Tips to Save Money on Your Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure Contest Prep

Now that you're in contest prep for your bodybuilding, fitness, figure competition it's apparent just how much this event is going to cost you. Although you've been scrimping and saving for months to do this competition it still may not be enough to cover every expense so being frugal is one of the best ways to save. Cutting a few corners will not only help save you some money throughout prep but may just leave you with enough for dinner after the show. Here are some additional ways to save for bodybuilding contest prep.

Do-It-Yourself Nails

Although many ladies head to the nail salon whenever they need a fill-in or a set of nails this can become a very expensive habit over time. If you prefer not to have your nails done check out the press-on nails that are available on the market. Some of them are within the five dollar range and very easy to apply. If you can't fit acrylics or press ons into your budget opt to do a home manicure.

Shipping Fees

Look for sites that offer flat rate fees for products and supplements or have specials running with no shipping. Paying by weight or hitting the "cap-off" limit on shipping may be far more than you expect. Another way to save on shipping is to order all of your items from one site. If you are ordering supplies from five different sites the shipping fees are bound to catch up with you.

Trade-outs

If you are a personal trainer who owns your own consulting site or studio now is the perfect time to do trade-outs. If your hairstylist or manicurist wants an assessment offer to trade your services for some routine maintenance on nails or to do your hair for the show. Tanning is another area to offer a trade-out but remember not to sell yourself short. Don't offer five full length training sessions for a hair cut that would normally cost you $60 dollars. Not only are you losing money this way but losing time that could be spent with paying clients.

Makeup

Many female competitors opt for a makeup artist to do their makeup for the big event but that's not feasible for every competitor. Having to pay for an artist to perform this task can be costly so you have to decide early on if you plan to do-it-yourself or if your willing to pay for it. If applying make-up is not your forte then by all means splurge for the service and try to save in other areas.

Sponsorships

Many amateur and professional athletes are looking for sponsorships to help absorb some of the costs. Many of the well known companies sponsor professional athletes but you can get in touch with your local supplement store owner, tanning salon, hair salon or posing suit maker to see if he is willing to sponsor you; and that's just a few examples. This is another avenue for your sponsor to market himself, also.

Travel Expenses

Check out sites that offer deals on flights such as Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and Cheaptickets.com. Many of these sites offer low rates for odd dates and your date may fall in the time period. Another large expense is the hotel cost but often times the promoter has a host hotel for competitors that will offer competitive rates or discounts so don't forget to mention this when making travel arrangements. As for gas expenses carpool with someone else doing the same show. You may not like catching a ride but it's an effective way to split the cost of gas.