How I Afford Coaching

Even coaches need a coach to be better. Just like hairdressers use someone else to cut their own hair. And financial planners use another planner to handle their own money. We are all too close to our own lives to be objective about what we need. Plus, no one knows EVERYTHING. The smartest among us choose smarter people to learn from.

I am a coach. For years I had a chip on my shoulder…why do I need a coach? I already know how to work out. But believe me, the first session I had with my coach, I knew I was dead wrong. You see, I chose the coach in the room that I felt had the most to teach me. And he did, and still does to this day, teach me more about my capabilities and my self-worth.

Now, coaches/personal trainers are notoriously not wealthy people. We can’t all be trainers to the stars. So I pick and choose wisely how I spend my money so that I can use my coach regularly to make me a better, stronger, more powerful machine.

Here’s What I Do:

These are the things that I do to save a few dollars so that I can prioritize my own machine:

• Starbucks…I just don’t spend money on coffee that I can make at home for a fraction of the price. (Bonus – I save calories on junk sugary coffee-like drinks)
• Cable TV…I do have a smart TV and I have Wi-Fi at home, but if it’s not free on YouTube or my Samsung TV apps, then I just don’t watch. (Bonus – I save time NOT watching mind-numbing TV or maddening cable news)
• Streaming subscription services…much like #3, I do not buy streaming services either. (Bonus – again – I save money by NOT binging on shows. I know, sometimes I have no idea what people are talking about with the latest popular shows/movies…but honestly, I’m better off)
• Restaurants/take-out/fast food…yes, with all that extra time NOT watching TV, I actually cook and prep all my meals. (Bonus – do I even need to tell you about how much healthier my diet is?)
• Packaged/prepared food…while we’re on the subject, I don’t buy convenience food at the grocery store. I would love to cut corners and buy pre-cut fruit and veggies, but I buy everything whole and cut myself for a lower cost.
• Vacations…well this is a biggie. I would love to take a vacation someday, but honestly my health and body are my priority. For now, I spend my money there. I know and believe I will create more money for future vacations by investing in myself now. Maybe you can see how this would make sense for me as a trainer, but I believe for you as well. If you invest in your physical strength…your mental strength will follow. Before you know it, you’re closing more deals at work than you ever did. That happened because you, too, invested in yourself.
• My home furnishing…I do not have much decor to speak of. I keep my place pretty simple. My mom calls me a minimalist. I call it saving money to pay my coach. I also feel it creates less clutter, which keeps my mind sharp as well. Less time spent cleaning and dusting “trinkets” and things will give you more time on the weekends to focus on you. Win-win all around.
• My car…I buy and drive my cars until they start costing too much to maintain and fix. I love having years where I have no car payments at all. Unfortunately, with 2 teenagers, I currently have 2 cars…but one payment. Imagine the continual cost if you want to lease a new car every 4 years. Or maybe you already feel that pain. I may not have the nicest cars or the newest, but I benefit every month in my bank account. I keep my cars clean and spotless (have you seen my carwash confessional Instagram reels?) to make up for not having fancy brand new!
• My phone…much like my car, I don’t have the latest and greatest every time a new iPhone comes out. I keep my phones until I am outdated or I’ve busted it beyond repair. In the end, how much technology do we really need at our fingertips???? My cellphone bill is less because I qualify for an upgrade all the time. Hahaha.
• My clothes/shoes…I saved the best for last and also because this sounds counterintuitive. I buy quality here because 1.) I live in my training clothes and 2.) I need to present on point to make a living. I buy quality because I can have the same training pants for 5+ years and they still look good (you also have to take care of washing/drying correctly). If I bought cheaper pants to save money now, I’d be replacing them year after year after year. You know what I mean…invest in what you really need to be professional and make a living…and cut costs where you don’t.

Investing In Yourself Is The Name Of The Game

These are the things that I do to try to keep as much money as I can in my bank account, so that I can afford to pay my coach every month. I know confidently that the money I have invested in myself over the years has made me a better coach, a better mom and a stronger woman…both physically and mentally.

Give any or all of these a shot and see if you can’t save up enough money to invest in yourself!