5 Tips for Physical and Financial Fitness

What do a foam roller and a roll of bills have in common? More than you’d think! Credit: AMagill

Are you stellar at budgeting your family’s finances but fall apart when it comes to setting aside time to work out (or vice versa)? Don’t worry: Staying physically fit and managing a personal bank account actually have very distinct similarities. They’re so similar, in fact, that you can easily use your skills from one area to boost your results in the other. Here are some simple tips to help you manage both your wallet and your waistline!

1. Financial Tip: Plan for the big expenses. When you go on vacation, you don’t just wake up one morning and decide to shell out thousands of dollars for last-minute flights and hotels, and you don’t leave your co-workers unprepared for your absence. You plan. Planning your big expenditures ahead of time will save you serious dough. Whether it’s a car, a vacation or a home remodeling project, sock away money each month in an account set aside for that specific splurge. A couple hundred dollars set aside over the course of a year has much less impact than a couple of thousand does at the last minute.

Apply it to Fitness: Just like you wouldn’t go on a vacation at the last minute, you wouldn’t wake up one morning and decide to run a marathon, either. If you’re new to the exercise arena, take it slow when it comes to working out, and work up to greater challenges. You’re more likely to avoid injuries and burnout if you ease into exercise. If distance running is your goal, find an online training plan that will help you build up gradually to your desired race length. If you want to do 20 push-ups or lose 100 pounds, start with five and go from there.

Check out five more tips for fitness and finances here! —Erin