After starting yoga and becoming a studio regular for several years, my life circumstances changed. Self-employed, I moved to a new city. And most of the time between 2012 and 2017, I wasn’t in any yoga studio. I didn’t have the budget, but also wasn’t seeking for budget-friendly yoga. I would periodically look at a studio’s website but didn’t have the time or money because I was constantly working.

That’s the reality for a lot of people.

Yoga studios are small businesses, and they need to make money. To make money, they need to price themselves high enough to pay the bills.

After getting a new job in 2018, I joined a local studio and started attending classes regularly again. Only recently, I saw beyond the classes I was interested in and consider what’s available. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but here’s some budget-friendly yoga options to consider if you can’t afford a studio class or membership.

Community Classes

It’s not uncommon for yoga studios to have a Community Class, in which studio classes are reduced price or free of charge. This gives the public a chance to try out a yoga class if they haven’t been one or can’t make the time to come regularly. Community classes are also a great way for someone new to be introduced to a yoga space and get a feel for what a class would be like if they decided to join at a later time.

Yoga in Public Spaces

In my area, yoga studios partner with other local businesses or their city government and offer free or reduced-fee classes at an outdoor space. The frequency of a studio doing this type of thing can vary: weekly, every other week, or monthly. Free sessions in a park or similar setting are great opportunities to do yoga outside. And, of course, it also allows one to tie it with a social outing. Depending on location, yoga studios may also offer free or reduced-fee sessions in other public indoor or outdoor locations on their own. These sessions can draw a mix of regular studio-goers as well as newcomers.

Community Recreation Center

Local recreation centers offer a variety of classes, including a yoga class or two. These classes can be part of a series or single drop-in sessions. Generally the space for will vary depending on what other activities are scheduled at the same time. A yoga class, for example, could be in a quiet room with wood floors, a carpeted room in a basement, or a weight room in which the HVAC unit on full blast. Regardless of the space, these classes are ideal for beginners or anyone returning to yoga after a long absence.

YouTube Videos

If you prefer to do yoga on your own or would rather be in a private space, there’s plenty of YouTube videos. When doing a keyword search, be specific, such as “beginning yoga”. You’ll find a lot of search results. However, Yoga With Adriene is one of the best online resources out there with an impressive library of videos from which to chose.

If you have other ideas of where/how one can take advantage of accessing yoga in different ways, feel free to share in the comments!

Peace,

Shuva