Last year I paid for a full year of jiu jitsu up front as a black friday deal from an instructor near me. I had always wanted to try it and knew I could benefit by growing my strength, endurance, and learning how to stick to something hard that sucks. It was more than I had ever spent on any type of sport or activity in my life, but I went all year and made progress in an awesome skill, made great friends, learned how to stay committed to something that sucks over and over, and built my self-confidence. I just signed up and paid for another year in full and have zero regrets.
Because of how I felt in jiu jitsu and all of the progress I have been making I also signed up with a personal coach who helps me organize my day, set some long term goals, plans my meals, and builds all my workouts in and out of the gym. I had tried for the entire decade of my 20s to get in great shape, but I always came a bit short doing it on my own. Just like jiu jitsu, this coach cost 3x more than I had ever even considered spending on a trainer. In the past few months I have lost 23 pounds, increased my maximum lifts in every Olympic lift farther than I could have imagined, learned how to eat to fuel my body, and have broke all my personal running records from my teen years. I even completed two 50 mile races this year and got in the top 5 in a 50k trail race.
All things considered I spent over $5,000 this year on just these two activities, but the confidence I have now and the years I have added onto my life are worth many many times that amount. I am 32 and am lighter, stronger, and more capable in every way than I was at 18.