Tips on How to Save at the Gym

Whether or not this is your cup of tea, it's important to stay physically fit for your overall health. If you're like me, hitting the gym is a BIG part of this. However, gym memberships can be quite pricey. Here are a few tips on how you can save a few $$$ so you can buy some cute workout gear:

*The Buddy system - Personal training gives you awesome results but can be super expensive. To save look for a fitness trainer who will let you & your BFF/work-out partner split training sessions, which means you also split the cost.

*Gym hoppin' - Give or take a few classes/equipment all gyms are basically the same. I'm going to preach swingin' until somebody finally gets it. Take advantage of free promotional offers of gyms in your area. If Gym A offers two-weeks free then hit-it-and-quit-it 14 days later. Then mosey over to Gym B and see if you can negotiate a free promo there (they would love the opp to steal you from Gym A). Then you can take time decide which gym is best for you.

*Run from a Commitment - Don't get locked into a drawn out contract. Negotiate with your gym of choice to get the best month-to-month rate (you can use your trial membership at a competing gym as leverage).

*Parks & Recreation - When was the last time you went by your local park's community center? Many offer fitness classes like yoga, dance, pilates for less than $10 or even FREE!

*Gold-diggin' - Step #9 of the 12-Step Urban Addiction Recovery Program is all about digging for gold, but not in the way you're prob thinking. This doesn't require finding an elderly sugardaddy on life support. It simply means to actively look for perks. Many gyms, yoga studios, etc. offer specials. For ex. my location yoga studio offers a $5 class on Thursdays versus $20 a pop any other class. So can you guess which class I attend? I'm sure you're wondering what I do the other 6 days. I have a steady rotation. On Mondays ANOTHER yoga studio offers a lunchtime special rate so on Mondays that's where I get my yogi fix. Swingin' at its best, but I spread the love around equally ;-)

*Buy in Bulk - It's the same Costco/Sam's Club strategy. When it comes to classes you can save $$$ by purchasing packages (weekly, monthly, yearly), but be very honest with yourself beforehand. There's no point in buying a one-month pass if you're only go to attend two classes.

Swingin' in Nashville: Restaurant Week Begins TODAY!

Greetings urbanistas & urbanistos! If you're in Nashville this week make sure to take advantage of Nashville Originals Restaurant Week. This week only you can enjoy a two, three or FOUR course meal at some of Nashville's finest eateries including Bound'ry, Cabana, Germantown Cafe, The Pineapple Room @ Cheekwood, F. Scott's & many, many more for only $20.10 or $30.10 per person. For a complete list and more info please CLICK HERE.

Swingin' is Step #7 of my 12-Step Urban Addiction Recovery Plan, which simply means throwing "brand loyalty" out of the window. We tend to be habitual creatures & this often gets us caught into a pattern of doing the same things & patronizing the same businesses for years (even if we're dissatisfied) b/c we're so afraid of change or shaking things up. The thought of trying a new restaurant, hair salon or even laundry detergent is unimaginable b/c we're so "loyal" to a brand/establishment that may be robbing us blind and possibly not even giving us the level of quality of service/goods we could get elsewhere for LESS MONEY! This is why I've adopted a mindset of "brand swingin." I'm all about getting the best bang for my buck. Sure I love my hair stylist, aesthetician, tailor, etc but they all know that I'm always looking for the best deal. As a result they work harder to make sure that I receive the best service b/c they don't want to lose my business. I'm not suggesting that you go to your next hair appt demanding that you leave looking like Beyonce or you're finding a new stylist! All I'm saying is don't ignore the freebie being offered at the salon next door if it's going to save you some cash. Then you can always go back to your regular stylist...hence the term "swingin." It's all biz...never personal :-)