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Why Yoga Saves — Yes, Saves — You Money

By U.S. News & World Report

When I was fresh out of college and broke, yoga seemed like a luxury. But I was persuaded to purchase a handful of classes, and it was well worth the investment. At first, I found a way to continue taking classes despite the expense; even continuing them at a discounted rate in exchange for doing work around the studio. But eventually, I realized that yoga was actually saving me money. Here’s how:

1. Yoga prevents some physical pain expenses.

Whether it is chronic back pain from sitting at a desk or knee, hip or shoulder injuries from competing in sports or other physical activities, most people suffer from an injury or pain at some point in their lives. If you decide to ignore the warning signs, it often leads to back surgery, physical therapy or other pricey procedures. If you are in debilitating pain and you are no longer able to work out, you could develop high blood pressure and other illnesses that require expensive medications. Yoga is a preventative measure that helps to avoid health crises. When you practice yoga intelligently, it alleviates pain — and often inspires other healthy habits that change the trajectory of your health and how much you spend on it.

[See: 11 Ways to Cope With Back Pain.]

2. Yoga can lower mental health costs.

Bouts with depression or sadness can be more painful than any physical injuries. Coping with these challenges can mean seeing a therapist, taking medication and sometimes missing work. But by practicing yoga — even as a complement to these other treatments — you can access your mind and shift your mood quickly. Yoga helps you notice when you start feeling anxious or sad and, with training, that triggers you to pause and breathe, or to get up and move your body. Yoga philosophy also encourages you to focus on and value yourself, which can equip you to handle fluctuations in your mental states more efficiently.

[See: 10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood.]

3. Yoga helps avoid costly relationship decisions.

Yoga helps you gain mental clarity to pay attention to people you may have neglected both intimately and at your job. Practicing physically demanding poses with compassion, yet fierce determination, develops emotional fortitude — the same emotional strength needed to have a difficult conversation and admit when you are wrong, or to stand up for yourself and what you believe in. It gives you an awareness to make decisions like being honest with your partner about your money, or leaving a relationship when you know it will end in a painful and expensive divorce. Yoga also helps you age gracefully, which can help you avoid being a financial burden to your children.

4. Yoga provides financial clarity.

If you are not honest with yourself about your money, it’s easy to become negligent. Through yoga, you become disciplined by maintaining a vigilant focus on your movement. It is especially important to practice the poses you are not necessarily strong at. Over time, this skill helps you gain the courage to attack the things in life that challenge you the most — finances included. Yoga can also encourage you to stop and make simple changes in your daily expenses like going out, drinking or buying that extra coffee to get through the work day.

[See: How to Break 7 Unhealthy Habits.]

5. Yoga doesn’t have to cost a thing to begin with.

If you are stressed by the cost of yoga studio classes, there are plenty of options to practice on a budget. Check the schedule carefully at different studios. Some will often offer community or donation-based classes. Others might often offer a work-exchange or bartering program, through which you may be able to work a desk shift or tidy up the studio in exchange for free yoga. Search for local yoga events, pop-up classes and festivals. These are usually free and fun to connect with other like-minded people. There are an infinite number of free and low-cost yoga resources online. Just put on comfortable workout clothes and grab a mat. No matter your financial situation, yoga is accessible to you and it saves you money in the long run.

More from U.S. News

How to Practice Yoga When You Have Arthritis or Another Chronic Condition

10 Ways to Live Healthier and Save Money Doing It

10 Signs You Should Break Up With Your Gym

Why Yoga Saves — Yes, Saves — You Money originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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