When thinking about joining the gym there are two things to consider. Firstly, which gym you are going to join. There are several things to think about including location and what is offered to members. Next, you need to find the best gym membership deal. Search around for a good membership deal, negotiate and be prepared to walk away and keep searching until you find the best deal for you.
Choosing a gym
Location. Decide how far you are prepared to travel to get to the gym. Ideally, you should look for a gym that is no more than 10-15 minutes away. Consider how you will be travelling there i.e will you be driving, walking, using public transport?
Personal fitness goals. Think about what you are looking for and what fitness activities you are interested in. All gyms have different facilities, equipment and classes. Do some research and find out what gyms offer and whether any match your fitness goals and interests.
Membership benefits. Does the gym offer any additional benefits to members such as access to classes, free towels or shampoo, hairdryers or access to professionals such as fitness advisors or personal trainers? Also, do any of these come at an extra cost?
Try it out first. Almost all gyms will offer a tour of the premises and many will also offer a free trial. This is your chance to check out the facilities, ask questions and see what equipment or classes are on offer. You should consider the atmosphere in the gym, is it busy/quiet, is the music too loud and most importantly is the gym clean?
How to get the best deal on your gym membership
Negotiate. It is always worthwhile asking if they can go any lower on the price. This usually works best when the gym is new and desperate to sign up new members or if you are speaking with a membership advisor who receives a commission. It is likely they will have been told in advance what the absolute lowest price they can offer is. Remember, this may not always work and some gyms may have fixed membership prices with no room for manoeuvre.
Membership deals. Most gyms will offer a family membership which will work out cheaper per person than individual memberships. Moreover, if other family members are interested in joining a gym, why not set up a family membership?
Off-peak membership. Check to see if a discount can be offered by only attending the gym at certain times i.e off-peak times.
Wait until a deal is offered. Most gyms at some point during the year will have promotions offering a cheaper price. These are usually in January after the Christmas period.
Don’t be afraid to walk away. If the gym won’t budge on their membership price and you aren’t happy to pay the amount they are proposing simply walk away. Most gyms will call you or email you after a few days to try to persuade you to reconsider joining and may throw in an incentive.
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