If you have taken up yoga for whatever reason it is worth a little research before blindly going to your local store and paying over the odds for one and having little choice about what you buy. Go on the internet and check out the yoga sites as most of them offer bargains on clothing, bags and yoga mats which could save you a fair amount of money.
If you are a member of a club or gym spread the word that you want to buy a yoga mat and others will approach you with advice and often the name of a supplier. Yoga mats cost around 15 bucks normally but when I looked on a yoga site today there was a special offer whereby if you bought 8 they were reduced to $6 each. That’s a massive saving and though obviously you only need one perhaps you could put a message on the gym notice board or even on a social network site that you ar a member of.
You should also look at the type of yoga mats you require and if you are only adopting poses and meditating then you could get away with a fairly cheap one whereas if you are going to do exercises that will make you sweat then it is worth investing in a more expensive one that is non-slip and washable. When you start something new it is normal that you want to buy immediately like a guy who discovers golf wants new clubs yesterday.
If you can avoid making a impulse purchase you can save money and perhaps as well as a yoga mat you could buy a bag to carry it in or at least use the money more sensibly. Enjoy your yoga but do not unnecessarily spend more than you need.