3 Ways to Work Out for Free in March

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When most of us hear "free workout," we might think of the usual free activities, like jogging outside or using those free workout machines in parks. And while those are great ways to work out for free, it can be tricky to do them when it's cold and rainy in late winter. Unless you're fortunate enough to have a home gym, working out at a local facility can put a hefty charge on your credit card.

Take yoga, for example. The price of an unlimited membership at my local yoga studio is $149 per month. That's more than my monthly car insurance premium. For comparison, if I put that money each month into a 529 college savings plan with a 7% rate of return, I would have $64,550 for my daughter's college in 18 years (real talk: that would be a lot of yoga).

However, you don't have to blow your budget to work out. If you want to stay fit without hurting your personal finance goals, here are three ways to sweat it out for free in March.

1. Try out a new gym or fitness studio

The easiest way to get a free workout is to try out a new facility. Many fitness studios offer complimentary classes or free trials for new clients, sometimes up to two weeks of unlimited workouts. In fact, you don't have to dig deep to find these. Often, you just have to google "free fitness classes" and your location and several studios will pop up.

Just be careful. Once your free trial is up, the studio will likely try to lock you into a membership, many of which have minimum commitments of at least three months.

Alternatively, you can get a free week at many popular gyms. For example, here are eight national brands that currently offer free trials.

• Anytime Fitness: One to seven day free trial (claim pass here)
• Gold's Gym: Seven day free trial (claim pass here)
• YMCA: Three to seven day free trial (call your local YMCA)
• LA Fitness: Three day free trial (claim pass here)
• 24 Hour Fitness: Three day free trial (claim pass here)
• Workout Anytime: One to three day free trial (call your local gym)
• Planet Fitness: One day free trial (claim pass here)
• Snap Fitness: One day free trial (find a gym, then claim pass on separate website)

2. Ask about a trade

Many fitness studios make profits on a margin and are always looking for ways to save money. One such way is to negotiate a trade with clients: You do a service for them, they give you a free class.

For example, you could ask a gym or studio manager about getting on their cleaning list (most studios have them). You'll be assigned a day and time to clean the facility. Then, in exchange for your service, you can attend classes for free. This is how my wife gets free yoga classes, and it's worked in several cities, like Nashville and Portland.

If you don't like cleaning -- and I don't blame you -- you could consider another trade. For example, you could manage a studio's social media accounts, or you could offer to style a retail section. You could also work the front desk, though this one might involve more time commitment than the free classes are worth.

3. Buddy up

Know someone with a gym membership? If so, ask to join them on their next workout. Many gyms and studios will let members bring a guest for free. For example, Planet Fitness offers free guest passes to anyone with a Black Card® membership, and 24/7 Fitness has a similar option called the Buddy Pass.

Staying healthy doesn't have to cost you extra, especially if you're not limited to one style of exercise. And don't rule out unconventional workouts -- cleaning your home, for example, is a free and productive way to get your heart rate up. And if you do end up paying for a gym, check out some of our best cash back credit cards to earn some of that membership money back as a reward.

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