Difficult financial times need not mean giving up your fitness sessions. There are ways to find cheap gyms and exercise classes, and to ensure that you get maximum value for money from your fitness budget. Here are some ideas on gym fitness without straining your wallet.

In the current climate of uncertain employment, low interest rates for savers and poor stock market returns for investors, reduced income means that everyone needs to find ways to save money. This includes taking a long hard look at expenditure, in particular making sure that there are no forgotten standing orders or direct debits paying for things that you no longer use. An expensive gym membership can be a classic example of this, especially if longer working hours or the need to work away from home mean that you are not making sufficient use of the classes, facilities and equipment for which you are paying.

However there is no need to give up on fitness. Cheap gyms and exercise venues are still out there, and there are ways to get even better value from them. Firstly, look at what you require from a membership; which classes, whether you want to use the pool if there is one, what hours you can visit (as ‘off-peak’ can be cheaper) and so on. Many centres offer several membership combinations so it is worth investigating to see if one can be tailored to suit your needs.

If you feel that you are not making sufficient use of a membership to justify the cost, consider moving to ‘pay as you go’ – this may be more expensive per activity, but if you are doing fewer activities it will work out cheaper overall. Or alternatively, see if it is possible to go to the gym more often – if transport costs are an issue, is there a bus route or a car share, or can you incorporate the trip to the gym into other errands to save petrol?

Make sure you are still getting value for money even if things are cheap – gyms and leisure centres are competing for your custom so there are discount deals available, especially in areas where there are several venues close together. There may not actually be much difference between cheap gyms and expensive ones in the things that matter to you – there’s no point paying more for a lovely view from the treadmill, a coffee shop with longer opening hours or a wider range of treatments in the spa if you don’t use any of these facilities.

Don’t overlook free ways to exercise; if you have nearby open spaces, running or walking is free. Cycling can be inexpensive if you can get hold of a bike (and provide a cheaper way to get to the gym) and swimming is often low cost. Don’t rule out your fitness classes though, especially if you can get them discounted or cheap – gyms often provide introductory offers, free sessions after completing a certain number of paid visits and other ways to stretch your fitness funds.

Looking for cheap gyms that you can use without committing to a membership? Just look on google for discounted day passes to gyms throughout the country.