Eight Ways to Lose Weight and Save Money

Saving money and losing weight are often at the top of the list for people who want to improve their lives. What most people don't realize is that they can often do both at the same time.

Many people's first instinct when they want to get more exercise is to join a gym. But if you spend the same amount of time doing other activities around your house, you could get a good workout and save the cost of the gym membership. In fact, if you take into account the time it takes to get to the gym, to get dressed for your workout, take a shower, change and get back home, you can often get in more exercise around the home.

It's often little things, like hanging clothes or vacuuming, that can give you a bit of light exercise, as well as save you money. Here are eight examples of such activities:

Mow the lawn/gardening: Taking care of your garden, cutting the lawn, trimming back trees, pulling weeds and planting can be a lot of hard work that will give you a good workout. Spending an hour or two each day taking care of your yard instead of going to the gym will mean that you don't need to hire someone to do the yard work for you. It will also mean that your yard is the envy of the neighborhood and will increase the value of your house. If you decided to plant a vegetable garden, you could even reduce your grocery bill, all while getting the exercise you wanted.