What should I spend a $500 "wellness" subsidy on?

January 6, 2022 8:25 AM

My current company provides a $500 "wellness" reimbursement every year. I'm leaving the company next week. What should I spend the money on, right now?

Eligible reimbursement categories include:
* Mindfulness, fitness, nutrition, financial planning, or weight loss apps
* Fitness classes, including meditation. Can be online or virtual
* Fitness or aquatics center membership fees
* Personal training fees
* Home gym equipment, not including equipment primarily designed to be used outdoors
* Financial planning apps and financial advisors; tax preparation
* Nutritionist fees

I already have a set of home gym weights and a treadmill. I'm located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

posted by woodvine to Grab Bag (22 answers total)

Clip-card at a massage place is the usual use here, not sure what it might fit in under your list.
A set of Blazepod workout lights.
posted by Iteki at 8:27 AM on January 6, 2022

Some sort of gym equipment that you can resell, probably.
posted by bowbeacon at 8:28 AM on January 6, 2022 [7 favorites]

If you don't yet have a will or any kind of financial plan I would spend it on that. Find someone to draft up basic documents for you. Much more valuable than a treadmill or something that (if you're like me) will turn into a coat rack in a month.
posted by bondcliff at 8:32 AM on January 6, 2022 [5 favorites]

Can you prepay for a pack of classes with a personal trainer or at a local fitness studio? Many fitness and conditioning coaches work over Zoom or similar videoconference platforms, in case you would prefer to avoid in-person classes.
posted by brainwane at 8:41 AM on January 6, 2022 [6 favorites]

With the current sale, that would cover most of a year's membership to VIM Fitness, which includes virtual classes. I've never used their virtual classes, but I always found it a solid functional place to work out.
posted by praemunire at 8:42 AM on January 6, 2022

How about remote fitness coaching through Future? They're a great company with fantastic coaches, and they'll set up a program for you based on the equipment you already have.
posted by golden at 8:48 AM on January 6, 2022

Where I work, there's an unofficial "what we've gotten away with" list. For us, the list includes stuff that never would have occurred to me, like massage gear, houseplants (they freshen your air! apparently!), and dance classes. I'm not suggesting you just put in for stuff like that at random, especially because your wellness plan is not our wellness plan. But I am suggesting you ask around, because people might know some stuff that might surprise you.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:52 AM on January 6, 2022

Where I work, the vast majority who don't spend the wellness budget on gym membership spend it on an Apple Watch (i.e. a fitness tracker). If that's eligible then it's probably the easiest thing to resell.
posted by caek at 8:56 AM on January 6, 2022 [6 favorites]

That'd cover most of a year's membership at your local YMCA if that appeals.
posted by jabes at 8:58 AM on January 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

My company did this recently and I used a portion of it to buy new running shoes and replace my ultra-gross old shirts and shorts. We were also allowed to use the allowance for home office stuff, so I splurged on a mechanical keyboard which, I have to say, is something I now wished I'd gotten a long time ago.
posted by jquinby at 9:09 AM on January 6, 2022 [2 favorites]

Forward pay for your gym fees.

This is a bit of a grey area but buy some gym equipment easily returnable and return it after.
posted by artificialard at 9:45 AM on January 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

I'd buy $500 worth of credit at a massage therapy place (or a chiropractor if that passes more muster) in a hot second.

Membership to a fancy fitness club simply so I could use the hot tub and sauna in the wintertime.

Barefoot shoes or better workout clothing.

Bike, new helmet, other bike gear?
posted by anderjen at 9:49 AM on January 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

I really like Headspace, annual it's $69.99
posted by radioamy at 9:59 AM on January 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

At my company we can spend it on gear, do you need new workout clothes/shoes?
posted by radioamy at 10:00 AM on January 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

According to the plethora of ads I've been seeing recently, that money can be spent on menstrual undergarments (Thinx seems to be pushing this), which could be a good use if you menstruate. That could easily use half or more, and for the rest...a workout mat? Yoga blocks?
posted by Grim Fridge at 10:26 AM on January 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Nice first-aid kit? Box of N95s?
posted by Medw at 10:54 AM on January 6, 2022 [2 favorites]

If you don't already have a budget system you're happy with, a year of You Need a Budget might be a worthy investment of ~$100. I also definitely agree about the will idea, though a week might be tight for getting that invoiced.

Is there a local outdoor pool you could pre-pay for the summer?
posted by teremala at 11:05 AM on January 6, 2022

If you don’t have a financial plan, then prepay for time with a planner. When you change jobs it’s good to update your plan.
posted by 26.2 at 12:28 PM on January 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

Kids' bicycles
posted by amtho at 1:38 PM on January 6, 2022

Gift certificates
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 2:01 PM on January 6, 2022

Float Boston is pretty great - you could get a pack of 9 floats for $475.
posted by tangosnail at 2:56 PM on January 6, 2022

Skis?
posted by Sukey Says at 5:13 PM on January 6, 2022