Yes, it's been very good so far to me for all the reasons you cited. I don't know if I'll ever use what I'm learning in a real-life situation. Lord knows I'm not going to bars to pick fights. But still there is the confidence factor that plays a role, too, I think. I don't quite feel like I could handle myself in any situation, but I can see glimpses of it, and that's a benefit I was told about beforehand but never really "got" until I started training.

I also have fun teaching my wife some of what I'm learning. It's quite hilarious because she adds a lot of sound effects from the movies.

I recommend walking or biking - and edit - making your own lunch for work. You will save money, feel more energetic and be healthier overall.

Martial arts are good, but tend to cost money and also require quite some commitment - you can't just do them, you have to try to do them well.

I like to recommend simple and low or zero-cost things like walking and biking. Popular in Australia is the 10,000 steps programme. You hook a little pedometer onto your belt, and it counts your steps. Good ones will allow you to note your stride length and bodyweight, and thus calculate distance travelled and calories spent, too.

This works well for some people, though not all. Some people respond well to having a constant number reminder near them. "Only 3,241? Bugger, I guess I better walk home from work today."

The "10,000" is a common goal number of steps, making up an hour or more's walking, and six or so miles. In my experience, just pottering around doing housework will give you 1,000-2,000 steps, if the shops or train station are something like half a mile away that'll add a few thousand, so it leaves only one dedicated walk you need to do each day - say half an hour with the dogs in the morning, or after dinner to help you digest.

At a friend's workplace there's a man who does about 20,000 steps a day, except that once a week he walks home from work... which is about 12 miles. He's 60 years old.

By walking or biking a lot, you save money on commuting - whether by car or public transport - you lose excess weight in a slow way that you can keep up (unlike a fad diet), and usually become physically healthier, which also saves you money in a country without a good free public healthcare system.

I find that you save money on food, too. Fast food generally leaves you feeling sluggish and without energy, making it harder to go for walks. But after exercise you don't usually want a big greasy feed. So between fast food and exercise, one of them will gradually be given up. Assuming it's the junk food you give up, this makes your food bill cheaper.

My woman's also just made the point that one thing people can do to save money and be healthier is to take their lunch to work. Lots of people, especially professionals rather than working class, buy stuff at lunch, which is usually more expensive and fattier. Of course lots of people are busy in the mornings - so, just make some extra dinner the night before, then set some aside in a container for the lunch next day.

If you have time to comment on blogs or watch Everybody Loves Raymond then you have time to cook your dinner or go for a walk :)