Health, fitness and beauty

When you hear about the regimes of the rich and famous, it is easy to assume that you need to spend half your life and almost all your money to keep fit and healthy and looking good. In fact, you can look after yourself – and look fabulous – for very little. Here are some ideas covering Health, Fitness and Beauty.

Health

• Give up smoking – it is not only incredibly expensive, it is incredibly bad for you. The NHS offers workshops, counselling and free nicotine replacement therapies, so sign up.
• Buy unbranded over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen or anti-histamines – they cost a fraction of the big name versions and are just as effective. Some branded preparations can be substantially cheaper if you source them online.
• A good, balanced diet should mean you do not need expensive supplements. If you feel you need something specific, take the own-brand route at a chemist or health food store.
• Ensure that you get regular checks at your GP for basics such as blood pressure and cholesterol, plus well man/well woman checks as appropriate.
• If you are interested in private health insurance, check the price comparison sites. If one member of the family gets private health cover as a perk of their job, ask if she or he can pay extra for family cover.
• If you want to lose weight, start by consulting your GP and ask for recommendations or a diet plan – it will be safe, healthy and the advice is free. Or join a reputable slimming club, which will cost only a few pounds every week and will provide moral support from fellow slimmers.

Fitness

• Walk instead of taking the bus, car or underground, even if it is not the full distance of your journey. Or take a brisk stroll in your lunchbreak – 30 minutes a day is the recommended minimum.
• Cycle – to work, to school or for fun. If you are an employee on PAYE, you will qualify for a substantial discount on the cost of a new bike under the Cycle to Work scheme. You might want to take a proficiency test before embarking on any long journeys or heading for the city centre. Or join a cycling club for well-organised rides.
• Use local council facilities. From swimming and bowls to gyms, martial arts and dance classes, most councils offer a great range of sports for a few pounds. Parks often have free football and rugby pitches and some tennis courts are free too.
• Use a pedometer – you should aim for at least 5,000 steps a day if you want to stay healthy, while 10,000 steps will help you on your way to fitness.
• Turn your home into a gym. Run up and down stairs, put on some music and dance, download a workout or yoga plan and you can get fit for free. If you have a few pounds to invest, get some weights, look for a rowing or cycling machine, a cross-trainer or a mini trampoline – just be sure the floor and ceilings will take the weight and activity.
• Everyday activities can get you fit. Housework is a work-out, gardening involves lifting and stretching, carrying the shopping home is a form of weight training.
• Run for your life – or power walk if that suits you better. Make sure you have the right trainers or you can damage your joints. Or try in-line skating or skate-boarding – again, get proper protective clothing.

Beauty

• Surveys of doctors and dermatologists prove what many of us have always suspected: basic skincare from value brands is at least as good as expensive luxury creams, potions and lotions. Large chemists and supermarkets are great hunting grounds.
• Stock up on basics when they are on special offer – you will always need shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, cotton wool, soap and so on. Buy extra-large sizes and transfer what you need to smaller bottles, if necessary.
• Avoid travel miniatures – you can pay way over the odds for small sizes. Instead, keep old bottles and fill them with your toiletries to use when you go away.
• Do not be tempted by the promise of a free gift if you spend a certain amount unless you are buying items you need anyway. Do you really want a lurid wash bag, yet another black mascara and an eye cream you’ll never use?
• Sign up for online newsletters run by all the major beauty brands. You will get special offers and free samples.
• Buy where you can earn loyalty points. You can treat yourself, buy presents or simply use them for essentials.
• For haircuts and colour, look out for ads in hairdressers asking for models. Yes, you will be experimented on or used to teach trainees – but the work will be supervised and it will be cheap or free.
• Contact your local beauty college or night school to see if they need people to practise on. You could get a mani-pedi, have your eyebrows plucked or even risk a waxing at a fraction of salon prices.
• Get your friends together and have a pampering evening. It is good to set a theme – facials or manicures, for example – and get everyone to bring their favourite products, so you can all try something new before you buy.
• For a make-up make-over, go to the cosmetics hall of a department store or large chemist and pick the brand you like the look of. Do not be pushed into buying lots of products – get a list of what was used and ask for some samples to try at home first.

Back to the top