How to Get Fit Without Spending a Ton of Money

Clothes, gym memberships, and equipment expenses can add up—but cheap or free alternatives work just as well.

Fitness is one of those areas where you can spend literally 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’s 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.

How to save money on gym clothes

You can work out in the finest technical wicking fabrics and/or butt-scrunch leggings, or you can work out in raggedy old sweatpants. Your lungs and muscles don’t know the difference.

There are a few items and features that may be worth paying more for. One is a sports bra: If you have breasts and you plan on doing “high impact” exercise (running and jumping), your choice of bra is pretty important. Really supportive bras in bigger sizes tend to be pricey. But if you’re just starting to get into exercise and bra shopping is putting you off, any ordinary…