Cheap & Easy Ways to Stay Healthy

If you’ve ever added up the costs of healthy food, exercise, medical care and beauty products, you’ll know staying well and looking good don’t come cheap. Here we share our very best ideas for good living without breaking the bank

By Jane Bradon

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A walk in the park as an inexpensive way to stay healthy Photo: Thinkstock

Relieve Stress

Get motivated with a mate

Friends impact your health in a positive way, says Anne Hollonds of Relationships Australia. "There’s a bounty of research suggesting good-quality relationships promote an overall sense of wellbeing." With that in mind, get out there and do things with a buddy. The Gold Coast City Council’s Active and Healthy programme, for instance, offers beach tennis, hip-hop and belly dancing, sailing lessons and rockclimbing at very reasonable prices.

Save up for a spa day

While there’s nothing like a session at the spa to relax, it can set you back a bit.Why not gather a few friends and find a salon to give you all special treatments as a package deal? And if you’re going to splurge, ask about special offers and freebies. Sydney’s Your Saunctuary spa has day deals with complimentary tea and lunch, and free treatments to the value of $150.

Stretch your limits

The Australian School of Meditation and Yoga (ASMY) follows the ancient tradition of offering meditation and yoga classes as a gift. Says the ASMY’s Fiona Phillips: "Anyone can come along and hopefully walk away a lot less stressed." The non-profit organisation has centres in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Go to www.asm.org.au for more information.