your experiences, past trauma, and current challenges can be a helpful way to move forward.

But therapy can be expensive without insurance coverage. Fortunately, there are low-cost options available. The Open Path Collective, for example, is a resource that connects individuals to affordable psychotherapists. Sessions range from $30 to $80, depending on the type of session that’s booked. What’s even more helpful is that therapists are available nationwide and can be done in-office or online. 

These are just a few ways to focus on maintaining healthy habits while keeping costs relatively affordable. If you need more ideas about how to cut costs while reaching your goals this year, reach out to a financial coach today.