Health on a Budget

Health on a budget: Using free online resources to support your health journey

We know that managing your wellness while balancing a budget can feel like a difficult puzzle, making the conundrum of prioritizing your health while managing everyday costs evermore challenging. Whether you are facing struggles with cost, time, access, or all three, removing financial barriers shouldn't mean compromising on your well-being. Here are a few useful, completely free online resources to help you maintain your health and wellness without spending a dime. (The author has no financial affiliation with any of the resources below).

Do you miss attending regular studio fitness or yoga classes, but are struggling with the monthly memberships fees? Check out Yoga with Adriene https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene. Her wide variety of YouTube videos are tailored to meet any budget, ability, or busy schedule!

If you’re noticing that your stress levels have increased lately and think meditation might be a good outlet, a few free resources you can check out are the Insight Timer app https://insighttimer.com/ and the Medito app https://meditofoundation.org/. Both of these websites and their apps offer a wide variety of high-quality meditations completely free of charge—from sleep or mindfulness meditations to sound therapy and wellness blogs.

Are you building an at-home workout program to save on gym fees, and need more science-based information to support your development? Jeff Nippard https://www.youtube.com/user/icecream4PRs and Stephanie Buttermore https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4gDYbCEIb69uvFmCX5Lyuw both offer sound, science-based information on which to base your training plan without a costly personal trainer.

Have you been taking advantage of our beautiful local trails to be active outside, and you’re interested in knowing how far you are walking or running without buying an expensive smartwatch? The ‘mapmyrun’ app by Under Armour https://www.mapmyrun.com/app lets you track your route by GPS and see how far and how fast you travelled using just your phone.

Finally, staying connected to your community and keeping your motivation high shouldn't cost anything. If you’re looking for a virtual "meeting place" to find inspiration and support, check out the ParticipACTION app (https://www.participaction.com/programs/community-challenge/). This free, science-based platform—supported by a national non-profit—allows you to join a nationwide movement, track your physical activity, and connect with like-minded people across Canada. You can participate in community challenges, read expert-backed health tips, and find the motivation you need to stay active, all while being part of a supportive community cheering you on every step of the way.

Whatever your health and wellness goals, there is a wealth of digital support systems to fit your budget, time, and needs.