You need to start working out, but you don’t want to part with all your hard-earned money just so you can stay physically fit.

The good news is fitness can save you a bunch of money over the long term. You’ll live a healthier life if you make working out a priority. So if you spend a few dollars on it, it will be worth every penny.

But you don’t need to shell out for expensive gym memberships or sessions with personal trainers. Here are some ways you can get fitter while not spending much at all.

Play Frisbee

Frisbee is a fun activity you can do almost anywhere. All you need is a park or an empty parking lot and a partner and you can have hours of great exercise. You’ll be stretching to catch high, overhead throws, and running to grab the Frisbee before it drops.

Frisbees are cheap if you have to buy one, but you may be able to borrow one from a friend.

For a fun variation, try playing disc golf with a friend who has the necessary equipment.

Basketball

Basketball courts are everywhere and you should take advantage of them. You can tailor this exercise to suit your fitness level. You can participate in a full game with some friends if you can handle it, or you can shoot leisurely baskets at your own pace.

Walking

There’s a reason you see so many walkers – it’s good exercise, gentle on your body, and you don’t need any special equipment to do it.

You can also do it in any season, including winter. If you’re a sissy when it comes to the cold, head to your nearest mall and do some laps there. There are a lot of apps to help you stay with your goals.

Bodyweight Exercises

You don’t need to buy weights to tone up and build muscle – you can use the weight of your own body for that.

With exercises like push-ups, lunges, and squats, you’ll quickly see just how challenging these workouts can be.

Pop In a DVD

Exercise DVDs may seem like they’d be easy, but they are surprisingly challenging. They’re also not boring at all – they offer enough variety to keep you going.

They can run about $20 per DVD, but you should be able to borrow one from your local library since many libraries now offer DVD selections as well. If your library doesn’t, ask around and see if your friends have any they’d consider lending you. You might be able to set up a weekly or monthly DVD swap with a circle of friends.

Run the Stairs

Running up the stairs can be a grueling workout. You’ll feel tired in just a minute or two. If you have stairs at your home, you can run up and down them several times a day to get your heart pumping. If you live near a large park or in a big city, you might be able to find stairs that seem to go on forever.

Whether you want to stash more money in your emergency fund or you simply want to be able to afford an unforgettable vacation at the end of the year, you’re going to have to cut some corners to do it.

In less than a year’s time, you can save up a serious nest egg, just by being smarter about your spending. Here’s how you can do it.

Cut Cable

Your monthly cable bill can easily run more than $100 a month, especially when you start adding on premium packages and DVR services. By picking up another service like Netflix or Hulu and axing your cable, you can save $90 a month.

In under a year, you will have saved more than $1,000 just from this change alone.

But if you’re not ready to say goodbye to cable, you can still trim your bill a bit. Ditch any expensive packages, and bundle any other services, like your internet, and ask for a discount.

If you’ve been a customer of that company for a long time, ask for a loyalty discount. If they don’t give it to you, go with another company and you’ll find cheaper viewing options for six months or a year.

Go with a Balance Transfer

If you have credit card debt, trying transferring that balance to another card. If you can land a 0 percent APR for a few months or a year, that one phone call will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Look at All Your Memberships

Is paying so much per month for a gym you go to once a week at best really worth it? You’d be better off buying some sporting equipment and exercising at home or at the local park.

Any membership you have that costs money should be reviewed and reconsidered when you’re trying to save a lot of money within a year.

Cook or Grow Your Own Food

Planting a backyard or balcony garden is a good way to get regular access to cheap produce. You can save a lot of money just by growing some basics.

And make sure you’re cooking at home as much as possible. You should only eat out as a rare treat while you’re trying to reach your savings goal.

Switch to Term Life Insurance

If you have a whole life insurance policy, you’re paying way more than you have to. Check into term life insurance policies, which are way more affordable, particularly if you’re at a healthy weight and you’re on the younger side.

Drop That Landline if You Still Have It

People have been dropping landlines at a fast and furious rate for years now. If you haven’t yet, it’s time for you to jump on that bandwagon. It’s a waste of money to continue to pay for a landline if you already have a cell phone.

Dropping a basic landline package will save you at least $500 a year. Why would you want to continue paying for something you no longer need?

Whether you have a teenager you’re planning to send to college or you’re thinking about returning to school yourself, you don’t have to be saddled with student loan debt by the time you’re walking across that stage to get your degree.

It won’t be easy, but if you want to graduate with as little debt as possible, here are some tips to help you reach that goal.

Do Work-Study Jobs

Whether it’s working at the college’s cafeteria or checking in books at the university’s library, schools have a ton of jobs available and instead of hiring outsiders for their entry-level jobs, they turn to students whenever it’s possible.

They aren’t the most glamorous jobs and you’ll only earn minimum wage for doing them, but the school will work with your class schedule to find times you can fit into your schedule. You won’t get that with many other off-campus employers.

Even working 10 hours a week can save you thousands each year you’re in school. That can result in more than $10,000 you won’t owe on a student loan by the time you get a four-year degree.

Scholarships

Many students think they have to be the brightest student in their graduating class in order to land a scholarship and that’s simply not true.

Guidance counselors can let you know all about the scholarship options out there for you. You can also do online searches to help you learn about scholarships you never even knew existed.

Go to Community College

While a four-year university is appealing to some students, you’ll save a lot more money by going to a community college for a year or two first. That will help you knock out a lot of your general education courses you’re required to take.

By the time you’re ready to transfer to a four-year school, you’ll be ready to focus more on your major. You could save five figures by attending a community college for a year or two, compared to a four-year school.

Live in an Apartment

Some schools won’t allow you to live off campus as a freshman, but after that, living in an apartment with some other students may be a great way to save money.

You may lose your meal plan at the university, so you’ll need to make sure you don’t start using too much of your savings for expensive meals though.

Grants

You can’t beat grants when it comes to funding your college education. Unlike a loan, a grant never has to be repaid – it’s free money, just for you. Who wouldn’t want to hop on that train?

Most grants are based on financial need, so if you have wealthy parents who have made it clear they expect you to put yourself through college, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle.

To find out if you’re eligible for grant money, you’ll need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is better known as FAFSA.

Whether you need to relocate for work or find a house that fits your personality better, it’s good to keep your options open. As soon as you make a few updates, you’re going to try to sell it. But you’re wondering which improvements will give you the most return on your investment.

Here are the home improvements you can make that will have you laughing all the way to the bank.

Redo the Kitchen

The kitchen can be the heart of a home. And when it comes to kitchens, most buyers want modern and cutting-edge.

Instead of redoing the entire room, which can get pricey, focus on installing new stainless-steel appliances, a more modern countertop, and flooring, and perhaps some updated cabinets as well.

You’ll also want to make sure the paint is fresh.

Make Sure the Basement is Up to Snuff

Not everyone wants a big house because the upkeep can be too much. But no matter what size of house you have, people do like to feel there isn’t a bunch of wasted space there.

Taking an unfinished basement and converting it to a finished basement is a great way to add value to your home. Some things to do with the space include installing a bar, a home entertainment room, a home office, or an extra bathroom or bedroom. The possibilities are endless.

One of the hottest trends right now is putting in a flex room – a room that can serve several different purposes. A flex room could work as an extra bedroom, an office, a playroom, or an exercise room.

New Windows

Nothing dates a home quite like its windows do. Not only do high-efficiency windows save a lot of money over the long term for heating and cooling costs, but they also just look nicer, which is one of the first things a potential buyer will notice.

Putting in new windows can be costly, but if you still have a year or two before you plan to sell, you’ll recoup some of the money in energy savings.

An Outdoor Living Space

Having the option to entertain in an outdoor space has become increasingly important in the last couple decades. Decks and patios are a highly-sought feature, as are firepits and outdoor seating.

But one thing you might not want to do is install a swimming pool in the backyard. A swimming pool, and the costs of maintaining it may be enough to turn off some buyers. Plus, it won’t increase the home value enough to pay for the cost of installing it.

Freshen Up the Paint

Before you attempt to sell your home, you should freshen up every room with a new coat of paint. Paint is one of the cheapest fixes you can do to dress up your house, which is good news for people who are on a strict budget but want to sell their home for as much as possible.

Although you may love loud and wacky colors, neutrals are still the way to go. If you make your living room walls bright orange and your potential buyers have a red couch, it’ll be enough to give them pause when making an offer.

You’ve had some hard luck and you’ve fallen behind a bit on your house payments. You’re terrified you’re going to lose your home, but you don’t know what you can do about it.

If this is the predicament you find yourself currently in, don’t worry. We have a few tips for you that might help keep that foreclosure sign out of your yard.

Don’t Dodge Those Calls

When you begin to fall behind on your payments, you’re going to start getting calls. A lot of calls.

It can be uncomfortable, worrisome, or even downright embarrassing to answer those calls and have to own up to your financial shortcomings, but that’s precisely what you have to do.

Be honest with the people you’re talking to and realize that they don’t want to see you lose your home. They’re not your enemies, but they could become allies. They will likely work with you in any way they can if you give them the chance instead of making them chase you down.

Remember the Pecking Order

With bills, there’s a certain hierarchy when it comes to what should be paid first. The top priorities should be your home and your vehicle. You need a place to live and you need a method of transportation to be able to get to work.

Credit cards and student loans, while important, are the ones that should be last on your list of paying if you don’t have enough money for them all.

If you don’t have enough money for everything, make sure your mortgage payments are being covered before other bills are.

Advertise for a Roomie

You wouldn’t think twice about seeking out a roommate if you were in your early 20s, so why shouldn’t you do it now? You’ll be able to split bills in two and relieve a lot of the financial pressure you’re feeling.

It’s best if you find someone you already know and like who could use a place to stay. If not, you should check references carefully before allowing someone to move in with you.

Ask About a Forbearance

If your delinquent payments are caused by a job loss, you might be able to receive a forbearance while you’re looking for work. A forbearance could decrease your payments or stop them altogether for a while.

A lot of the bigger mortgage lenders take part in a forbearance program.

Find a Side Income

Whether you already have a full-time job or you’re looking for work, if you can’t pay your mortgage, you obviously need more money coming in.

Now’s the time to look at any hidden talents you have that might make you money. If you’re a great photographer, let people know you’re available for wedding photography. Tap into any talents you have and you might earn enough to keep your creditors happy.

If you can’t think of any freelance jobs you can do, you may have to bite the bullet and find lower-paying entry-level positions. It might not be where you envisioned yourself, but if it keeps you in your home, it’s worth it.

You’re starting to feel underappreciated and overworked at your place of employment. You haven’t had a raise in so long the cost of inflation has slowly and steadily been eating away at your checks.

But you’re worried if you ask your boss for more money, they’ll laugh you out of their office instead of applauding your bravery. Here are a few ways to help tip the odds in your favor for landing that overdue raise.

Take On Additional Work

If you’re already feeling stretched past your limits on your workload, this one might not be feasible for you. But let’s be honest. Most people can handle some extra work at their job. After all, we seem to make time for chatting with co-workers or lingering a little longer in the lunchroom than we need to.

If you want to be worth the extra money you’re asking for, take on some extra tasks and remind your boss of that when the time comes.

Toot Your Own Horn

No one likes a glory hog or someone who pats themselves on the back 24/7. But in the workforce, sometimes you have to toot your own horn because no one is going to do it for you.

If you’ve won some awards, received some special praise, or landed a big account, make sure your boss knows about it.

Do Your Research

If you think you’re being underpaid, do the legwork and figure out by how much. Use online search engines or ask any friends you have in similar positions at competing companies to see how your salary stacks up.

If you know you’re being underpaid, use specific examples to show your boss when you call him out on it. Don’t place any blame when you bring it to his attention. Just tell him it has recently come to your attention that you’re being underpaid for the position you hold. He might not get you up to the pay level you’d like or consider fair, but a modest raise is still better than nothing.

Ask For a Reasonable Amount

Keep in mind that your odds of landing a 5 percent raise are a lot higher than getting a 15 percent raise. While it’s never fun to settle for less than you’re worth, you also need to be realistic when asking your boss for more money.

If they agree to bump you up by 5 percent, and you know you’re worth twice that, take your small victory and try again for the remainder in six months or a year.

Get Another Offer

If the other tactics don’t work, you may need to go through the hassle of applying for other jobs. If you go this route, make sure you’re prepared to go through with it. Don’t make an idle threat if you aren’t prepared to back it up.

This is a risky strategy that could go either way. If your boss still says he can’t pony up the money, you should seriously consider taking your new offer. If you can’t get a raise under these circumstances, you’re unlikely to ever get one at all. It may just be time to cut your losses and move on.

When you want to save money for retirement in an IRA, it can be tricky knowing which kind to use – traditional or Roth. Each kind of IRA offers its own pros and cons.

Roth IRAs do offer a lot of perks traditional IRAs don’t. Here are some of the biggest advantages of setting one up.

Your Withdrawals Are Tax-Free

While you won’t get a tax break on the contributions you make into your Roth IRA, your earnings you take out someday won’t be hit with any kind of taxes. In your retirement years, that can be a big bonus, particularly if you plan to be in a higher tax bracket. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want tax-free money in their retirement years?

In order to get the money tax free though, you have to meet the criteria. The Roth IRA has to be in place for five years before you take withdrawals. And to use it for retirement without being taxed or penalized in any way, you have to be at least 59 and a half.

You Can Take Your Contributions At Any Time

With most retirement plans, you’re penalized for taking out any money before you reach a certain age – whether it’s your contributions or your earnings. But with Roth IRAs, things are different because your contributions have already been taxed.

You can take out your contributions, which is the money you’ve put in each year, at any point without paying a penalty. So if you put $3,000 in each year for 10 years, that’s $30,000 in contributions you can withdraw at any time, should you need them. While it can be tempting to raid your Roth IRA for big expenses in your life, you’ll do your future self the most good by letting them ride in your account.

You Can Use It to Buy a Home

If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you can take into your Roth IRA to help with the down payment. There are a few conditions though, so don’t think you can pull all your money out and go after your dream house.

You can take out up to $10,000 for that purpose. And the money can’t be used to pick out new, cool furnishings for your home. It has to be used for things like closing costs and down payments.

Finally, before you can use your Roth to help you with your homeownership goal, you have to have held the account for a minimum of five years.

You Don’t Have to Take Money Out By a Certain Age

Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs don’t require you to take out minimum distributions when you reach the age of 70 and a half. That means your money can keep growing tax-free as long as you need it to.

While not everyone will be in this enviable financial position in their golden years, it’s a perk that those who plan to be well off in their retirement will love. It’s especially helpful for those who would like to leave more money behind for their heirs.

Everyone has bad habits – those little things we know we shouldn’t be doing but we like to do anyway. If you just have one bad habit, you might be able to overlook it as an indulgence. But if you have multiple bad habits or ones that are negatively affecting your health, you might want to consider giving them the ax.

You’ll be able to save some money and feel better about yourself in the process. Here are some of the biggest bad habits you might be able to break.

Smoking

Tobacco is one of the worst habits you can have when it comes to your health and your wallet. If you’re a smoker, you might be spending a small fortune on cigarettes each month, depending upon how many packs you smoke a day.

Cutting back or eliminating smoking entirely isn’t going to be easy, but it can be done. Try cutting back by one cigarette per day, and when that gets too hard, try eliminating one every week instead of daily. If you think you can, go cold turkey instead. You’ll notice the savings right away, which will provide a lot of encouragement.

Overeating

Consuming more calories than you need is not only unhealthy – it’s super expensive too. Figure out how many calories you need per day and try to stick to that total. Any other extra calories you eat will literally be like you’re eating money.

If you’re feeling hungry, try going for a walk instead or drink a big glass of water. If that doesn’t work, allow yourself some fruit or vegetables. The fiber will fill you up and you’ll get some nutritional content for those extra calories.

Drinking

Alcohol can cause a number of problems. If you’re an occasional social drinker, you might not need to cut back at all and you likely aren’t spending a bunch of money on it anyway.

But if you find yourself tossing back drink after drink each weekend, you might want to cut back a few nights every month. Replace it with a glass of water or a club soda if you’re out with friends. That way you can still have the conversation and laughs without overspending.

Soda

It’s easy to have a daily soda or two and not think about how much money you’re spending. If you buy a 12-pack on sale at the store, you aren’t losing as much money as you are if you hit the vending machine every time at work instead.

If you find yourself paying a buck a soda, you could be out a couple dollars a day just for those two drinks. That can add up to a serious chunk of change during the course of a month.

Gambling

Gambling can be a lot of fun, but some people have trouble knowing when to call it a night. And you can lose a lot of money rapidly while you’re gambling.

If you think you have a problem with gambling, consider seeking professional help. It can give you the tools you need to quit and potentially change your financial outlook.

Money isn’t easy to earn, so you should waste as little of it as possible. You could unwittingly be parting with your hard-earned dollars each month just by not paying attention to some basic cost-saving measures when it comes to your utilities.

Take a look at these bad habits or ways to trim costs to see if you can find some extra wiggle room in your budget.

On-Demand Water Heaters

With traditional water heaters, your heater is constantly keeping a supply of water all hot and ready to go on the off-chance you’ll need it. But with tankless, on-demand water heaters, the process is different. Nothing is heated up until you need it. That means they can save in the neighborhood of 40 percent more energy than traditional water heaters.

Installing this type of water heater will pay for itself over time, and after that happens, you’ll be saving money each month.

Turn Down the Heat on Your Washing Machine

Your clothes will look just as clean when you wash them in cold water as they will when you wash them in hot water. And better yet, washing in cold water helps you protect the color of your clothes longer. It also eliminates the need to separate whites from dark fabric because the colors won’t bleed nearly as much with cold water.

Using cold water when washing your clothes requires far less energy than using hot water does. And less energy being used means less money being spent.

Turn Off That Computer

Yes, it can be a bit inconvenient to always turn off and on your computer. It’s annoying to let it load up when you want to use it. But you need to decide if the extra convenience is worth the money you’re paying to always have it ready and waiting.

At the very least, you should turn it off overnight when you’ll be sleeping anyway. First thing in the morning you can turn it on and let it load while you’re in the shower. It’ll be ready to go by the time you’re out.

Take Care of Those Drafty Windows

If you can feel a breeze coming through your windows during the winter, it means you’re letting money get sucked right out of your pocket. While replacing windows is a good option, it does require a lot of money upfront and it’ll be quite a while before you see a return on your investment.

Another option is weather stripping. It’s super easy to use and it will cut down on those bone-chilling drafts.

Don’t Forget to Lower That Thermostat at Night

In the winter, you can lower your thermostat by many degrees right as you’re going to bed each night. Bundle up with an extra blanket and you won’t even notice the difference. But your pocketbook will notice the difference that very first month.

You can potentially save 5 percent on the cost of heating your home for every single degree you drop down in the 60- to 70-degree zone.

Congratulations! You’re a homeowner now. You’re making a great investment that should pay off for you in the future. But in order for you to get the most enjoyment and value out of your home, you’re going to have to put some money into it occasionally.

While your home should never be a money pit, it will require some updates and repairs from time to time. Budgeting for those repairs can be tricky because you never know what will be going wrong or when. So how do you know how much to budget when it comes to home ownership?

Expect the Unexpected

Maybe your home is completely in order and fully updated right now. But it won’t always be, and things aren’t always as they seem either. There could be problems lurking under the surface that you know nothing about. The best thing you can do when it comes to budgeting for home ownership is to realize that things will fall apart without warning, often at the worst time.

Whether it’s a pipe bursting right before a party at your house, or the air conditioning conking out on the hottest day of the year, you need to anticipate bad luck. Then you’ll be prepared when it does strike.

The first step toward not being caught with your pants down is to make a commitment to set some money aside.

Make It Automatic

To set aside enough money, you should consider getting money moved automatically with every paycheck into a separate account that you only touch for home repairs and maintenance. If you make it automatic, you’ll treat it just as you would if you were paying any other bill.

Set a Contingency Fund When Doing Home Repairs

When you’re planning a project for a roof replacement or a bathroom renovation, you should always pad the estimate with a little contingency money to help you avoid panic if an unforeseen development unfolds.

Whether you run into plumbing issues when your shower or toilet is being replaced or you realize your roof needs a little more TLC than was first apparent, a contingency fund is always a good idea. Don’t start your project until you have the estimate all saved up, plus a little more.

That way, the worst-case scenario is that you’ll have extra money to put back into your home repair account when the project is done.

Look at Your Home Cost and Condition

One of the most widely-held rules for how much to budget for home maintenance and repairs is putting aside 1 percent per year. If you have a $100,000 house, then you need to save a minimum of $1,000 a year to cover the unexpected.

Some years you might not touch that money, but other years you might need a lot more.

Now, if you bought a house knowing it was a real fixer-upper, you’ll obviously need more than 1 percent. The same holds true if your house is old. You should expect to spend more on your health care needs as you age, and a house is no different.