Staying in shape is important for our overall health and for stress reduction. Regular physical exercise can also help us control long-term health costs. Taking care of our bodies now tends to mean that we spend less on preventable diseases down the road. However, many people associate working out with money. Fancy gym memberships make it seem like the only way to stay in shape is with a long-term membership. Infomercials on TV suggest that you need to spend plenty of cash to buy the latest equipment. Some customers end up believing these marketing messages and run up credit card bills or take out signature loans to pay for exercise equipment and health club memberships. There are less expensive ways to exercise, though:

Rent exercise tapes from the library for free or look up online exercise videos. These are free and make more sense than buying DVDs because you get to switch up your routine more often.

If you’re in good physical shape and are looking for a challenge, find a charity marathon that offers training. It’s a great way to get in shape while doing some good, and you’ll even often get personalized training before the big event.

Look in the newspaper for walking and hiking clubs. It’s a great way to get in shape for free while seeing a whole new part of your town or city.

Use everyday objects as exercise equipment. Use canned foods or bags of sugar as weights. The back of a couch offers support while you do lunges. You don’t need much of the equipment you see advertised.…