Free Friday

The Topic: Fancy Free

The Dish: After managing a Saturday in the Mission District for less than $25, I felt pretty good about my budgeting skills—if I could remember to actually budget once I was out. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away, and before I know it $25 looks more like $50, and the instant gratification of spending is replaced with regret. This past Friday, I decided to see if I could go the entire day on an even stricter budget: $0 from my pocket. Not to spoil the ending, but it was completely possible. Sure, I had a few lucky breaks, but those might not be luck as much as seeing new opportunities. I fall victim to a few money sucks, including vanity, food, and caffeine—here's how I satisfied all my needs for nothing.

Forget the Gym.

I'm constantly tempted to join a gym in the city. There's a huge range to choose from, price- and ammenities-wise, but when it comes down to it, they all cost money. Well, after I've checked them out with a free trial, that is. If a gym membership is at the top of your list of must-haves, then by all means, enjoy! For this girl, I have other uses for that $40 per month. Instead, I take the old-fashioned route of hitting the streets for a run. If you already have a pair of running shoes (and I do), then it costs nothing to just get moving. I don't need to pay someone to let me sweat.

In addition to getting a run in, there are all of the free yoga opportunities I've mentioned in the past. Since then, I've discovered two more free weekly community classes, meaning I could practice alongside fellow San Franciscans four days a week if I wanted.

On the House.

When you don't have cash to spend, barter is the next best (or even better) thing. A few exchanges on Twitter with my neighborhood deli, Morty's, lead to a promise of a free sandwich in return for a song on the ukulele (one of my hobbies). I popped in Friday to introduce myself, and was given an advance on my payment in the form of some seriously delicious farmers' market-fresh vegan gumbo. While the deli isn't entirely vegan, they're big on vegan options and are always open to requests. And they gave me free gumbo! Consider me in the songwriting process, as well as a loyal customer.

Caffeinate!

Another money suck for me is caffeine. After realizing I was completely out of coffee at home, I thought I'd settle for some Earl Grey tea and tough it out. Post-lunch gumbo, I was hit with a serious case of the naps and had to retaliate. My beacon of hope? The mail. Sure, it's a lucky break, but my amazing Nona sends me a letter every week, and sometimes there's a $5 bill tucked inside. Friday was letter day! Do you know how many awesome things you can buy for $5, including an incredibly strong espresso drink?

Stay In.

Okay so maybe nightlife doesn't fall into the "food" category, but it might be the worst of making my money disappear like magic. This Friday, I decided to take it easy with—you guessed it—Netflix and my dog Boo. I only spend $10 a month on Netflix, so I'm counting it as free for this night. For a break, I called and caught up with friends and family, who often get pushed to the back burner on busy days. Hey, everyone—call your family!

The Final Word: It takes a little maneuvering, but if you really need to tighten the pursestrings, you can do it. Steer clear of places too tempting to resist. For me, that includes bookstores and anything involving food. Find more creative ways to satisfy your needs, and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Now, I have a song to write and a free sandwich to collect!

Yoga for Everyone

The Topic: Take a Chill Pill

The Dish: Sometimes (all the time), I really just need to relax. Elizabeth, our managing editor, often reminds me to take deep breaths, which is helpful since I'm most often very caffeinated. At the end of a long day in the office, I'm ready to hit the sofa and stay there for good—or until it's time to go to work again. Sure, vegging out with my dog Boo and an embarrassingly bad comedy is a good stress reliever, but not a cure-all. Naturally, I'd love to hit the spa and get a deep-tissue massage once a week, but that's most certainly not in my budget.

Instead, I turn to yoga. How vegan of me! But seriously, everyone and their mother is into it these days, and I'm not complaining. Popularity equals accessibility, and we all benefit. While San Francisco is home to some great studios, they're either too far away to attend regularly or too expensive. Why pay $20 for a class when there are more affordable ways?

First of all, it's called Google! Just kidding—sort of. There are more sources than you probably want to sort through, but if you've been trying to maintain a yoga practice on your own, countless sites exist with new routines to try. If you're like me and prefer a little more guidance, check out YogaGlo. Right now, you can sign up for a free 15-day trial and access more than 500 yoga classes online.

The sessions, which are meticulously cataloged from running time (5 to 120 minutes) to style (hatha, kundalini, Jivamukti, and more!) to experience level, are filmed at YogaGlo's Santa Monica studio, providing a live-class experience without leaving home. If you're nowhere near a yoga studio or can't swing the cost, this is pretty awesome. At the end of the trial period, you can either cancel, hassle-free, online, or sign up month-to-month for $18. If you enjoy the format and make use of your membership, $18 a month is a fraction of what you'd pay in a studio.

Practicing at-home saves me money—and excuses—but sometimes I wonder, "Am I doing this right? Should that hurt? Ow? OW!" Et cetera. Enter: awesome, affordable community classes. A nearby Bikram studio slashes its prices from $20 a 90-minute session to $5 once a week, and many studios in hipper neighborhoods do the same. Even better, the Glide Methodist downtown offers two free community yoga classes per week, providing mats and instruction to anyone interested.

The Final Word: Community or discounted classes may be offered at limited times, but finding one that works with your schedule, even a couple times a month, will help your at-home practice. They're also a great way to try out different styles, and see if this whole yoga thing is right for you. Personally, I'm down(ward dog). Oh, I kill myself!