I Can't Afford to Exercise - Introduction
Money! Now that is a touchy subject, especially during times of economic distress. With 80% of the nation's wealth controlled by only 20% of the population, I'm going to guess you probably don't have an overabundance of money.
Paying bills each month can be a dreadful activity. For some even the ring of the telephone can cause a heartbeat to skip out of fear it is a creditor asking for their money. Then there are the times when your car breaks down or the furnace goes out in your house. "Where am I going to get the money to pay for that?" you cry. A large number of people in this country live paycheck to paycheck. Then there is that evil piece of plastic called a credit card. Sixty percent of Americans do not pay off their credit cards each month. This has resulted in $660 billion in credit card debt.
For many people this is reality. There just doesn't seem to be enough money each month to pay the bills. If you're in this situation, then I'm sure you think spending money on starting an exercise program is the last thing you need. Right? Wrong!
I'm not a financial expert nor do I aspire to be one. There are many great financial counselors available and books on the market for you to choose from. In fact, a book that I found very helpful is the Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan to Financial Fitness, by Dave Ramsey. It's a life-changing book that has some wonderful techniques you can begin immediately.
Since I'm not a financial guru, what I intend to do in this chapter is explain to you the costs involved with starting an exercise program, how easy it is to waste money on things that can be budgeted toward exercise, and finally, some inexpensive ways to get started.
Now, if you are fortunate to have money that can be put toward starting an exercise program, good for you. You earned it. I would suggest you skip to the final chapter.
For those of you who are struggling, read on.
