How to save your dollars but still live your best pole life!

Whether you have just started your pole dancing life or you are 8 inches deep into this crazy world where we sweat glitter and froff another pole bruise, soon you will realise that the pole passion can start to become expensive. So how do we become the pole superstar we are born to be, without breaking the bank?

Now before the studio owners start getting all pouty on me, there is a reason why we pay good money to pole dance. Firstly, pole is not a “wham-bam-cram-em-all-in-ma'am!” kind of fitness class – class sizes are mostly limited by the number of the poles in the studio. If you only have 10 poles in your studio, you can only book 10 people per class. Some studios allow students to share poles which helps with class numbers, but even then, are you getting the pole time you have paid for? Pole is a very personalised dance experience and compared to many other group fitness classes, you get a lot of feedback and guidance from your teacher. Plus, if you want to have good instructors, you can’t pay them in pole grip unfortunately! So, there are also the overheads of paying staff, leasing a big space for tall poles and lots of floorwork, having insurance for when Susan decides to be a loose unit and try some wild trick she saw on the ‘gram, having stock to sell in the studio, plus so much more!

But as a pole dance student, how do we keep on track with our pole goals and dreams, without spending a fortune and having to sell a kidney? (Because let’s be honest, we love pole THAT much!)

Make use of practice times

Most pole studios will offer practice times as part of their timetable, which is when you can go into the studio and use the poles to revise what tricks you learned in class that week, go over some dance chorey or make use of the space to stretch or roll around in some floor work. As this is not a class, and therefore there is no teacher, practice times are usually quite cheap or are added in as part of membership packages. Not only are they cheap, but it’s a win-win as your pole tricks can only get better and chorey gets smoother! Just adding one practice class into your schedule will have you feeling on top of your next class as you have revised the content and are ready to kick some peachy booty! And a practice bonus? You will also meet other dedicated polers from different levels at your studio, so practice time can really help connect you to your pole community.

Friends who pole together...

Sometimes the practice times in the class timetable won’t suit your schedule, so why not get some pole friends together and book in for studio hire or a private lesson? Studio hire is much like practice time except you can work with the studio to book a day/time which suits you. Practice your comp routines, class chorey or tricks and have a laugh with your pole friends while doing it!

If you would like the added guidance of an instructor, book in for a private lesson. Most studios allow up to 4 people to share a private lesson and again, you can usually book these on a day/time which works best for you. Round up some of your class friends, and finetune those nemesis tricks together. Not only will you keep each other motivated during that time and celebrate the wins, but you can share the cost so you will have some extra dollars to spend on lunch together afterwards!

Buy a class pass or package

Studios often have class passes where you can buy a number of pole courses or casual classes upfront, which works out to be a cheaper price and you can choose to use the pass on different types of classes. For example, it might cost $30 for a one-off stretch class, but your studio might offer 5 stretch classes for $120 which means you actually get a class for free because of the discount. You might be out of pocket upfront, but it works out much cheaper in the long run! Especially if you are already spending money on “one-off” classes but are actually attending them every week. Have a chat to your studio owner or receptionist and see what your studio offers – they will be more than happy go through it with you!

Hustle the muggles

We talk about pole dancing so often, you probably have a few muggle (AKA non-poler) friends who are secretly bursting to try a pole dance class. Many studios offer ‘refer a friend’ discounts, where if you convince a friend to start pole classes and sign up for a term, you receive a discount on your own term fees or membership. How awesome is that?! A discount for telling people how amazing pole dancing is and converting them to the ‘sparkly side’! Also, now you have one extra person in your crew to obsess over pole with – WINNING.

Book in for virtual classes or programs

Since old mate coronavirus came along, so many studios worldwide are now running online classes, or have a virtual timetable in addition to their usual in-studio timetables. Some classes require a pole, but there are also many classes on offer where you won’t need a pole at home such as strength and conditioning classes, stretch classes, floorwork chorey, chair dance, acro/handstand classes and pre-hab or recovery classes. One of the best things about virtual classes, is that some studios send you the link for the recording so that if you can’t make that time you can still do the class. Some recordings are available up 72hrs after the class which means you can take the class again over the next 2 days! Whatttt?! Two classes for the price of one?! Also, many virtual classes are often cheaper because the studios don’t need to pay for as many overheads. So if you have been living under a rock this past year, you really should look into adding a virtual class to your schedule! It will do wonders for both your pole progression and your pockets. If you would like a more structured program, check out some online pole tutorial platforms, such as Polesphere, PDA Online or Indi Pole Dance to name some Aussie ones.

(Pssst – need help juggling in-studio classes and virtual classes? Want to avoid burnout and overtraining? Get your grippy little hands on our Weekly Pole Planner – it will make planning your life a breeze each week! Click here to check them out)

Get price savvy on pole products

Along with pole classes, we love to look gorgeous and feel grippy! Often pole dancers will have their pole heels, pole grip aids and pole wear for different classes hiding in their pole bag. There are a few ways you can save some money when it comes to stocking up on pole grips or clothes:

Your studio might have a loyalty points program, where you can convert points to use on pole grips, clothes or shoes that they sell at the studio. Keep an eye on your points and see if you can use them next time you run of out of pole grip!
Discount codes! So many pole brands team up with pole dancers who love their products and often you can find a discount code to use. So next time you're stalking your fav pole dancer, keep an eye on their social media captions or stories to see if they have a discount code you can use on a product you would like to buy
SALE. Now that has got your attention, and why shouldn’t it?! Is there a holiday such as Valentine’s Day, Black Friday or Christmas coming up? Is there a change of season? Chances are there are probably some sales or promotions in the works. If you have your eye on some pole wear but know that there is a popular holiday about to pop up in a week or so, hold off and see if you can snap yourself up a bargain! Join that brands mailing list so you will be the first to know when it happens (plus you’re supporting a small biz by the simple act of joining an email list!)
Free shipping! So many businesses offer free shipping if you spend over a certain amount, so see if some of your pole friends also need to stock up on grip and bundle buy, splitting the cost between yourselves.

Re-use or sell costumes

If you love competing and performing, the cost of pole costumes can start to add up. Who knew such tiny pieces of fabric could be so expensive? (I know, it’s all in that bespoke sparkle baby!). However, when you are planning a show or have a studio showcase coming up, go through your pole costume box and see if there are already pieces you can use. You might not be able to get away with re-using the whole set, but if you can use some pole bottoms or perhaps make some small changes it might just work in your favour! Another thing to note is pole dancers are very precious with their costumes! Yes they remind you of an incredible experience onstage, but if you know that costume won’t be used again, sell it online or even just wear parts of it to class! It deserves to shine out there brightly and not stay hidden away in your closet.

Buy a pole for home

Some people may not have the luxury of ceiling height or space, but if you are focused on your pole training and unlocking some pole goals, a home pole may just be for you! There can be some downsides, like having pets (or children) attack you mid-trick, or getting distracted by things around the house and not committing fully to the session. However, if you are disciplined enough, it could help you progress faster than a nip slip! The perks of having a pole at home are:

You can train whenever you like without the travel time to the studio or limitation of studio hours
You can go at your own pace and train what you like – tricks you learned in class that week, dance chorey, acro – whatever you’re in the mood for!
Jump into some online classes and revisit the recording, pausing it when you need or rewinding if you need to see the demo again (fantastic for visual learners)
Found a random spark of motivation for some comp chorey at 11pm? No worries – jump on the pole!
You get to control the climate! But seriously, you can set up your home pole environment exactly how you need with air conditioning, heating, windows open or closed – without worrying about the needs of other students.
Play your favourite music! For some fresh pole playlists check out Hair Flicks & Tricks on Spotify and follow our playlists
You can skip the bikini wax haha – pole AND beauty savings!

These are just a few simple ways you can save some dollars while still living your best pole life! You don’t need to take a million classes every week to progress with pole – just get smart and savvy with your pole training so that you can tighten the purse strings and save for nice pole things (ahem, HEELS) to reward yourself with later.

Tell me in the comments below how you get smart with your pole dollars!

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