Gym Clothes on a Budget

I LOVE leggings. Like if they were my 3rd child I would love them and cherish them and start a college fund to preserve them forever.

I am #dramatic, do not even say you don't know what you got into with me as your sister friend...you know. It is all good. You know that I love a good deal.

However, I have not always been privy to shopping on a budget or not spending a car payment on a trip to a clothing store but as you know if you have walked with me for some time, sister here has been living the #debtfreelife for 9 years.

If you want more on that story of how a former news anchor (me) and a firefighter (hubs) got themselves out of 52k of debt in 7 months you can read here.

We have been debt free since then and we are not about to go back.

How do you do that? Well, you can not go back to your old ways. Think #whole30challenge and then on day 31 and beyond you go back to your old ways and eat all the pizza, ice cream and cookies your little heart wants...you will be back where you started.

Same with debt. You can start a budget or save some money but if you don't consistently commit to changing your behavior with money you will end up back in debt. We didn't use credit cards after we got out of debt for nearly 7 years.

Yes, do the math, we have only had a new credit card for just over 2 years. It took us that long to truly change the behavior and then trust ourselves to use them responsibly.

I don't ever want to preach #debtfree or #budgetsrock if we too don't live like that anymore.

WE.DO.

So much of what I taught myself over the years was out of necessity. I worked in TV, had to buy clothes that looked decent but also was still a girl at heart and wanted to look cute. Do not even come at me. We all want to look our best in some way.

Over the last 9 years I have gotten really good, #humblebrag, at finding things that look expensive, feel great, but don't require you to spend hundreds of dollars.

Hey, I love me some Lululemon and I will treat myself at times or budget it in but it is often not a #priority because of other more pressing financial goals we continue to have.

Again, YOU DO YOU, SIS...but I promise this list below is tried and true and you can still rock your "gym look" or embrace your lazy Sunday with a mimosa in "athleisure wear" and still look put together.

Your look won't cost a car payment and you'll still be able to invest or pay off debt...THAT IS WINNING in my book.

Gym Clothes on a Budget-The List

Here are my go-to's for less pricey gym wear:

(Click the highlighted names in pink, it will direct you to them).

1. Camo Leggings

I walked into the gym one day and made a Beeline to my friend Beth..."Girl, your leggings!! Are they Lulu??" She proceeded to say "No, Amazon!"...the Heavens opened up.

For reals. They looked identical to the align legging they make.

They are high waisted and amazing. I ordered the camo because they were so cute. I will say, if you are genetically blessed and have never weighed over 115 lbs, they may be too big for you. Or if you are petite. They are long, even on me and I am nearly 5'8." Order a size smaller too. They run big.

2. Shiny Leggings

THESE. YES. SO great. Now, they are likely not as "suck you in and make your stomach feel washboard like" as the real ones but they are still amazing. I wore them to an event and got soooooo many "where are those from?" So, we will chalk that up as a #leggingwin.

Oh and order the black. They are my fave. And they look SUPER cute with a loose sweater or denim jacket for a "I am hip and fabulous but going to eat a steak and potato tonight and want to be comfy" look.

3. 7/8 Length Legging with Pocket

These are the same brand as the camo, high waisted and glorious. They are a better fit for my petite and shorter girls. The are like butter too! And you can never have TOO many black leggings. Hugs from Heaven is what they are!

4. Seamless Love

THESE.THESE.THESE. There I go again with the over dramatization of how amazing these are. Okay, so first, I found these on clearance at Tar-Jay...they sell the Joy Lab brand and it is AH-MAZE.

These are seamless and I am not even remotely kidding, they are $30 suction cups to your legs and hips. They suck it all in without feeling like a squeezed sausage, that is a #leggingwin

I have these in Navy but can not find them anywhere to link you to so here are the black ones on Amazon...yes, mine have the cutouts and they make you feel sassy and salty and I am here for it.

5. You Do You, Girl Tank

Nothin' says "I am livin' my best life than this tank! It is my go to when I need to feel what I preach...YOU DO YOU, GIRL. And it comes in ALLLLLL the colors.

6. Joy Chaser Tank

This is my life motto. Since I made a BIG change over a year ago, my biggest priority and goal has been JOY. I had lost so much of it along the way and nothing motivates me more than a motto I try and live by plastered on a shirt.

7. Business in the Front Tank

Like a mullet...biz in the front, party in the back and with a cute sports bra it makes us feel AWESOME. And that makes for a great workout! P.S. I never buy the pricey tanks because they get dirty and the dupes and cheaper ones rival way too close to the expensive, name brand ones.

8. Tie Back Tank

This one looks identical to a Lulu one I got as a gift. Soft and a small tie in the back makes it super wearable for athleisure or a hard workout.

9.  Pack of  Solids

THESE. So great for EVERYTHING. In the gym, under something, over a bathing suit....whatever fills your soul.

I got one of these too as a gift but the amazing thing is they come in a 3 pack for under $25! That is crazy good. I love them too because I always tend to go with a solid tank as it goes with all the patterns on leggings.

10. Fave Cross Training Shoe

I will not spend hundreds on sneakers. I just won't. I truly don't think you have to. I used to justify it like this "I need this because I CrossFit etc." Nope, I just thought I did.

These are my fave by far. Great for short runs or HIIT workouts, CrossFit metcon workouts, running errands, chasing kids are corraling cats. I do not know what you do but they work for EVERYTHING. I ordered the black and silver and ordered a half size smaller. They run big in my opinion.

11. Current Fave Running Shoe

Still running in Saucony. I go back and forth from these to Brooks. I bought these last running season. The style I found was the grey and orange and they ran under $50 which is a STEAL.

Most running shoes are barely ever under $75. They have gotten me through many races and half marathons and my feet still love me and are attached to my legs. YAY.

P.S. always order up a half of a size if you are truly running in these...that way you will keep your toenails. I am not a pro but have lost toe nails and now know this is a legit running hack.

12. Most Comfy Sports Bra

This one keeps the girls still if you know what I mean...yay for no bounce!

13. Biggest Water Bottle Best Water Bottle

So this is the MOST obnoxiously LARGE water bottle, ev-ah and I do not care because it is life. Yes, her comes the drama from me, your sister but for reals, if you want to drink all the water THIS is key.

Why?

Because I am not going to fill my water bottle through the day. Don't tell me it will happen if I set the intention because for me it does not. I have tried. However, this, when I fill her up in the morning, I see how much I want to drink through the day and it is working.

YES, praise Jesus. Mama, needs a diaper most days and can tell you where ever clean gas station bathroom is in Peoria, Arizona but I get my water in and it makes me feel like a million bucks.

P.S. YOU will be made fun of for this, so get ready but we know YOU DO YOU, GIRL and trust me, they will all have one soon...I see all my haters buyin' it now.

There You Have It

It is a short list of my go-to faves that won't break your financial goals. It is so easy to get sucked back into the shopping, "I need!" "She has them too!" vortex.

There is nothing wrong with spending money on any of the pricey faves out there too, I just know that the life I once lived could not sustain that way of spending. Heck, even if you have never had an issue with overspending, everyone loves a deal! I don't know one person that does not love to save a buck.

Lastly, in all transparency, if you buy any of these items via the links I have given you, I do earn a small commission so if that is not your thing, you can avoid it by searching on your own and going that route.

Thanks for always being here. YOU matter to me. YOUR life matters to me. I am here to see you win and cheer you along the way. Here's to saving and rocking at life!