We talked about what we want from life: to spend time with people we are fascinated by, to learn or experience new things, to eat well, look good, feel healthy, and do work that is meaningful to us. Theoretically, all of these things can be enjoyed without a lot of money. But in practice, especially in New York, it’s hard to live well on a shoestring.

Nevertheless, we gave it a go: founding Frugaltopia on the idea that you can get to lifestyle nirvana without spending a fortune. Soon after our initial brainstorm, we launched the site, Leora became part of our team, and we started blogging about fabulous frugal things. Late in 2009, things started to happen that were good for our careers, but bad for our blog. Jen got a flood of freelance work. Leora got a full time job. I left a very reasonable 40 – 45 hour a week job for a demanding 50 – 60 hour a week job. None of us had time for blogging and Frugaltopia lay fallow for almost a year. During that time our lives (I should speak for myself), my life, became overwhelmed by the demands of my job, my family, the old house I was fixing up, and the general pressures of trying to live and work in New York City.

About a month ago, I started thinking about Frugaltopia again. The conversation I had with Jen in 2009 wasn’t about spending my money well, it was about spending my life well. But after two years of blogging about frugal living, I hadn’t come up with a strategy for managing resources that would keep my life in balance. This year, I’ve decided to take Frugaltopia up a notch, with a year-long commitment to a total lifestyle change. I’m going to apply frugal strategies to every aspect of my daily routine and step back periodically to figure out if they are bringing me closer to the frugal utopia that Jen and I imagined.

Stay tuned, and wish me luck!

Squats at Gantry Plaza

This past January, when most people were making resolutions to join the gym, I did the opposite. I quit it.

I had just returned from a month on a small island in the Caribbean where I shared in my friend’s good fortune – she traded one of her paintings for time in a vacation condo there. (We like to take working vacations to foreign places together. I write and take photos; she draws and paints. And then we spend our non-working hours exploring the new locale.) Unfortunately, when I returned to NYC all blissed out from December on the beach and ready to plunge back into my freelance work, there was no work, and I was forced to make some adjustments. The gym renewal was one of the first things to go.

There are many ways to stay fit without going to the gym. I know this because I’ve written what probably amounts to hundreds of articles on the subject. And while the gym does have certain advantages – it’s a warm, cozy place to work out in January, for example. And with all the equipment, machines, and classes, there’s a lot of variety. It’s also EXPENSIVE!

I decided to make my own fitness routines based on the knowledge I’ve gleaned from working with, writing about, and developing online exercise programs for a number of different fitness experts.

I like to change things up, so my routines vary, but my latest spring workout consists of:

• 1 hour of brisk walking…with some inspired bursts of jogging. I actually hate running/jogging, so I only run a little and I walk longer to make up for it.

In the middle of my walk, I stop and do some stretching and toning exercises at my neighborhood pier, which has a fantastic view that overlooks the East River and midtown Manhattan.

• Stretching
• 50 squats
• 2 sets of 15 side leg lifts (for each leg)
• 2 sets of 15 back leg lifts (for each leg)

I finish up my walk, return home, and do the following:

• 2 sets of 15 traditional crunches – Just regular sit-ups with my arms crossed over my chest.

• 2 sets of 25 bicycle crunches – These are like sit-ups, but instead of crossing my arms over my chest and sitting up, I put my hands behind my head and each time I “sit up,” I bring one elbow toward the opposite knee, while pulling that knee back toward my elbow and extending my other leg straight out for balance. I then release, and alternate sides.

• 1 set of 15 butt lifts – Starting out in the sit-up position, with my knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at my sides, I lift my butt and hips up toward the ceiling 15 times.

• 2 sets of 25 belly fluff toning leg lifts – Lying on the floor with my legs out straight and my hands (palms down) underneath my upper butt/lower back area to protect my coccix (tailbone), as well as to help balance me, I point my toes and lift both legs straight up until my toes are pointing toward the ceiling. Then I lower my legs back down and repeat.

And then I do a little floor stretching.

When I’m done stretching, I grab my 5 pound dumbells
and do:

• 2 sets of 25 biceps curls
• 2 sets of 25 hammer curls
• 2 sets of 15 shoulder presses
• 2 sets of 15 triceps kickbacks

Then I shake out my arms, and start my mostly sedentary day, sitting on my butt in front of my computer.

Sometimes, I miss working out on the equipment at the gym, but when the weather is good, I prefer exercising outdoors anyway. Plus I’m not beholden to any annoying membership plan. And I’m saving money – about a hundred bucks a month. That’ll be $1000 by October!

We, here in Frugaltopia, often discuss the challenges we face in trying to be more frugal with our time and energy, as well as with our finances. And while I am interested in cutting the costs associated with my fitness activities, I do strongly believe that the benefits are worth spending my time on. It’s not always easy, especially when there are deadlines looming, creative projects beckoning, or friends and family vying for my attention, but I do my best to stick with it 4 days a week.

Working out on your own may be a big money-saver, but it requires even more discipline than dragging yourself to the gym. With the gym, getting yourself there is the biggest challenge, but the fact that you’re actually paying for it gives you extra incentive. When you’re on your own, it’s up to you to research your routine and make sure that you’re doing the exercises correctly, and the only incentive you have is your health and your desire to be frugally fit – and maybe a little less fluffy – however, I think it pays off in the end.

If you’re interested in designing your own workout, you can get started by checking out the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans issued by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. You can also get all sorts of free fitness articles, exercise ideas, and videos online.