Starting a new sport can be a fun way to keep fit, shake off stress, and form new friendships. That said, the costs involved can be a cause of concern for many. So, how much does it really cost to pick up a new sport in Singapore?
Following the same fitness routine for extended periods can easily get boring. Thankfully, there’s a straightforward way to freshen up your routine: pick up a new sport. To help you to properly budget, we’ve broken down key associated costs and how to save on them.
Chances Are, You’ll Need to Pay Just to Get in the Door
While jogging or outdoor yoga can easily be picked up for free, the same doesn’t apply for many other sports. Unfortunately, you can’t just show up at a tennis court and begin playing. You have to pay to book the facilities, and these fees are typically levied on a per-usage basis, which means that costs can rack up pretty fast if you engage in the sport frequently. Here’s an example: if you play badminton four times a week, two hours each session, at peak hours (~$9.70 per hour), you’ll end up spending more than $300 per month on badminton courts alone.
Fortunately, it is possible to drastically reduce costs associated with facilities booking, especially for badminton and tennis. For one example, you can share the court booking fees amongst several participants. The more friends you ask to join in on the session, the more you can save. This is particularly helpful as tennis and badminton both involve multiple players per game.
Even Simple Sports Typically Require Equipment
When picking up a new sport, you’ll also need to consider equipment costs. Even weightlifting, a seemingly simple sport, requires gear such as lifting shoes, resistance bands, and gloves. Luckily, as a beginner, you won’t need to worry about buying top-tier equipment, which typically costs more. Starting with entry-level gear is perfectly reasonable, if not encouraged. If you continue with the sport, you can upgrade your equipment later.
If You Want to Improve, You May Need a Coach
While you can easily look up information on different sports online, you may need a coach to help you actually learn and improve. It can be challenging, for example, to determine if you’re executing a deadlift correctly without a personal trainer’s supervision, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. So, if you want to excel in your chosen new sport, you may need a coach.
As a beginner, you don’t need to opt for the most reputable or pricey coaches and schools. For example, if you’re interested in weightlifting and train with Gymboxx, you can save an incredible S$55 per session compared to UNREAL Personal Training. This amounts to $2,860 in savings in a year if you train once per week. This being said, once you gain more familiarity and experience with the sport, you may find that your needs can’t be met by a ‘beginner-friendly’ organisation. At this point, you may want to consider upgrading to a pricier coach and school.
Ways to Save When Starting Up a New Sport
As you can see, picking up a new sport in Singapore can be pricey. However, there are a few ways you can save. To begin with, you can pay for all sports-related purchases with a cash back credit card, earning rewards on equipment and more. You can also sign up for meet-up groups, where you only need to pay a flat-fee which is typically less than traditional facility-booking fees.
It’s also important to mention that, despite the costs involved, there are many benefits to staying physically active with a new sport. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight, frequent participation in sports can also reduce feelings of stress and depression, in turn improving your mood and quality of life.
This article was first published on ValueChampion and was republished here with permission.
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