Friday, January 14, 2011

How to Save on a Gym Membership



“75% of my readers I bet are thinking of losing weight for this New Year Resolution. Many would love to join the Gym, but not all can afford those crazy bucks. Here is a post written by Liz who speaks on how to save on the Gym membership”.

I love working out, but one of things that I don’t like about it is the gym membership.  Just about every gym around me makes me sign some sort of contract, and the high pressured sales is worse than anything that you can come across.

While you don’t have to go to a gym, many of us want to.  I wanted to show you how you can save on your next gym membership purchase, or maybe if you already have one, I can show you how you can save even more!

#1 Take advantage of offers:  When I was going to college, I took advantage of many gym membership offers.  I honestly had about 10 gyms within 25 miles.  I would take the introductory rate, and stay there until it expired.    These introductory rates included $20 for 6 months, first 3 months free, etc.  Yes, it’s a pain in the butt to cancel your membership, but if you just tell them you’re moving, they will cut you some slack.
TIP:  January is generally the best time to get the best offer, as everyone wants to sign up because of their New Year’s resolution.

#2 Negotiate with them:  Just because you have a gym in your area, and you think it’s expensive, it doesn’t mean that you have to pay that price.  Consider asking them if they will match a competitor ad, or even come down in price.  It really doesn’t hurt to ask, and you’ll be surprised at how many people say yes!

#3 Consider those that don’t advertise:  Look into your local YMCA, or even a smaller community center that has a gym.  Look into the prices, and you will find that many of these places are a lot cheaper than you think.

#4 Ask friends or family:  If you have a friend, or family that lives in a condo complex, or even an apartment community, you can always ask them if they have a gym there.  If they do, ask how you can take advantage of it as well.  Since it won’t cost the resident anything, you can just tell them that you live with your friend, or family member.  By doing this, you probably won’t have to pay anything.

#5 Ask your employer:  If you work with a major employer, ask them about gym discounts.  You will find that some can get you a discount on your gym membership.  It never hurts to ask about this.

#6 Your health insurance:  Just like your employer, ask your health insurance provider about gym membership discounts.  You may find that there’s a plan available as well.

#7 Ask for Financial Aid :
YMCA and many clubs like that do offer certain financial aids for those who are in lower economic zone. Feel free to ask about this if you feel you think you can get those discount.

These seven steps should easily get you on the right path, when you want to save a few extra bucks.  Now, you can always consider getting your own equipment as well.  While some of these tips may take more work, it will be worth the savings in the long haul.

This guest post was written by Liz C.   You can find more of her work, as well as the cost of items all at HowMuchIsIt.org.


Posted by Sudeep


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