Free or Cheap Fitness Options

Here are ten places to find free or cheap fitness classes:

1. Check with the local gym for discounted community classes, rather than a membership
2. Check your local YMCA
3. See if your local or community colleges offer cheap fitness courses or free community courses
4. See if your city's park association has free fitness courses in the parks such as Yoga or Tai Chi
5. Rent a fitness video at the library
6. Hire a personal trainer with a group of friends, the discounted rate is usually a deal - negotiate it further down as prices are flexible
7. Negotiate with your HR for a free gym membership nearby so you can attend at lunch time
8. Sign up for weekly trials of gyms in your area, most gyms will give out free 7-day passes
9. See if you have a friend who lives in a community that has a gym on site that you can visit
10. Run around your neighborhood

Exercise to a healthier, wealthier you!

Scholarships

Never give up looking for scholarships. I thought that scholarships for MBAs were not possible, however, recently I bumped into a full scholarship for a local MBA sponsored by a local community. This discovery started my search and I also discovered that you can receive a scholarship to the best school in the state by achieving a 700 or above on the GMAT. That score is a long shot for many, however, if you have two years to attend an MBA, keep studying and maybe you can attain that level. Most importantly, never stop looking. Try searching for the school that you would like to attend and 'full scholarship' to see what is available. Some of the scholarships I saw are not advertised, therefore, not guaranteed, however, everyone seems to get one if they are X or Y based on the forums.

Credit Sesame

Here is another website that shows you your credit score for free: Credit Sesame. Out of the three: Quizzle, CreditKarma, and Credit Sesame, the third one has the highest score out of all and it's based on the Experian model, which is my lowest score of the 3 credit scores according to Fico.com. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but it's nice to see a score well over 800!

Windshields

If you are one of the unlucky people to have had your windshield broken, you know how unpleasant that can be because it is usually not the driver's fault. Because, it is likely not be your fault, you shouldn't have to pay for the replacement.

In fact, did you know that if your windshield is cracked or damaged by a rock falling from a truck, you can call up the truck company if you can get the name off the side or the back of the vehicle and some identifying information like the license plate. You can tell the company what happened, and often, the company will pay for the replacement of the windshield for you.

Also, if you woke up with a broken windshield or something hit you on the roadway, you may contact your state's Department of Transportation and explain the situation. The DoT should have a budget for this. I recently called the DoT for this issue and although, they had no specific person I could talk to, I spoke to the person who makes the budget and he asked that I submit all information to him directly for review.

Also, in many states such as Florida, if you have comprehensive insurance, they will cover the windshield replacement for any purpose.

Library Benefits

I recently joined the local library because it's now a 5 minutes walk from my new apartment. The obvious benefits of joining a library and using it is to borrow books for free. However, I did not realize that libraries provide much more for their communities.

I'm guessing every library is different, but mine has started a new program where you can 'check out' a museum pass for ten popular museums in the city. The museum admission fee is waived with this pass.

Also, this week I picked a flyer that advertised free admission to a history museum that is across the street on the opening day of a new exhibit. On that day, if you RSVP, you may also attend a happy hour sponsored by local restaurants. The happy hour is free and will have beer, wine, and appetizers.

Joining the library has been paying off greatly so far.