Budget Savvy Lifestyle

Create the life of your dreams—on purpose, on budget, and without limits.

Slay Your Fitness Goals in 2021! 9 Fitness Ideas You Can Do on a Budget

Not everyone has the money to join a gym.  Or maybe you are like me and don’t like the idea of getting in shape around other people.  Raise your hand!  Any fellow introverts out there? 🙂

What you decide to do will depend on what you fitness goals, personal time commitments and personal budget are but here are 9 fitness ideas that you can do on a budget!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy

#1 Walking

Walking – It’s the ultimate get fit technique because you can do it anytime, anywhere and it doesn’t cost a thing!  Who doesn’t love free? 

If you are new to having a fitness routine, this is always a great place to start.  You can work at whatever level you are capable and because it’s doesn’t involve hardcore, difficult fitness routine, you are more likely to stick with it!  

Here are some great links to check out if you are considering walking as the way to slay your fitness goals for the new year!

#2 Stationary Bicycle

stationary bike fitness on a budget

Stationary Bicycle – We have a stationary bicycle in our house and it gets a lot of use.  In fact, in the year we have had it, my husband and I have put over 3000 miles on it. 

Out of all the different ways I exercise, this is the one I stick with most religiously.  I think there is a couple reasons for this.  One is that we have it set up in front of our basement TV and so I put on a tv show or movie and start pedaling and before I know it, 30-60 minutes has gone like that.  When I want more of a challenge, I can turn up the resistance or pedal faster. 

Another reason I think I am so successful at sticking with riding the stationary bike is that I am motivated by the computer screen on it that lets me know how far I have gone, how long I have been pedaling and how many calories I have burned during that session.  It pushes me to keep going as long as I can. 

There are also some great YouTube videos you can do if you want to take your biking to the next level.  Here’s a few to check out!:

 

A stationary bicycle can be more of an investment than purchasing some workout DVDs or some inexpensive fitness accessories but we paid less than $150 for ours and I expect we will get at least another 2 years of use out of it so $50 a year isn’t too bad for something I use all the time! 

 

 

In case, you are curious, the stationary bicycle we own is still on Amazon.  We are very pleased with it.  If I had to have one complaint about it, it is that my bottom can get a little sore if I am on it for too long.

#3 Jessica Smith Workouts

Jessica Smith TV – Jessica Smith has a great YouTube channel with all kinds of great workout routines. 

She also sells systems online that you can follow.  I own her Walk Strong: 6 Weeks Total Transformation Program. 

I like it because it is challenging but not impossible.  I don’t like workout routines where I can’t keep up with the instructor or that has complicated moves that the average person can’t handle.  Sometimes I have to go a little slower than Jessica is moving but I am able to do everything she is doing. 

The 6 Week Total Transformation System includes 10 different workouts that target different areas.  It also comes with a calendar with a recommended schedule to follow for the 6 week program. I like that it takes all the guess work out of it.

#4 Chloe Ting Workout Challenges

Chloe Ting Workout Challenges – Chloe Ting is another YouTuber who has some great fitness challenges.  I just recently stumbled across her channel. 

Her challenges run 14 days to up to 8 weeks and are arranged by the areas the target.  Some target multiple areas.  Programs include shreds, tummy, arms, thighs, booty challenges and more.

I feel her workouts are a lot more challenging than Jessica Smith’s.  I have tried a couple and couldn’t keep up. I plan to revisit them in the new year as one of my 2021 Health and Fitness Challenges.

You can find all her programs here.  And her YouTube channel here.  She has over 16 million subscribers!

#5 Leslie Sansone Walk at Home

Leslie Sansone Walk at Home Workout Videos – If you are looking for some inexpensive cardio workout videos, I have always really enjoyed Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home DVDs. 

I own at least a dozen of them and I always enjoy doing them.  They are not hard or overcomplicated which I love about them.  I always feel like I get a good workout with them and I have a fun time doing it!  

You can get Leslie’s fitness DVD’s for as little as $10 each on Amazon.  Some of her DVD sets include fitness accessories such as resistance bands with them. She also offers some free workouts on her Youtube channel if you want to check her out for free.

#6 Yoga Workouts

Yoga – Yoga has a ton of health benefits.  It is great for improving your strength, balance, and flexibility and is something that you can do at home for little to no investment. 

There are many great YouTube Channels dedicated to yoga.  Here are some you might want to check out!:

SarahBethYoga – Sarah Beth has over 350 yoga videos on her channel.  The videos are grouped by length and target/focus so it’s easy to find what you want.  She also has a whole section for beginners as well as a 7 Day Challenge.

Yoga with Adriene – Adriene has 565 yoga videos and counting on her channel.  Categories include a section for beginners, a section by length, and a section on yoga for back pain, among other things.

Yoga with Tim – Tim has over 260 yoga videos on his channel including several 30 Day Challenges.

Suggested equipment includes a yoga mat and maybe some comfy yoga pants!

Yoga at Home - Recommended Accessories

Gaiam Yoga Mat – This is a fun yoga mat.  It is reversible and has designs on each side.  It’s 6mm thick and measures 68″ X 24″. It’s available in several colors and patterns and sells for less than $30.

Retrospec Solana Yoga Mat – This mat is a little more budget friendly at $19.  It is also slightly longer at 72″ x 24″ and slightly thicker at 1/2″.  There are several colors to choose from!

Yoga Pants with 4 Way Stretch – Available in different colors and with or without pockets, these yoga pants are an affordable option, running between $20 – $25 depending out which color and style you choose.

Fun Yoga Finds

Rosie the Yogi T-shirt – Thought this workout shirt was cute!  Don’t know about you, but cute workout clothes always help motivate me to workout 🙂

Yoga Socks – Some fun yoga socks for your workout.

Yoga Pose Poster – A poster to help you learn and remember the yoga poses.

#7 Pilates Workouts

Pilates – Pilates is a lot like yoga but it doesn’t have the focus on breathing and meditation that yoga does. Pilates focuses has more on the core. Like yoga, there doesn’t have to be a lot of cost involved with doing pilates.

You might want a mat, maybe some resistance bands and possibly some workout clothes that you are comfortable in.

Fun Pilate Finds

Mantra Sports Pilates Ring Magic Fitness Circle – The Mantra Sports Pilates Ring allows you to tone your thighs, arms, legs, abs, and other muscles while doing different exercises.  It comes with a poster that shows some various exercises you can do with it from beginner to advanced.  There are also YouTube videos with instructors that do workouts using a Pilates Ring.

 

Viajero Pilates Bar Kit – This Pilates Bar Kit is another fun way to tone your body at home with pilates workouts.  There is a wide variety of exercises you can do to tone up and get a full body workout with it.  Like, the Pilates Ring, you can find a lot of free Pilates Bar Workouts on YouTube.

#8 Resistance Bands

 

Resistance Bands – Resistance training is another thing I plan to add to my 2021 Fitness Goals. 

I found this set on Amazon for $12.99 that comes with 3 bands with different resistances and an eBook workout guide for using them.  The included bands are for a light, medium, and heavy fitness level.

#9 Couch to 10k Challenge

Try a Couch to 10k – Like walking, jogging doesn’t cost a thing (unless of course you don’t own some decent shoes you can run in).  -A Couch to 10k program breaks down how to go from non-runner to being able to do a 10k race in 8 -12 weeks time.  It’s a great way to tackle getting started with running if that has been a goal of yours! Here’s some resources if this is something that interests you: Apple Couch to 10k App – If apps are your favorite way to track fitness, there is an Apple app to walk you through a Couch to 10k. Couch to 10k for Beginners – this is a 12 week plan. Couch to 10k from Women’s Running – This is an 8 week plan if you are looking for something a little more aggressive!

What’s your favorite way to get fit on a budget?

Create a Cheap and Easy Aldi Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget

Planning an Aldi Thanksgiving dinner on a budget is pretty easy to do.  Aldi offers many options to create an affordable and yummy Thanksgiving meal without busting your bank account.  

I decided to combine my love of all things Aldi, meal planning, and saving money to create a mega blog post for others like me who want to create a fantastic Thanksgiving Day dinner for my loved ones without ruining my monthly grocery budget.  Off I set on my adventure to Aldi (one of my favorite places in the world :-)) to explore some of the many options available for planning a tasty, affordable, and fairly easy meal for Thanksgiving using all things that can be purchased at Aldi.

Aldi Thanksgiving Dinner Planning: Main Dish Options

When it comes to planning your Aldi Thanksgiving dinner, you have several options for the main dish.

Turkeys, turkey breast boneless roasts, duck, ham, pork roasts, and seafood are just some of your options, 

Photo Credit: Tim Sackton

Main Dish - Turkey Options

If you are planning turkey as the main dish for your Thanksgiving Day meal, Aldi has several options to choose from.  At my local store I found:

  • Bone-In Turkey Breast for $1.59/lb.
  • Antibiotic-Free Whole Turkeys for $1.49/lb
  • 3 lb. Boneless Turkey Breasts for $8.99
  • Whole Turkeys for $0.69/lb.

Main Dish - Ham Options

If it’s ham that you want to be the main attraction of your Thanksgiving meal, Aldi also offers a variety of options.  I found six on a pre-Thanksgiving trip to my local Aldi store:

  • Appleton Farms Carving Ham $3.29/lb
  • Appleton Farms Smoked Ham $1.29/lb.
  • Appleton Farms Spiral Ham $1.69/lb.
  • Appleton Farms Quarter Boneless Sliced Ham $3.99/lb.
  • Never Any! (Antibiotic Free) Quarter Sliced Ham – Honey or Hardwood Smoked $3.99/lb.
  • Appleton Farms Shank Portion Bone-In Ham $1.29/lb.

More Main Dish Options - Seafood

There were also many options available if you want to have a seafood main dish.  A few that I saw that would be wonderful choices included:

  • Cocktail Shrimp Ring 16oz with cocktail sauce $8.99
  • Fresh Salmon (several options including one on a cedar plank) $7.69-$9.99/lb.
  • Seafood Mix (raw shrimp, calamari, bay scallops, and mussels) $5.99
  • Raw, Peeled Medium Shrimp $5.49 for 12 ounces 

More Main Dish Options- Beef and Pork

There were also some great and affordable options available for anyone looking for pork or beef as their main dish.  A few I noticed that would be delicious choices include:

  • Black Angus USDA Choice Beef Bottom Round Roasts $4.49/lb.
  • Cattlemen’s Ranch Bacon Wrapped Beef Filets (5 oz each sold in twin packs) $4.79 per pack
  • Black Angus USDA Choice Petite Sirloin Steak $5.99/lb.
  • Roseland Marinated Pork Tenderloin (teriyaki or peppercorn) $3.49 per tenderloin
  • Half Pork Loins $1.89/lb.

Main Dish - More Poultry Options

If you or someone in your household doesn’t care for turkey (this is the case in our house) but you’d still like a poultry main dish for your Thanksgiving feast, Aldi has a few great options you might enjoy:

  • Kirkwood Duck with Orange Sauce $2.49/lb.
  • Kirkwood Cornish Hens 22 oz. $3.49 each
  • Kirkwood Whole Chickens $0.95/lb.

Aldi Thanksgiving Dinner Planning: Side Dish Options

Many feel that Thanksgiving dinner is all about the sides!  Your Aldi Thanksgiving dinner can include all the classics from mashed potatoes and stuffing to sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce but there are also options to get creative and think outside the box if you want! 

If you are working on a tight budget, you can go simple to watch your pennies but still have a lot of sides for your family and friends to chose from.  Here is just some of the countless options you can pull off shopping at Aldi for your Thanksgiving meal:

Fresh Vegetable Sides and Ideas

Fresh veggies make the most delicious side dishes!  Some feel that Aldi’s produce section can be lacking but I don’t usually find that to be the case.  I was able to find many great deals and some very fresh looking produce on my recent visit.  Here are seven options I found especially intriguing for consideration for my Thanksgiving dinner menu:

  • Baby Carrots $0.79 for a 1 pound bag (Serving suggestion: we love this recipe which uses a bag of baby carrots, a stick of butter, some honey and brown sugar. Simple, inexpensive, and delicious!)
  • Acorn Squash $0.69/lb.
  • Butternut Squash $0.69/lb.
  • Fresh Green Beans $1.89/lb.
  • Fresh French Green Beans $2.99/lb.
  • Fresh Asparagus $2.29/lb.
  • Brussel Sprouts $2.59/lb.

 

Frozen Veggie Sides

Frozen vegetables are another great option for your side dishes. They offer affordability and prep is usually easier then fresh which often have to be cleaned and chopped.  Here are eight of the options Aldi offers:

  • Seasons Choice Super Sweet Corn 16 oz. $1.09
  • Season’s Choice Steamable Broccoli Florets 12 oz. $0.89
  • Season’s Choice Steamable Asparagus Spears 8 oz. $2.49
  • Season’s Choice Extra Fine Green Beans 16 oz. $1.75 (these are my favorite green beans for making green bean casserole.  This recipe always wins me rave reviews!)
  • Season’s Choice Steamble Cut Green Beans 12 oz. $0.79
  • Season’s Choice Steamable Brussel Sprouts 12 oz. $1.15
  • Season’s Choice Broccoli or Cauliflower and Cheese Bake 24 oz. $3.99
  • Season’s Choice Steamable Super Sweet Corn 12 oz. $0.75

 

Canned Veggies and Recipe Ideas

Canned vegetables are an easy and inexpensive way to add some sides to your Thanksgiving table and Aldi has some fantastic options and prices.  Here’s what I found:

  • Happy Harvest Whole Kernel Corn 15.25 oz $0.44
  • Happy Harvest Cream Style Corn 14.75 oz $0.44
    Recipe idea: Grandma’s Corn Pudding.  Yum!
  • Happy Harvest Small Sweet Peas 15 oz $0.44
  • Happy Harvest Sliced Carrots 14.5 oz $0.45
  • Happy Harvest Pickled Beets – Sliced or Whole 16 oz $1.39
    Recipe Idea: Beet and Spinach Salad
  • Happy Harvest Cut Green Beans 14.5 oz $0.44
  • Happy Harvest French Green Beans 14.5 oz $0.44  
    Recipe Idea: Green Bean Casserole (without cream soups)

Sweet Potato Sides

For many people, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without a sweet potato dish on the table.  We are one of those families!  In fact, we love sweet potatoes so much that we eat them throughout the year.  Aldi has some simple options for sweet potato sides as well as fresh sweet potatoes if you want to make your own casserole or fresh baked sweet potatoes!  Here’s a few sweet potato options I spotted around the store:

  • Happy Harvest Yams – Cut Sweet Potatoes in Syrup 29 oz. $1.65
  • Sweet Potatoes $1.69 for 3 lbs  Note: this may vary by your location and the week.  When I went back the week after I took this picture, the sweet potatoes were $0.87 for a 3 lb bag. If you are looking for a sweet potato casserole recipe to try, here is our favorite!
  • Chef’s Cupboard Cinnamon Sweet Potato Mash 5 oz package $0.89

Mashed Potatoes, Potatoes Au Gratin and Beyond

There were many options for potato side dishes at Aldi.  Here’s a few options that stood out for me:

  • Chef’s Cupboard Homestyle Mashed Potatoes (assorted varieties) 4 oz packet $0.69
  • Chef’s Cupboard Scalloped Potatoes or AuGratin Potatoes 4.7 oz box $0.75
  • Idahoan Flavored Mashed Potatoes (assorted varieties) 4 oz packet $0.99
  • Bob Evans Refrigerated Mashed Potatoes 24 oz $3.27
  • Russet Potatoes 10 lb bag $2.89 (Note: this was two weeks before Thanksgiving…I imagine they will be on sale the week of!) Quick and Simple Recipe: Chef John’s Mashed Potatoes
  • Season’s Choice Shredded Hash Browns 30 oz $1.75. Recipe Idea: Cheesy Potato Casserole

Gravy

Gravy!  A must have for any Thanksgiving table that features turkey and mashed potatoes!  Aldi has packets of gravy starting at just thirty cents for the frugal shopper and jarred pre-made gravy for those looking to keep things simple.  Here’s the details of what they offer:

  • Chef’s Cupboard Homestyle Turkey Gravy 12 oz jar $1.19
  • Stonemill Regular or Reduced Sodium Brown Gravy 0.37 oz $0.30
  • Stonemill Gravy Mix (turkey or pork) 0.87 oz $0.49

Stuffing - Boxed and Homemade Options

Mmmm!  Stuffing!  Or dressing?  No matter what you call it, Aldi has you covered!  Here’s what I found:

  • Chef’s Cupboard Herb or Cornbread Bagged Stuffing 14 oz bag $1.69
  • Chef’s Cupboard Stuffing Mix (aka Stove Top Stuffing) assorted varieties 6 oz box $0.79

Another option is using bread.  My mom used to make stuffing this way when I was a child.  I remember the paper grocery bag full of bread slices sitting out to dry for a day or two leading up to Thanksgiving.  She always made such amazing stuffing!  

Here’s a couple recipes to try:

Don't Forget the Cranberries!

Cranberries….a must for many Thanksgiving tables.  Aldi offers canned cranberries either in jellied or whole berry form.  Both varieties sell for $0.89 a can.  They also sell fresh cranberries, which I failed to get a picture of, for $0.95 a bag if you prefer to make a homemade cranberry dish!

Breads, Rolls and Biscuits....Oh My!

Bread, rolls, and biscuit options were also plentiful.  I found these:

  • L’oven Fresh Brown and Serve Rolls 12 ct. $0.99
  • Bake House Creations Crescent Rolls 8 oz. $0.79
  • Specially Selected French Baguette 9.5-12 oz. $1.49
  • Specially Selected French Dinner Rolls 12 oz. $1.99
  • L’oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls 12 ct. $1.19
  • Specially Selected Italian Bread 16 oz. $1.99
  • Bake House Creation Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits 16 oz. $0.99
  • Bake House Creation Jumbo Flaky Biscuits 16 oz. $0.99
  • L’oven Fresh Butter or Potato Dinner Rolls 12 ct. $2.29

Aldi Thanksgiving Meal Planning: Dessert Options Abound

Mmmm!  Dessert!  Many people like to make their own desserts for Thanksgiving but if you don’t want to or need an easy fix, Aldi has a lot of options to pick from!  Here is what I found:

  • Belmont Mini Cheesecake Bites – 24 ct in New York Style, Strawberry Swirl, and Turtle $9.99
  • Belmont Cheesecake Twin Packs – Assorted Varieties $1.99
  • Belmont Chocolate Creme or Key Lime Pie 25.5-36 oz. $4.99
  • Bake Shop Cherry or Dutch Apple Pie 24 oz. $3.49
  • Bake Shop Pecan Pie 23 oz. $4.99
  • Bake Shop 10 inch Pumpkin Pie 37 oz. $5.89
  • Bake Shop Pumpkin Pie 24 oz. $3.49

Creating a Plan for Your Aldi Thanksgiving Meal

Here’s some tips to help you plan and stay on budget for your Thanksgiving meal:

  • Decide how much you would like to spend before you even start planning.  This might make it easier to stay on budget and avoid going overboard.
  • Know how many you are serving and if you would like to have leftovers.
  • If you are going with turkey, know how to calculate how much you need.  It is recommended that for bone-in, you have 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person.
  • If your budget is tight, consider scaling down the amount of sides you make or supplementing them with some inexpensive options.
  • If you are having guests over for Thanksgiving dinner, consider asking everybody to bring a dish to help you out.  Not only will it help save your grocery budget, but it will also save you some time in the kitchen and allow you to spend more time enjoying the holiday and spending time with your loved ones!