How to find a gym – Let’s talk money

We’ve gone over a variety of things to look for in a gym and today, we’re going to talk about a very important issue that has nothing to do with health. That issue, is money.

Money = Quality (usually)

A good gym is going to cost you money. Gyms typically want some upfront sign up fee and then a monthly fee thereafter. Some gyms will not have these fees, these are usually the types of “hidden gyms” I discussed in my Monday post. These gyms can be company gyms, office complex gyms or even school gyms. If you have access to one of these, and if it has everything you need, you’re lucky. If you don’t, then you’re going to need to think about cost.

I currently have a membership at 24 hour fitness. It gives me access to all of their gyms any time of the day. I pay $34 a month for this membership and I didn’t pay an upfront cost. I also have a membership at my local office complex gym. This membership cost me $35 up front and has no monthly fee. Clearly the office complex is cheaper. However, the office complex is also much smaller, offers virtually no amenities, has no classes and has only location. There’s another complex near my work with a gorgeous pool, complimentary trainers and incredible facilities. This one is about $1000 upfront and $100 a month. So yes, you usually get what you pay for when it comes to gyms. The better ones will typically be more expensive. The question is, do they give you anything you need?

Also, don’t go overboard. That fancy gym may look nice but is it really worth it to pay $100 a month for a better view and a restaurant located at the gym? Quite often, these nicer, country club like gyms will offer little of value except prestige. That’s not something you need right now. You’re looking for a good gym with plenty of variety, not a social club.

For me, the office gym is a good choice because it’s very convenient and because I’m an experienced gym goer with plenty of healthy alternatives outside the gym. So I don’t need as much variety or all the amenities. In fact, I’m thinking of canceling my 24 hour fitness membership. If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend the more full featured gym, although you probably don’t need to go for the very fancy ones. Look for the chain gyms like Gold’, 24 hour fitness and so on. They offer the convenience of multiple locations, long hours and a good range of facilities for a relatively cheap price.

Ways to reduce cost

When you’re looking at costs, keep in mind that there are a variety of ways to cut down gym memberships. Here are some things to look into:

Company offers – Many companies recognize the value of fitness by offering discounts on things like gym memberships. In fact, I got my 24 hour fitness membership through my employer at the time. I’d be paying about $20 a month without that offer.

Your local YMCA or JCC – Both of these organizations started out as religion based charities, but these days, both have community centers which usually include gyms and are open to the public. They usually have excellent facilities with a wide range of options. In fact, here in the SF bay area, we have a number of YMCA’s and JCC with superb gym facilities at a relatively low price.

Friends and Family discounts – If you friend or member of your family is a member of a gym, they can usually get you a discount or simply add you to their membership. Don’t hesitate to ask for this since the referring member might get some benefit out of it. A lot of gyms have programs where members will get freebies in return for referring or adding new members.

Government programs – Like employers, local governments have learned that a healthy populace means a happy and productive populace. So many local governments will sponsor or subsidize gym memberships if you sign up through them. Check your local government’s website and see what’s available.

Community and social groups – A variety of private groups will also offer bargains on gym memberships. Senior citizen groups, college alumni associations, professional associations, union, they all might have some kind of relationships with gym networks in which the social group gets a referral fee and its members get cheap memberships. So be sure and check with whatever organizations you’re a member off.

Summary

A good gym should cost you no more than $30 to $50 a month. There really shouldn’t be any up front costs, so make sure and stay firm. Gym sales people are often similar to used car salesmen and they’ll try their best to get the best price out of you. That’s fine, just keep your mind on your goal and remember that it’s worth it. You can spent $50 a month of a couple of movie tickets, or you can spend it on a gym membership which will give you many more hours of use per month plus the good health that comes with great exercise.