I love qigong, and the art is priceless tome. So it hurts me when people say, “I can’t afford your classes.”

Unfortunately, I’ve learned the hard way that what many people really mean is, “I value cable TV and a monthly pedicure more than the life-changing arts that you teach.”

A woman recently told me that she just couldn’t afford my classes. I mentioned my scholarship program, but she didn’t seem interested.  I think she expected me to offer her a lower price, which I did not do.

Oh, by the way, this woman had a fresh manicure, well-styled hair, the latest model iPhone, and a diamond ring the size of a blueberry. I also watched her drive away in a new-model Mercedes.

These arts saved my life, and I treasure them.

If you aren’t willing to make some little sacrifices to acquire these treasures, then please stop reading this article, unsubscribe from my website, and unfriend me on Facebook.

In the past, traditional masters would require you to sweep the floor, fetch water, repair fences, or do other grueling chores — often for years — before teaching you any secrets.

That was the traditional way for masters to test a student’s commitment.

Meanwhile, I teach powerful, life-changing secrets in the first hour of instruction, and I do it for less than the cost of a pedicure.

Are you ready to make some sacrifices in order to learn these treasures?  If so, then here are some tips.

1. Break Up with Starbucks

I enjoy Starbucks as much as the next person, but let’s be honest: those $4 lattes add up. If you buy a latte every weekday (like many people do), that’s a whopping $1032 per year! That could buy you a lot of Zen!

I’m not suggesting that you stop drinking coffee (gasp). All I’m suggesting is that you make your own coffee at home. “But Sifu, I can’t make a latte at home!” Of course you can.

I use an awesome device called the AeroPress, which makes unbelievable tasty coffee (just look at all the positive reviews on Amazon). Combine that with an automatic milk frother, and you can make a seriously delicious latte at home for a fraction of the cost. In fact, my wife prefers the lattes that I make at home to the ones she gets at Starbucks!

Amount Saved: $89 every month

2. Give Up Restaurants for 30 Days

Could you go 30 days without eating at a restaurant? If your answer is, “I would starve!” then it’s probably time to learn how to cook.  If you’re new to cooking, starting with a good cookbook can make a huge difference.  (My wife and I mostly follow a Primal diet, and we love this cookbook here.)

Many people can save $200 every month by cooking at home. That’s not chump change! Besides saving money, you’ll also be healthier, and the food will probably taste better too.

Are you willing to give up restaurants for just 30 days in order to learn an art that will be with you for the rest of your life?

Amount Saved: $200 in just 30 days

3. Turn Off the TV

It’s amazing how much money people spend on TV. When you add up the cost of cable, premium channels, satellite, Tivo, Netflix, and Hulu, it’s not uncommon for people to spend over $150 per month. If that amount doesn’t seem like a lot to you, then maybe it’s time to admit that you have a TV problem.

Here’s the million dollar question: Does watching TV truly fulfill you? Wouldn’t you be happier and healthier learning an art that will make you feel amazing? I know I am.

Get rid of some of the bells and whistles from your TV plan, and it’s easy to save $30 per month.

Amount Saved: $30/month x 3 months = $90

4. Use the Library

My wife is originally from Venezuela. When she emigrated to the US as a teenager, she was amazed by the libraries. They don’t have public libraries like that in Venezuela.  She couldn’t believe that so many books were readily available — for free! Even to this day, she loves libraries.

Books are wonderful entertainment. If you haven’t lost yourself in a good book in a while, then do yourself a favor and go to the library. Oh, and let’s not forget that the library has movies too. Yet another reason to cancel your cable TV service!

Skip a movie or two this month, save $15, and read a book instead.  Besides, the books are usually better than the movie versions anyway.

Amount Saved: $15/month x 3 months = $45

5. Cancel Your Gym Membership

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had the following conversation with a student:

“Sifu, I can’t afford your classes anymore.”

“I’m sorry to hear it. But wait, didn’t you say that you have a gym membership?”

“Yes, I do.”

“But didn’t you also say that you never go to the gym, and that you prefer doing tai chi?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to give up my membership or else I’ll lose my special $40 per month price.”

“So in order to save money, you are paying $40 per month for a service that you never use?”

Why not cancel your gym membership and apply that money to learning an art that you actually enjoy?

Amount Saved: $40/month x 4 months = $160

6. Drink Water for 30 Days

How much money would you save if you drank nothing but water for a month? You might be shocked at the answer. All that coffee, soda, juice, milk, beer, and wine adds up. By drinking only water for a month, you will also be cleansing your body of countless toxins, and you may also discover that you’ve been chronically dehydrated.

I’m guessing that many of you might find it difficult to drink nothing but water for a month. Fine. How many non-water drinks can you sacrifice this month? If you save roughly $1 per drink, how many dollars can you save in the next 30 days?  At the very least, can you save $30?

One obstacle people mention is that tap water doesn’t taste good. Meanwhile, bottled water is expensive and also bad for the environment. What to do? Try a Pur filter. Or you can do what I did and buy a high-quality filter. This is expensive, but the water tastes amazing, and it also does double-duty in an emergency or natural disaster (very handy in Florida).

Amount Saved: $30 in 30 days.

7. Say No to Salons

I was shocked when I learned how much women spend on hair and nail salons.

The women reading this know exactly what I’m talking about. For the men out there, would you believe that a manicure and pedicure (called a mani-pedi by the womenfolk) can cost $50? You might want to sit down for this one: A hair cut (called a styling by the womenfolk) can easily cost $100 every 8 weeks!

What are women really searching for at the salon? They want to look younger and more beautiful, and there is a billion-dollar industry out there to take advantage of that desire. But there’s a better solution.

Flowing Zen will not only make you look younger, it will also make you feel younger. The anti-aging benefits are not just skin-deep. People who regularly practice Flowing Zen look much younger than their chronological age. Their skin is healthier, their eyes are brighter, their hair is thicker and shinier, and their complexion is rosier. Of course, they also tend to smile more (one of the best ways to be more beautiful) because they are happier.

Do your nails at home, or wait a few weeks longer to get your hair styled, and you can easily save $25 per month.  After a few months of Flowing Zen, people will be complimenting you on how much younger and happier you look.

Amount Saved: $30/month x 6 months = $180

8. Sell Some Junk

Do you have an old phone, an old computer, some old clothes, some old books, an old bicycle, or an old TV? Chances are, you’ve got hundreds of dollars worth of stuff just lying around your house. Wouldn’t it be great to transform those unused items into a life-transforming skill?

We live in the age of eBay. A student once told me that he made $600 on eBay by selling stuff that he no longer used! He then used the money to buy himself 6 months of unlimited classes. Now, instead of a bunch of junk, he’s got a skill that will serve him for the rest of his life.

Most people can easily find $300 worth of unused stuff in their home.  How long will it take you to sell it all on eBay?  A month? What are you waiting for?

Amount Saved: $300

9. Borrow Money

I can already hear the objections: “Wait a minute, Sifu! Isn’t borrowing money bad?” No, borrowing money isn’t bad as long as we invest it in something worthwhile. That’s why we borrow huge sums of money for college. Education is an investment.

With these arts, you don’t need to borrow $30,000, and you can transform your life in a matter of months.  Six months of unlimited classes in my studio currently costs about $600 dollars.  Considering the amazing benefits that these arts bring, is that a lot of money? I’ve had dozens of people tell me, to my face, that Flowing Zen saved their life. What’s that worth?

10. Quit Smoking

There, I said it. But I’m allowed to say it because I used to smoke. Quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also one of the most rewarding.

In Florida, if you smoke a pack a day, you pay about $180 a month for the privilege of killing yourself slowly. And let’s be honest — you don’t really enjoy smoking all that much anymore. Maybe you did at one point, or maybe you still have one or two cigarettes a week that you enjoy, but the rest of them are just pure addiction.

When (not if!) you quit, the money you save should be spent on rewarding yourself. What better way to reward yourself than by learning an amazing art like Flowing Zen? This way, you get a double-whammy of health benefits — the benefits of quitting smoking plus the benefits of my classes. You’ll be happier and healthier, all without spending an additional dime.

Amount Saved: $180 every month

11. Set Some Limits

Unlimited texting. Unlimited data. Unlimited calling. Unlimited money? How much do you spend on your phone every month? Add it up. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of the phone itself, those extra roaming fees, and taxes. If you answered $50/month or less, then congratulations. That’s rare.

I know all about iPhones and smart phones. I’ve got one. I admit that it’s a pretty sweet toy. But you know what? I don’t really need all those bells and whistles. Recently, I downgraded my plan, saving myself about $25 every month. That’s $300 a year that I can spend on a seminar with my own teacher!

How much would you save by changing your monthly phone plan?

Amount Saved: $25/month x 12 Months = $300

12. Volunteer

If all else fails, if you truly can’t make ends meet but you are sincere in your desire to learn these arts, then there is another solution. I have a scholarship program that you can apply for where you can receive free training in exchange for volunteering your time for a charity. Email me for details.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony