My wife and I are in the process of creating some more “cash flow”. No easy task. We’ve invested in a rental property, have a renter, and are working on paying off some debt.
At the same time, if you’re a reader of this blog, you also know that I’m working on making 2007 a healthier year in the life of Doug. We have a new health club in our area that, in addition to being a fabulous facility, it offers 2 hour free child care. A great perk for my wife. I have a few friends who are already members, so would offer some accountability, and the financial investment would motivate me to visit regularly (I hope).
My question is this. Is it a good idea to take money away from our “cash flow” goal and put it towards the “healthy” goal? There are plenty of “needs” that we could use the health club money for, but there’s the investment in “life”. As one friend put it, what good is it to be out of debt, if you’re 6′ under.
Your perspective is welcomed!!
Doug's Head - enter at your own risk! 
I think if you are truly commited to using the membership, you would be very wise to invest in yourselves; your physical AND emotional well-being. I think cutting out wasteful spending is good, but a health club would NOT be wasteful, but invaluable. Maybe you need it to be a challenge to pay for (cutting down your cash flow) so you do take the cost seriously. We value things more when they cost us more. Sad, but true most of the time. Let us know what you decide. Prayers with you, Beth
There are many ways to exercise and work on the healthy part for free or for little money. However, it does no good if you don’t take advantage of them (myself included on that one). Sometimes it takes the accountability piece to get us moving…if the health club is more than can spend now…how about enlisting some people in your circle of friends or from church? there might just be a few who are in the same situation–(I’m sure there’s more than a few)!!
Getting into a routine, whatever that routine consists of is the most important. It takes a few weeks to see real changes but those changes will be AWESOME and very noticeable!!!
Keep going–great how you’re sticking with it!
I read your blog through Scott Hodges. My suggestion would be to see if they have a “free” trial membership period your friends could offer you since they are members – many gyms give their members coupons to give their friends. If you could go for a week or two for free and were committed then I would think about paying for a membership; however, if you aren’t committed enough to do it for the free period you won’t be committed enough to do it when you are paying for it. I have a treadmill in my bedroom that is living proof of that.
Seems to me that God has plenty to say about taking care of our temples and taking care of our finances. It has been my experience that when I attempt to tackle big issues – and I’ve been in the same place with debt and with health and weight issues – and I go about it without consulting Him first, I have very little success.
Doug – I think you can do both. I think that if you are led to this gym and to do some debt reduction, that God is going to provide a way for you to do both.
Don’t fall in to the trap of wanting to do either or both in such a quick fashion that you become discouraged. God is going to make a way.
You are a resourceful guy and probably know this name if you haven’t already tapped the resource. Dave Ramsey – a huge financial genius and his advice is liberating many from the nasty chains of debt.
Hang in there. I appreciate your blog.