Theres a similar wide open price range for clothes, apps, at-home equipment, and everything else.
So where can you save money without sacrificing a good workout?
Almost everywhere, it turns out.
Your lungs and muscles dont know the difference.
There are a few items and features thatmaybe worth paying more for.
Really supportive bras in bigger sizes tend to be pricey.
When it comes to shirts and shorts, the cheap stuff is fine if you find it comfortable.
Pro tip: Some of my favorite workout tanks are justblack undershirtsfrom the mens section at Target.
Thats if you even need shoes.
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 just that your shoes are comfortable when you run.
Yes, running shoes can be stupid expensive, and theywear out so fast theyre basically disposable.
Again, you might already have a pair.
But yes, cheap gyms are worth it.
For more options, consider expanding your search tocommunity fitness centers.
How to save money on supplements
This is an easy one: you could skip the supplements.
Pre-workoutis mostly just a caffeine delivery system.
Creatinemay help you work harder in the gym, but it’s not a make-or-break supplement.
Our body makes its own creatine, and we get more from our diet (mainly through meat).
The purpose of a supplement is just to top off our muscles' stores of it.
Plenty of people have gotten fit without taking it as a supplement.
Protein powderis just one of many ways to get protein in your diet.
you might skip this entirely if you’re gettingenough proteinthrough regular foods.
How to save money on exercise apps and gadgets
This one is almost a trick question.
You dont need any of that stuff.
You canjog without a smartwatch.
How to exercise for actually free
Go for a run.
Go for a walk, hike, or ruck.
(Rucking is walking with a weighted vest or backpack.)
Use afitness trail, which you might find in a lot of random parks.
They have equipment for bodyweight exercises and a place to jog.
Do theReddit bodyweight fitness workout.
Or trythese bodyweight exercises that are actually good at building muscle.
Again, some require minimal equipment like a chair or a railing, but many do not.
Is home gym equipment worth it?
Some items of home gym equipment are, on their own, definitely worth it.
Someappropriately heavy weightswill fill the gap that jogging and bodyweight exercises tend to leave.
A few pairs of dumbbells or a few kettlebells are a great idea.
But beware the temptation to build out awhole home gym.
I love all of my heavy iron children, but money-savers they are not.
Or at least until you start wondering if it wouldnt be nice to have a barbell,too…
