The finances of fitness
By Wendy
Like a lot of other people these days my husband and I are not quite where we’d like to be financially. While we are fortunate to have solid, stable jobs and no credit card debt, we unfortunately have a house in Arizona that we can’t sell and can’t rent out for anything close to what the mortgage is (if I could build a time machine I’d go back to 2006 and physically restrain myself from buying that damn seriously depreciated house). So, we budget and we watch what we spend and we are trying to aggressively build our savings account.
Every month I track our spending in all the major categories: groceries, gas, eating out, clothes, medical, etc. Last year, for the first time, I added fitness as a category. So far this year my husband and I have spent $1,191.54 on race fees, shoes, equipment, clothing, and travel related to races. I’m totally okay with that number, especially given that I could very easily imagine spending twice that if I got all the gear that I covet (triathlons are not the cheapest hobby to have) but I got flamed pretty badly on a financial message board that I frequently post on (how DARE I waste that kind of money when I have a negative net worth?? What are you thinking?) (yes, my net worth is a negative number. Stupid freaking Arizona real estate market). A few people from that board even visited my personal blog and commented that spending $30 on a race fee was “wasteful” and “self-indulgent” and a luxury that I “just couldn’t afford”. While I understand that I don’t have to race I couldn’t disagree more with the strident harpy that was flaming me: fitness is not a luxury. Racing motivates me to exercise which I think will pay off in lots of ways, financial and otherwise, for me as I age.
While the flaming was more annoying than upsetting, it did make me curious about how other people account for the financial aspects of trying to get or stay fit. Do you budget for it? Is it a priority or a luxary item in your household? Do you ever get flak for spending money on your athletic or fitness pursuits?
Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to go book a $50 hotel room to stay in the night before my next 5K (this weekend, $15).
October 20th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Garrett and I are living on one income right now and just transitioned to doing CrossFit to the tune of $200/month per couple. Our health is an expense that we have found worth it and as long as we are not making our situation worth, I am fine with it. But you should see the faces of people when I tell them that we are putting off getting married for financial reasons. We are already committed to each other — a big party for all of our friends and family right now just doesn’t feel worth it. Not that it won’t ever, but it’s just not right now.
People get funny about money but everyone has to make their own decisions and decide whether they are approaching it from a macro/micro viewpoint. What works for you is not up for debate, I’m sorry you got such flack!
October 20th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Fitness is an expense I do not, under any circumstances, curtail. Having said that, I do find myself being more mindful of racing and race fees than I used to be (trying to avoid travel as much as I can and all that good stuff). But monthly gym fees? Honestly, I’d give up cable before I gave up the ability to make it as easy as possible for me to remain fit.
One crossfit gym I looked at when I first started doing crossfit had me fill out a questionairre. Two questions on there stuck out to me as totally odd, and totally awesome:
1. Does your spouse support your desire to do CrossFit?
2. How much money do you budget per month for fitness?
I love those questions because even if you didn’t know the answer of the top of your head, it was a great thing to start thinking about, because I really believe those two things are the key to success in fitness: support and dedication.
ANYWAY. That was my long winded. But man, I hear you. Finances are all about priorities. You’re a smart woman; if your priorities are different than those on a message board, well, yay internet, etc.
October 20th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
I see fitness as investment in my health alongside paying for doctor/dentist visits, healthy food, health insurance sunscreen etc. When you classify this spending as for your health I find it becomes a lot more paletable to some people and this doesn’t even get into what fitness can do for your general levels of sanity.
October 21st, 2010 at 12:06 am
We live under only one income, huge credit card debts, personal loans and a mortgage! a lot!
However, each of us is entitled to 50$ a week for anything we want: eating out, transport, clothes, whatever. Please bear in mind I live in PErth, Australia, one of the msot expensive cities on this part of the world.
Races fees here are about 50$ minimum, so What I do is save conciously my weekly allowance to pay the fees, or any gear I want. Usually with gears and clothes mean that I have to save for two three months, but in the end is worh it!
October 21st, 2010 at 4:59 am
Everyone makes choices on what they spend their money on. My favorite is folks complaining about money but driving brand new cars. But eh – that’s their ‘choice’
I agree we’d cut out cable before we cut out our athletic budget. And let me tell you – the money we spend on biking alone is silly. Every time my hubby get’s in from a mtn bike ride he needs to go to the bike shop for ‘something’. Most expensive sport ever. Well maybe besides snowboarding and golf.
I do draw the line at him picking up any new sports though.. we DO NOT need to add kayaking to the mix!
October 21st, 2010 at 6:53 am
I agree with michasone above–paying for fitness is like paying for my doctors’ fees and medical insurance, now. I have certifiable proof that working out regularly has decreased the frequency of flare-ups of illness, so it is worth it to me, like spending money on fresh vegetables and fruits and baking whole-grain bread from scratch.
Besides, people always respect it when you say you’re doing something to stay healthy or to keep from getting sick.
October 21st, 2010 at 8:32 am
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October 21st, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Oh man, right there with you. I have given up cable, stayed in a small, crappy apartment I don’t really like, and avoided buying a new car. (Just a few examples of money I’m *not* willing to spend.) But I’ll happily enter races, buy new gear, pay for my gym membership & CSA, etc. Those dollars are well worth it for my health — physically and mentally.
October 22nd, 2010 at 5:50 am
Hmmm. On the one hand, if you are meeting your financial obligations, and have worked in a certain amount in your budget to account for “fitness expenses,” then it doesn’t really affect me one way or the other.
On the other had, my ex husband “doesn’t have the money” to contribute to the kids’ savings accounts, per our divorce agreement, but is more than happy to put race fees on his credit card. And that is NOT OKAY.