Here are some tips for putting your plans into action:

Tips for getting fit in Athens

Whether it’s for weight loss or a toned and muscular physique, exercising more is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. But running in circles and doing crunches while wedged between the couch and coffee table can get old fast.

An Omni Club membership is perfect for people who want to hit the ground running with a diverse workout.

“At Omni Club, we try to make working out as convenient and comfortable as possible by battling all the excuses people use to get out of exercising,” said General Manager Don Allen. “We have tons of machines, so there is no wasted time waiting for machines and have a lot of different classes for people to chose what they like and to keep exercise interesting.”

Omni offers more unique classes such as Zumba, a Latin dance-themed workout, and a “Fight Club” class, taught by instructors with martial arts experience.

All classes are included in the membership fee so members can join any class without having to sign up ahead of time or commit every week.

The average membership fee costs about $40 but starts at $35 and increases, Allen said.

For people who want a cheaper and less intense workout, disc golf offers a relaxing way to exercise while enjoying the outdoors.

“Disc golf is a really great activity for people who are just starting to get active because it is low intensity and you can take your time walking around,” said Carly Robinson, the program specialist for Sandy Creek Park. “But, we also have guys who sprint between each hole so you can make it as strenuous as you want.”

Whether walked or run, the entire disc golf game at Sandy Creek is about two miles long and has 23 holes with some in the woods and some in open fields.

Each different throwing technique tones different muscles in the upper body, Robinson said.

“The forehand tones the back of the arm and shoulder while the backhand works the bicep and chest,” she said. “While many people favor one arm over the other, using both would tone both arms evenly.”

It costs $3 total to play – a $2 park entrance fee and $1 fee to play the course. Loaner discs are available for newcomers who want to try playing disc golf before investing, which cost $8 to $25 each.

Rubber Soul Yoga classes are an option for those who want to get a low impact and relaxing workout without breaking the bank.

Instead of charging a set fee to participate in a class, Rubber Soul asks for a donation of $3 to $5. Larger donations are appreciated, but people will not be turned away if they cannot afford the recommended donation.

“Rubber Soul makes yoga very economical for everyone to be able to practice,” said Kate Morrissey, a Rubber Soul yoga instructor. “We even have mats that people can rent for $1 if they don’t have their own to use or forget to bring it.”

Regularly adding yoga can increase flexibility, oxygen intake and health choices, Morrissey said.

“It just makes a person more aware of how they treat their bodies on a daily basis,” she said. “Even just practicing one or two times a week is a good start and will really set the tone for a relaxing and centered mind no matter how stressful things get.”

What to focus on

Obviously, the easiest way to save more money would be to earn more and spend less. Although easy to say, actually putting that plan to work can be a daunting task.

It is almost an undeniable law of nature that as soon as more money starts coming in, be it birthday checks or a new job, expenses magically rise as well, and savings account balances remain at zero. But it is possible to break this ball and chain to overdraft notices, and these five tips are a great way to get started:

1. Organize everything in the house. If the closet, pantry and desk are all organized, that will save money spent on purchasing duplicate items because the first one is lost in the clutter. This tip is especially important for closets because buying a new dress or pair of shoes because “there is nothing to wear” is a lot more expensive than a book of stamps. Before spending money on a new piece of clothing, check everything in the closet and drawers already, which is much easier to do when it is not in piles on the floor and boxes in the corner.

2. Conserve electricity. Aside from rent, the electric bill usually is the most expensive bill of the month. But it is a lot easier to lower because it requires no lifting of heavy boxes and multiple trips across town. Lower the thermostat setting a few degrees and put on a sweater. Turn everything off completely when no one is in the house or room and unplug appliances. This is easier when everything is plugged into a surge protector that can be unplugged. Change all of the lightbulbs to energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Finally, make sure all windows and doors are sealed and closed when the heat or air conditioning is running.

3. Avoid the middle aisles of the grocery store. Most grocery stores are organized so that the fruit and vegetables are on one side of the store and milk and cheese on the other. All of the chips, cookies and prepackaged meals fill the middle aisles, and it is no secret that the convenience of these items comes with a hefty price tag. Try skipping most of these aisles and cooking meals from raw ingredients. Although it may take more time in the kitchen, the grocery bill will be much cheaper every week.

4. Limit eating out and going to bars. Again, convenience comes at a high price and eating out is the king of convenience. In fact, a meal from a restaurant could be prepared at home for half the price and a drink from a bar even more. Instead of automatically heading downtown for dinner and drinks before a concert or party, try meeting at someone’s house and dining there before leaving.

5. Find a bank with a good interest rate. Banks have different interest rates, and it is important to find one that will give the most money back to customers. Generally, interest rates for savings accounts are higher than checking accounts, so keep the majority of money in savings.

Q&A about the Health Center’s Tobacco Cessation Program

Gloria Varley, assistant director at the University Health Center and manager of the Health Promotion department.

Fan Beall, registered nurse and Tobacco Cessation program counselor.

R&B: How would someone sign-up for the Tobacco Cessation program?

Beall: Students interested in tobacco cessation, including smokeless tobacco or spit tobacco, should call the Health Center and ask for an appointment with one of the nicotine cessation team members. If possible, they should pick up one of our “Quit Kit” folders before their appointment and look over the materials because we use these in our visits. They also should go online and fill out the open communicator information for tobacco cessation.

R&B: All together, how much would it cost to fully complete the program?

Beall: There is no charge for either the visit or the folder.

R&B: How successful is the program in terms of size and the percentage of students involved who actually are able to stop smoking?

Varley: Quit rates for smokers are not very high. We have tried to follow up with all of the people who have participated in our Tobacco Cessation program to determine its success rate, but had a low response rate to our surveys. Many students are successful in their efforts to quit, and some relapse and begin smoking again. But, part of the program is to look at how a student would deal with that and what strategies they would be thinking about using if the urge to smoke or use smokeless tobacco was strong.

R&B: How is the program designed and what kind of commitment would a student be getting into when they join the program? For example, how many hours a week or month would they need to devote to it?

Beall: For most patients, smoking cessation will only require one or two visits, where we will assist the patient in choosing a method to quit. The rest is done by phone or secure message e-mail follow-up. For most people, the use of smoking cessation aids such as nicotine replacement, Chantix or Wellbutrin will make quitting much easier.

But nicotine replacement or other pharmacotherapy alone is not enough. Generally, counseling will make it more likely that a student can quit successfully, as it helps a student identify their strong trigger situations and develop effective strategies to deal with them.

Life Management from Claire Kurtz, The Well-Organized Woman

Use a calendar. Whether in Outlook, your phone or a paper calendar, this is one obvious yet powerful tool to keep you organized.

Make your calendar your friend and record everything in it, including your daily classes, work, study groups and social activities. Check it every night to remind you of what is coming up tomorrow. This is a habit that will serve you well once you move into a work environment.

Create a basic weekly routine. Consistency in activities you have to get done allows you to be open for spontaneous things that come up and you don’t want to say no to.

Try scheduling all the things you need to get done during the week for the same time of day but at different times from everyone else.

For example: Do your grocery shopping on a weekday morning, not Sunday night when everyone else is there. Doing a load of laundry at a time when the washer and dryer are free will save you from being held captive for hours trying to finish at an inconvenient time.

Create a simple three-item nightly routine. Return all study items to a designated area in your room for class materials, check your calendar as a reminder of what classes and activities you have the next day, take five minutes to clean up your room.

Create some technology-free time. This is time that you are not checking e-mail, Facebook or texting that allows you to focus on completing necessary tasks.

Schedule social time. You need it, so treat it like anything else and give it the time it deserves – just not all of your time.

Use an accordion file to keep track of bills, pay stubs, medical forms and University-related correspondence you need to have handy.

Make a habit of dropping relevant items into their specific file space once you receive and read over them. Even if you don’t have the time to keep the file perfectly organized, you will at least know where these items generally are if you need them.

When you get out of the car at the end of the day, take everything with you – food, cups, wrappers, backpack, gym clothes, etc. Getting into this habit keeps you from losing things and preventing odd science experiments from growing in your car.

Schedule some time in your week for money management tasks so you do not miss payment deadlines. Checking your bank account online every few days to see where you stand and sending bills out once a week can help you avoid unintentional overdraft fees or late fees on bills.

Use online bill pay either with your bank or a service such as Paytrust. You can save yourself time, late fees and paper clutter.

Learn something new

This doesn’t have to be a chore, and Athens offers a wealth of opportunities.

For someone on a shoestring budget, “Hoop Happy Hour” at Canopy Studios offers the chance to learn how to hoop dance free of charge.

“Hoop dancing is really something you can do anywhere, and it doesn’t take a lot of instruction to get started and be able to do it by yourself,” said Allison Workman, a founding member of Canopy and hoop dancer.

Although no formal instruction is offered during this open hoop time, it offers newcomers the opportunity to learn how to hoop dance by watching and experimenting with the loaner hoops.

Hoop Happy Hour is free and open to the public every Friday between 6 and 7 p.m. at Canopy.

 Good Dirt offers a “Try Clay” class every Friday night that allows people to use the pottery wheels to spin a unique piece of pottery that they can glaze and have fired.

The class is from 7 to

9 p.m., and the $20 fee includes all instruction, materials and having the piece fired.

 Main Street Yarns in Watkinsville offers three-day knitting workshops where people can learn the basics of knitting and make a craft they can take home and wear.

The practicality of having a hobby that can be made at home and worn or used around the house is what Main Street Yarns owner Ruth Barrow believes draws people to learn how to learn handcrafts such a knitting.

The workshops cost $45 and include all materials and supplies, including yarn and needles.

 The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation has the solution: learn how to play the bagpipes!

“Anyone can learn how to play as long as they have all of their fingers,” said Dan Wilson, the classes instructor. The class costs $40, but students must purchase a $25 bagpipe tutor book and a practice canter that costs about $80.