What is a good price for a gym membership?

jeorwa

Hey - I just called our local National Fitness Center - and the rates are $42.95. Is that good? It sounds high to me, but I am a cheap-skate at heart. (Plus a one time $15 card fee, plus a one time $25 paperwork fee - and a annual $30 maintance fee)

If I sign up for a gym membership - that's the one I would want to go to as it's where EVERYONE goes around here, as well as they have unlimited classes and a lap pool. (I love swimming laps - it doesn't feel like work to me!)

But- it is a little pricy in our budget, and it's a three year contract which with the economy as it is and layoffs are always possible worries me to be locked into something.

How much do you pay a month?

JBennis1013

I'm from Jersey and that is the average price of a gym membership. I don't know about all those crazy fees they're charging you though. I pay 19.99 a month for mine and its once a year maintenance fee of 15.

AndyBee

LA Fitness is $9.95 a week, no card fee or initiation fee. Also, no contract. This comes with free classes, lap pool, sauna, whirlpool spa, and multi club access. My fiance and I are thinking of switching to their month to month which is cheaper each month, but has an initiation fee.

I'm not sure if you have one in the area, but I love my gym.

foxxybrown

I pay $23.50 for a gym that sounds comparable to that one. My company pays the difference in the actual membership price which is $47.

gdunn55

I pay $50 a month for a YMCA membership.

Suzy12

We have Planet Fitness for $10/month and no contract. The YMCA is affordable as well. Anytime Fitness also runs around $10/month I believe. $42 is HIGH in my book!!!

Sign me,
Fellow cheapskate!!

kpepper07

I work out at a place called Planet Fitness. I paid a one time fee of 19.99 to sign up, 10.00 a month and a yearly fee of 39.99 (I think). No contract I can stop at any time. It is just a workout place no classes or extras but I like that. You can pay 20.00 a month and get tanning too but it is a yearly contract. Look around to all the gyms in your area and what you get for the price. Some offer day care which is a plus for some and will pay extra for it. I am sure you have more than one place to work out in your area. Check out the Y I really liked to work out there too.

msbanana

I go to LA Fitness. The initial cost was variable depending on what you wanted to pay a month. I paid the minimum which was a $169 enrollment fee and I pay $29 a month. If I had been willing to bite the bullet and pay $250 I would only be paying $19. There are no additional fees and there's no contract you can cancel or suspend your account at any time.


Hope that helps!
:drinker:

Edited to add we have unlimited classes as well, a lap pool, pick-up basketball, raquetball and volleyball teams (all included in the cost of a membership).

edorice

My membership with LA Fitness is $30 per month, that is a universal membership. They have many locations. You may want to consider a home workout program instead.

flinchyny

I think those prices/fees are reasonable, but I think having a 3-year contract is NOT at all reasonable -- I wouldn't lock yourself in to anything longer than a year, and ideally, I would avoid anything that is not monthly.

TaneeisFitforLife

The place where I work is $35 a month with no contracts

mikegohl

It depends on the equipment and services. There are cheaper gyms that do not have pools, free classes, or towel services. The best time to join a gym is the last couple days of the month when sales people are trying to reach monthly goals.

MindyC7609

I think that's pretty high for a 3-year contract. At my last 2 gyms, I had to pay their $50 or so enrollment, then about $26/month on a 3-year contract. My current gym also has an annual fee of $20. I have unlimited everything (classes, access, tanning, childcare). I think you could shop around and get a better deal.

BTW, I don't mind committing to a 3-year contract because it makes me more likely to go, knowing that I'm spending that money and CAN'T cancel...

NoAdditives

I go to Planet Fitness, I have the Black Card membership and it's $20 a month. The don't have classes, child care, a pool or steam room, but I get unlimited tanning, unlimited use of the massage chairs, free personal trainer.

fuhrmeister

My gym is $50 for teh first member of teh family and 31.50 for each additionl member. Fortunatly my husbands employer pays for his membership so we only pay the $31.50. Our is an all inclusice gym, with a huge amount of classes and a huge lap pool. Our's is not a 3 year contract. I think that part stinks.

I would definalty check out other options but I encourgae you to find a gym with a pool if that;'s what you love to do. We tend to stick with teh exercise we enjoy.

Good Luck!

BethanyMasters

I pay 30 dollars a month at Charter Fitness for myself and my boyfriend. It's a small comfortable gym and it doesn't have a pool .

Only gym I ever saw that had a pool that didn't charge 40+ dollars a month was Fitness USA and I turned around and walked out when the guy told me that I could only use the pool and the larger section of the gym every other day because the days were separated between men and women.

4x4n8

I pay $50 a month, for gym/pool/childcare included, etc. This my gym-
http://www.cullmanwellness.com/

LorinaLynn

I go to Planet Fitness and pay the $20 a month. No pool, which I wouldn't use, but I can bring a guest (my husband), so I think of it as $10 a month for each of us.

♥_Ellybean_♥

It really depends on where you live (obviously CHicago is going to be more expensive than say Oklahoma) ... but it also depends on the equipment and hours of operation of the gym.

My husband and I started last year at Fitness 19 (www.fitness19.com) and we found a $0 enrollment fee coupon and it was $19.99 a month. The gym was relatively big, it had about 10 treadmills, 10 ellipticals, 10 bikes and 2 steppers, and 4 cross trainers. It had a pretty decent size free weigh section, and a small area for alternative activites (balance ball, resistance bands, etc). It was open 5am-9pm Monday-Friday, 8am -6pm Saturday & Sunday. the membership included 1st child free in the play room, and unlimited visits along with a Free Guest Membership. This guest could be the same guest each time, or a different one and as long as you were there when they arrived they were free (you could leave and they stay that's fine). The membership also was able to be used anywhere there was a Fitness 19 and no contract.

My husband still uses Fitness 19, however I started using XSport Fitness. My memebership was $19.95 a month, I cam in with a 7 day free trial which they switched to a 30 day trial for $20. At which I could choose to cancel at any time in that 30 days with no charge and they would give me back my $20. At the end of the 30 day trial if I wanted to stay they would then charge me $49.95 enrollment fee, and one month after that my dues would start up which was $19.95. I am only allowed to use the one gym, and they are open 24 hours, and there is staff on duty as well as a personal trainer on call 24 hours a day. Their gym is slightly bigger than Fitness 19 and has more advanced equipment (new equipment, as well as TV's on individual equipment). They also have an optional Tanning for additional charge. And the kids room is free. The gym also has showers on sight for personal use, and locker rooms for you to change. If I wanted to upgrade my serivice to include any other gym it would be $33.95 per month (still not bad for 24 hour gym).

So as you can see the prices can vary depending on gym, location and amenties included. I personally LOVE Xsport.. and am thinking of upgrading my membership so I can use the gym on the weekends without having to travel 40 miles (by my work) and the other gym has a pool as well (the one by my work does not). And I would love to be able to add swimming to my routine.

bailey_rc

I just got a LA Fitness membership.... 49$ start up fee and 29.99 a month.... I talked the price down from 39.99

jeorwa

Hmmmm - thanks for the feedback! That really helps...and gives me something to think about.
I knew I could count on you guys!

♥_Ellybean_♥

I just got a LA Fitness membership.... 49$ start up fee and 29.99 a month.... I talked the price down from 39.99

LA Fitness CAN be reasonable if you get on a group discount or really good deal! .... Otherwise you can expect to pay a bundle of money upfront and a pretty good monthly fee. My LA wanted $250 up front and $29.99 per month just for me, and an additional $100 upfront and $29.99 for my husband!!!

raindancer

I go to 24hr fitness for $30.06 a month. I am limited to just that 1 club but I don't travel so that is fine for me.

fuzzymel

I pay £36 a month which is gym, classes and pool. No start up fees.