10 Ways Health Experts Save Money On Their Well-Being Routines

Self-care is the new national anthem, everybody is singing the praises of doing right by your mind, body, and soul.

You might be a bit overwhelmed, though, by the cost of all the fancy drinks, high-tech gadgets, and high-end gym memberships. But the truth is you don't have to spend a fortune on your well-being. 

"Define what wellness means to you. Prioritize activities that make you feel better, not activities you think you should be doing because an influencer told you to. It could be as simple as going for a walk, sitting in a park, and getting 15 minutes of sun. Wellness routines don't have to be elaborate and expensive. The simpler they are, the more likely you are to do them," says Elaine Proulx, a health and wellness coach and owner of ESP Wellness.

At the grocery store Locati scours the bulk bins for kitchen staples—such as rice, oatmeal, granola, grains, lentils, nuts, and so on. This will help save a lot of money.

"You can tailor how much you buy at once this way," Locati says. 

You'll also find Locati at farmers markets. If you don't have great options in your neighborhood, she recommends Misfits Market, which has no membership fees and sends a weekly box of "high-quality, organic products for 30% off retail."

It offers perfectly good produce that is funny shaped and items with damaged packaging or a shorter shelf life that grocery stores are going to throw away.

And why spend money on food when you can grow your own? Locati says she grows herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

"If you don't have access to garden spaces, grow herbs in your kitchen. Amazon and Home Depot have great inexpensive options for windowsill grow kits," she says. "Think how much nicer that glass of water would be with a sprig of mint you grew."

You can also see if there is a community garden you can participate in.

And while this may be common advice, it's worth repeating because it's important: Eat out less.

Theresia Daniel is a trainer and coach. For her, incorporating outdoor movement into her daily rituals means she gets physical activity without having to spend money.

"The first thing I do when I wake up is put a little high-quality sea salt under my tongue and then drink some water to rehydrate.

Next, I make sure to get outside for at least five minutes, which helps my circadian rhythm. People can see massive improvements from doing this every day, and even with high-quality sea salt it barely costs anything," she says.

Walk 10,000 steps a day. It's physical activity that's a loss less expensive than a fancy boutique fitness class. Plus the downstream affects on your health can be profound.

"Walking every day is not exciting, but it makes a huge difference. It's good for hormone balance, lymphatic flow, inflammation, cardiovascular health—and it's one of the most underrated ways to lose weight," says Mindy Pelz, author of Fast Like a Girl.

When you can't get outside, improvise at home. Kevin Bailey, CEO of Workout Warriors, is big on chair squats that strengthen the quadriceps muscles.

Here's how: Grab a chair, stool, or bench. "Standing up and sitting down is a very functional activity that we do every single day, so why not turn it into an exercise? You can also hold dumbbells, a weighted ball, or even a gallon jug of milk to make it more challenging." 

There are tons of free exercise and yoga videos on YouTube: aerobics, Pilates, weightlifting, Zumba, and more. Be creative. If you don't have hand weights, use bottled water or soup cans.

Laura Timbrook, a board-certified health and wellness coach, says she recently found out that her husband's employer has a benefit where she and her husband can hire a coach and physical therapist through Hinge Health, which also provides free workouts. "This is a $100+ service that we get for free."