Apr 27, 2026
Journalist Oyin Adedoyin used to spend her free time going out for dinner and drinks or attending boozy brunches with friends. Now, her social group spends that time — and money — attending spin classes and running clubs.
"Turns out that we are part of a national trend," Adedoyin wrote for the Wall Street Journal (1).
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She attributes her shift in activities partly to her health. After all, it's no secret that going for a run is much better for your body than drinking a beer. But, she's also motivated by finances. Spending money on a fitness class or gym membership feels more rewarding than paying for cocktails, both the next morning and in the long run.
Rebecca Palmer, a certified financial planner and head of financial guidance at Fruitful, has a lot of younger clients who view wellness as an essential part of their financial planning. "Wellness is one of the last things that they will cut from their budgets," she told Adedoyin (2).
Why Gen Z is shifting away from drinking — and toward fitness
Younger Americans have started drinking less overall, and they consume less alcohol than older generations. In 2023, 62% of people ages 18 to 34 said that they drink, compared to 72% in 2003, according to data from Gallup (2).
Over that same period, 10% more people aged 55 and older reported drinking alcohol, jumping from 49% to 59%. And those in the middle, aged 35 to 54, consistently report drinking the most, with 69% in 2023 (2).
Demographics play a role in this shift. According to more than 20 years of research, non-white Americans have been less likely to drink alcohol than white Americans. Gallup data from 2001 to 2003 showed that less than one-third of Americans under age 35 were BIPOC. In the 2021 to 2023 survey, about half of respondents in this age group were BIPOC. As this age range becomes more racially diverse, reports of drinking decrease (2).
Adedoyin says technology has played a big part in her social group's decision to drink less and exercise more. Phone pedometer apps count their steps. While wearables like rings and watches track multiple health factors, such as sleep quality, calories burned and heart rate throughout the day.
Dodging the financial hangover
Adedoyin notes that avoiding hangovers from going out the night before is one perk of her switch from drinking to exercising. But she's also escaping what she calls a "financial hangover."
"Paying for an evening workout class with friends is less likely to feel like a financial hangover because we accomplished something positive with our money," she writes (1).
The term "financial hangover" is a term similar to "buyer's remorse" or "financial regret." Fewer people are waking up panicked about how much they spent on drinks, food and other expenses, especially as they let their inhibitions down with more alcohol in their systems.
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How to work fitness into your spending budget
If you already regularly go out and drink, cutting back and allocating that money to exercise more may be a natural way to fit health into your monthly budget. But it's probably not a dollar-for-dollar exchange.
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So, how do you make room in your budget for expenses like a gym membership, extra workout classes or a weekly running club?
Just like with any type of spending, you should know how much you can realistically afford to spend on fitness activities. Palmer says in the Wall Street Journal article that subscriptions related to wellness and exercise should make up 20% of less of your discretionary spending.
The simplest way to fit working out into your budget is to find more affordable options. If there are two gyms near your house, consider joining the less expensive one. When signing up for a gym membership, choose a tier that includes workout classes rather than paying for these classes individually. Join a free running club rather than one that charges a fee, or just go for a jog in your neighborhood.
One way to keep your budget on course is to track how much you spend on fitness each month. The online bank Ally allows you to open spending buckets in your checking account (3), so you could allot one just for things like gym memberships or race registration fees. Or, download an automated budgeting app that breaks your spending up into categories.
One savings tool is too often overlooked: employee fitness benefits. Some companies offer reimbursements for "wellness" expenses, including memberships with certain gyms or at-home fitness equipment. Ask your employer if it provides this type of benefit, and if so, how you submit for reimbursements.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Wall Street Journal (1); Gallup (2); Ally (3)
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Laura Grace Tarpley is a freelance journalist who has been working in digital media for 10 years. She focuses on personal finance topics, including banking, investing, retirement, loans, mortgages, and taxes. You can find her writing at TheStreet, Business Insider, The Penny Hoarder, and more.
