? about spending money on health

[hokiegirl82]

H and I are trying to make 2013 about getting our finances in order as much as possible before having a kid. Right now I am not physically active because I had bunion surgery a few weeks ago, and I will not be doing any lower body activity until the end of March when my bones are fused. So, for now, I am not paying for a gym. My exercise of choice for the past year has been Crossfit. I absolutely love everything about it - the actual workouts, the coaches, the improvements I see in my physical fitness, and the people I have met and made friends with. The only thing I don't like is the price - I was paying $150 a month to go 3 times a week, and the price just went up to $175 a month for 3 times a week. I am fully aware at how ridiculous these prices are, but I love what I get from CF so I stomach it.

I would like to go back to CF once I am cleared for physical activity, but part of me feels guilty for spending that kind of money when we are trying to pay down debt and bulk up savings. H is ok with it, but I feel guilty about that kind of expense. I am basically willing to give up dinners out, buying any new clothes or shoes for the long-term, be as thrifty as possible, to keep this gym membership.

I guess my question is, is it worth it to spend the money on my health and cut back on other things, or is just ridiculous to spend that kind of money when we are trying to get our finances in order? CF has been great not only for my physical health, but also for my mental and emotional health - after living in the DC metro area for 7 years, I have finally made some amazing friends who I do things with outside of the gym, and I have been happier since joining CF that I can remember in a long time - so I don't just get physical benefits from it, I also get mental and emotional benefits from it - I feel really good about myself for what I accomplish at CF. I have not felt this way when just going to a traditional gym.

I fully expect many people to tell me how ridiculous the price of CF is - I just need some outside reflections on this.

[Deleted]

I don't think that's ridiculous. Actually it's pretty standard for CF, if not a bit on the cheap side. I do yoga and I go to my local YMCA because the studios around here don't have childcare and the Y does, but yoga at studios is $15 a class or so. At 3x a week that is more per month than you will be paying.

I can't say you can or cannot afford it without more info about your other spending, but budgets are all about prioritizing. If you're willing to cut back in other areas and stick to it to meet your financial goals, then this is absolutely something you should keep in your budget.

[Deleted]

If you can afford it, then I think that you should continue it. If you're trying to find that in the budget somewhere, that's about $50/wk which you could probably cobble together through packing lunches/drinks, maybe taking public transit instead of driving/parking, etc.

[Roc A Bee]

I would need to see the rest of your budget. How much and what type of debt?

[simpsongal]

Ditto, hard to say without seeing what kind of debt we're talking about and the rest of your finances.

If you're in decent financial shape and this is your one splurge, then I say go for it. It's so good for your well being, and it doesn't sound like you'd get the same motivation & social stimulus from a cheaper alternative.

[Deleted]

I will add that I don't think this is strictly about health; it's about CF specifically. Sue Sue is right that you can get the same health benefits and I bet many of the same social benefits from a membership to the Y (though she is off on the pricing, at least for my area; I pay $55 a month for just myself and my daughter at the Y and that is with a 20% friends & family discount. A family membership is like $20 more a month. YMMV, I'm sure it depends on your location). But again, if this is a hobby that brings you great joy and you can cut back enough in other areas to still meet your financial goals on the same timeline, and your H is on board, it's fine to continue. But do know that CF is not the only place you can get these health benefits.

[kadams767]

It really depends on your finances. We spend probably around the same per month for each of our various activities and fees. My gym membership is about $50 month, DH plays football and hockey, and then race fees throughout the year all add up. This isn't even adding in equipment, new shoes, etc. But we are both fit and active and it's an important expense for us. That said, if money was tight, it would probably be one of the first places we would have to cut back.

[indylady]

Jan 20, 2013 20:14:02 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

I'd get a family membership at the Y, which is about fifty a month, and go there .

I wish ours was that low! Ours is $103/mo.

[mskitkat]

When we're practicing, DH and I spend roughly $300/mo on taekwondo, and more than that on equipment, testing fees, etc. I'm a fan of cutting other things to make that work.

[beefjerky]

Jan 20, 2013 21:21:27 GMT -5 indylady said:

Jan 20, 2013 20:14:02 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

I'd get a family membership at the Y, which is about fifty a month, and go there .

I wish ours was that low! Ours is $103/mo.

Ours too, $120/month. The benefits, both mental and physical would make it completely worth it for me to continue CF. In fact, I did just that. We have a family Y membership and I still go to my box (well, until I got pregnant), I get a lot more out of it than I do just going to the Y. Only you can decide if it's worth it or not.

[Deleted]

Our YMCA is $80/month. And obviously, that includes no coaching or classes. It's just a basic membership. Personal trainers are $35/hour there. It's my understanding that Crossfit prices contain coaching and what not, yes? There's a big difference from exercising on the machines at the local YMCA and doing Crossfit. It's completely different atmospheres and completely different workouts. Do what works for you. (Unless you're living hand to mouth or something, then cut everything.)

[hokiegirl82]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm not sure I could get the same kind of atmosphere at the Y - the things I love about CF are the structure of the classes, the types of workouts, and the small sizes of the classes which means I get some personal training each and every time I go. I especially love the Olympic lifting training I get at least once a week - it's my favorite part and I excel at it over the other kinds of workouts. Is the Y like any other gym (Gold's, LA Fitness, etc)? If they had something very similar to what CF has, I would possibly consider it.

I need to take a better look at our budget with H in the next week and see where we are with certain things and factor in the cost of the gym. We are almost completely done paying off school loans (yay!) which is a big step for us.

[takeonyou]

I spend $240 a month on personal training and mh spends the same on his personal training. We cut back in other areas because it is important to us. I am also taking up kick boxing soon.

Imo you can't put a price on health and happiness, so move the budget around and cut other areas to keep this in there.

[chia]

In your case, it seems like it's worth it to spend the money. You use it, you love it, you've made friends.

Do you have to pay extra for the competitions and other add ons?

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using proboards

[M]

I think it's ok to spend money to keep yourself healthy.

[kershnic]

We've justified paying for the gym (less than your CF, but it was initially a stretch for us to fit it in) because why the heck am I saving for retirement if I'm not going to be around and healthy enough to enjoy it.

I agree that we'd have to see your budget to really make an assessment, but the bottom line is that we all have splurges. Many on this board spend a hell of a lot more on clothes and shoes and make up than I would ever consider. I spend more on travel and eating out than many budgets I see on this board. Travel and eating out make me happy. I'm not taking on new debt to enjoy them. Sure, I could be paying down my student loans faster... but I also have to live now, you know?

[isabel]

Budgets are all about priorities. I would sooner give up having cable and internet at home than give up my CrossFit membership. My DH would not feel the same way, I am sure. If your H is comfortable with you keeping it, and you're able to meet your goals by giving up things in other areas, I would keep it. It's worth it for your sanity and health.

Just keep in mind that if keeping your membership requires you to pack lunch every day and only eat out 2 times a month, then you need to stick with it. I think that's the hardest part about budgeting- you (general you) say you're going to give something up to keep something else and then try to have it all anyway. At least that's been my experience.

[momof2boys]

I would say if you can cut back other places to achieve your goals, and you aren't actively creating more debt by paying for these classes every month, then go for it!  Its providing you physical health, mental health, emotional health and friendships...and you enjoy it!  Another idea would be when holidays/birthdays roll around ask for gift certificates to that location. I splurge once every two years on getting my hair chemically straightened.  It lasts about 1 1/2 years but I stretch it out to the two year mark and on my birthday if people ask what I want I ask for gift cards to the hair salon that does it.  Its 500.00 which is WAY over anything i'd ever spend on myself, but I rationalize that I only get my hair done once every two years, and usually about half is paid by gift certificates.  And without it my hair is a hot mess

[chessie]

For health I will spend pretty much anything. DH and I have 2 gym memberships and a small workout room at home, since it is that important to our being. For us it was a priority to us, and we had room in the budget.

[gt7301b]

As a general rule I think you need to find an exercise routine that works for you.  If it is Crossfit then I'd pay the money for it.  What is not MM is joining a gym to save $100 bucks a month and never going to the gym.

[hokiegirl82]

Jan 21, 2013 9:36:44 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

As a general rule I think you need to find an exercise routine that works for you.  If it is Crossfit then I'd pay the money for it.  What is not MM is joining a gym to save $100 bucks a month and never going to the gym.

Although I wasn't every paying more than 35 bucks a month, all of the traditional gyms I've belonged to in the past fell into this category - I would sign up, go for a month, then get bored and never go again but would be stubborn and hold onto the gym membership thinking I would start going again, but really I was just wasting money. CF is the first gym I've actually grown to love and really look forward to going - I have consistently gone for the whole year I have been a member which is a huge deal to me - I finally found a type of exercise that keeps me motivated and wanting to go back.

[leeluu]

Question re: crossfit - can someone out of shape go, or should I try to get in shape first before I go? I went to a training gym where they had everyone do x exercise, then run around the building, then do y exercise - I was always way slower than everyone and it was obvious and kind of embarrassing. I also never got a rest because I was so slow and still doing the exercise when everyone was resting.

I do Zumba and kickboxing classes now, but feel that I should hold off on Crossfit until I'm more fit.

Sorry to threadjack!

[trigal]

I don't think it's a problem. CF is important to you. DH and I do triathlons. That is the lifestyle we have chosen to live and it is built into our finances as such.

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2013 13:03:34 GMT -5 leeluu said:

Question re: crossfit - can someone out of shape go, or should I try to get in shape first before I go? I went to a training gym where they had everyone do x exercise, then run around the building, then do y exercise - I was always way slower than everyone and it was obvious and kind of embarrassing. I also never got a rest because I was so slow and still doing the exercise when everyone was resting.

I do Zumba and kickboxing classes now, but feel that I should hold off on Crossfit until I'm more fit.

Sorry to threadjack!

It's my understanding that anyone can do Crossfit.

This is how I feel about Crossfit though:

gawker.com/5928989/

[gt7301b]

Jan 21, 2013 9:55:48 GMT -5 hokiegirl82 said:

Jan 21, 2013 9:36:44 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

As a general rule I think you need to find an exercise routine that works for you.  If it is Crossfit then I'd pay the money for it.  What is not MM is joining a gym to save $100 bucks a month and never going to the gym.

Although I wasn't every paying more than 35 bucks a month, all of the traditional gyms I've belonged to in the past fell into this category - I would sign up, go for a month, then get bored and never go again but would be stubborn and hold onto the gym membership thinking I would start going again, but really I was just wasting money. CF is the first gym I've actually grown to love and really look forward to going - I have consistently gone for the whole year I have been a member which is a huge deal to me - I finally found a type of exercise that keeps me motivated and wanting to go back.

Then I think it is worth it to keep going to Crossfit.

[jillybean222]

I don't think that's a lot at all. I wouldn't count it as just health - it seems like it is a social activity for you as well...if it takes the place of girls nights out, you're saving money there too

I spend $100-ish dollars on running sneakers every few months, plenty on clothing, and I take group fitness class 3x/week for approximately $150/month. I think inactivity costs more than that!!!!!

[hokiegirl82]

Jan 21, 2013 13:03:34 GMT -5 leeluu said:

Question re: crossfit - can someone out of shape go, or should I try to get in shape first before I go? I went to a training gym where they had everyone do x exercise, then run around the building, then do y exercise - I was always way slower than everyone and it was obvious and kind of embarrassing. I also never got a rest because I was so slow and still doing the exercise when everyone was resting.

I do Zumba and kickboxing classes now, but feel that I should hold off on Crossfit until I'm more fit.

Sorry to threadjack!

Anyone of any fitness level can do CF. A sign of a good CF gym and coach is that they will help modify the workouts for any fitness level. There are some people at the gym I go to that are 100 pounds overweight and haven't worked out in 10 years that have success with CF because they modify the workouts to suit their fitness level - the coaches should definitely help with this. And don't worry about if you are last - I am a very slow runner and I'm always last when we do our warm-up run but no one is looking at me. And during the workouts, no one should really care what you or anyone else is doing- when I am in the workout all I'm thinking about is the workout and the time. I have been last in workouts and had everyone cheer me on - it's a great feeling to have people cheer for you. of course there might be an asshole at any gym who might pay attention to what you are doing, but who really gives a crap - most people i've come across at CF gyms are very nice and motivating, and surprisingly some of the nicest people I've met at CF are some of the fittest and most athletic people I've ever met.

[runblondie26]

I'd spend the money on Crossfit if that's the type of workout you like best. I enjoy fitness and working out, so it's easy for me to justify spending money on that kind of stuff though.

[mrshabious]

I fully believe you need to put yourself first - especially your health.  You found something you love.  Figure out how to trim other parts of your budget.  For us, my kickboxing is expensive, but I love beating the crap out of a bag.  I have a load of anger issues so it works for me.  I use my fun money on it.  Maybe you and your DH need to institute fun money and you can use that.  That way, you won't feel so guilty!