Help! Which gym membership should I choose?

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sugamonstaa
sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I need a change of environment so I'm joining LA fitness. I'll be spending much more than my local neighborhood gym but it seems worth it as of right now: classes, spacious, more squat racks, across work access to other LA gyms, etc.

Anyways I could join my sister's plan and pay $29 initiation fee and $30/month.

Other option is $149 initiation fee but $19.95/month. This would be worth it in the long run (1+yr) BUT I'm not even sure how long I'll be at my job. I'm technically still a temp (to hire) and not hired permanently although I been there 6 months.

So which would be worth it?

Replies

  • sugamonstaa
    sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
    edited May 2015
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    It's a few cents difference if you calculate by a year with initiation and monthly plan but I'm still indecisive lol
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
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    Are you worried about not having a job because you are a temp or possibly moving? L.A. Fitness is a chain in most places? I remember they were popular in So Cal but I don't think we have any where I live. If I had to choose I would do the higher initiation to lock down the rates or even try and negotiate the initiation fee with $19.95 monthly rate.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    Which one's closer to where you live or work?
  • sugamonstaa
    sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Actually never mind. The plan Isn't the issue. I don't know which gym I should stick with.

    My current gym:
    5 min drive from where I live
    $10/month
    Has everything i need
    Cons:
    Not fancy
    Not as much squat racks just 1
    I don't have to wait for it much...it's usually only horrible during new years resolution
    No classes but no big deal
    La fitness
    Average $32/month if you include initiation fees
    5 min drive from work but weekends would be 15 min drive
    Big and spacious with 2 squat racks
    Classes for free if I want to do it
    Con:
    Expensive
    Squat rack turns me off it seems harder to lift off like I could drop it
    A lot more "look how hot I am" people
    Would drive 15 minutes if I had to drive from home vs. my current gym of 5 min.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited May 2015
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    sugamonstaa wrote:
    I could join my sister's plan and pay $29 initiation fee and $30/month.
    Other option is $149 initiation fee but $19.95/month.
    $29 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 = 209
    $149 + 20 + 20 + 20 = 209

    So... 6 months at the higher rate & lower initiation = 3 months at the lower rate & higher initiation.

    6 mo / 209 + 30 = 239 / 7 mo
    269 / 8 mo
    299 / 9 mo
    329 / 10 mo
    359 / 11 mo
    389 / 12 mo
    419 / 13 mo
    449 / 14 mo
    479 / 15 mo
    509 / 16 mo
    539 / 17 mo
    569 / 18 mo

    3 mo / 209 + 20 = 259 / 4 mo
    279 / 5 mo
    289 / 6 mo
    319 / 7 mo
    339 / 8 mo
    359 / 9 mo
    379 / 10 mo
    399 / 11 mo
    419 / 12 mo
    439 / 13 mo
    459 / 14 mo
    479 / 15 mo
    499 / 16 mo
    519 / 17 mo
    539 / 18 mo


    Will you stay with the chain more than 15 months (if you choose the higher initiation fee, which in
    the long run is cheaper), even if you don't go to that location any more because you lose that
    temp job (could you transfer to another location)?

    And is spending so much more money worth it, compared to whatever gym you currently have
    (and have presumably already paid the 'initiation fee', etc.)?
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Is it worth an extra $20/mo to have another squat rack and the option to attend classes? (You'd
    get 2 or 3 months' membership at your current gym for that.)

    And it being 3x further away, would you go as regularly?
  • alexistexas33
    alexistexas33 Posts: 121 Member
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    I go to planet fitness, it's $10.80 a month including tax, and it's a lot cheaper
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Look for another gym. heh at the initiation fee, that a bit of a rip off. Are you tied into a contract? What are the termination terms? They dont have deals to get round the joining fee?
    Where would you be better going to the gym from work or home?

    For me one of the most importnat factors is which gym I can most easily get to.
    Are there other gyms, maybe lifting orientated with more weights?
    Im not seeing enough reqason to take on a new commitment unless I can get out reasonably.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
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    sugamonstaa wrote: »
    Actually never mind. The plan Isn't the issue. I don't know which gym I should stick with.

    My current gym:
    5 min drive from where I live
    $10/month
    Has everything i need
    Cons:
    Not fancy
    Not as much squat racks just 1
    I don't have to wait for it much...it's usually only horrible during new years resolution
    No classes but no big deal
    La fitness
    Average $32/month if you include initiation fees
    5 min drive from work but weekends would be 15 min drive
    Big and spacious with 2 squat racks
    Classes for free if I want to do it
    Con:
    Expensive
    Squat rack turns me off it seems harder to lift off like I could drop it
    A lot more "look how hot I am" people
    Would drive 15 minutes if I had to drive from home vs. my current gym of 5 min.

    Do you go to Planet Fitness? I don't mean to say anything bad about them, BUT it is definitely crowded around New years!

    Classes sound really cool, but you wouldnt have as much motivation to go to the gym if you have to drive farther. I do most of my exercises outside this time of year and I go to the gym maybe once a week, sometimes twice. I do Planet Fitness and I wanted to switch but I knew that I don't use the gym as often during spring, summer and fall due to marathon training.

    It is a tough decision. If you do not get hired permanently staying with your cheaper and closer gym is probably the best. But if you do get hired for good and you want a change, it may not be a bad idea. Does it have a free trial you can try out?
  • sugamonstaa
    sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I'm fine with the one I pay and it's only $10/month and I guess it's better because it's close to home and on the way from work....

    Guess I'll think about it. I rarely do classes at the last fancy gym like the one I was at few years back. but they sure do smell way better and not like BO! But I got everything I need and get the job done. Just once in 2 years it was crowded to the point where I couldn't do my squats at the rack.

    *sigh* why am I making this difficult. I guess the nicer smell and prettier scenery is grabbing my attention. Also that I could workout with my sis at a diff location if I wanted to.
  • UpYourAli
    UpYourAli Posts: 3 Member
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    Can your sister or the new gym get you a few day passes to check it out? See if you like the classes. I love classes so to me it's worth paying more for them. To me classes make me get there at a certain time and stay the whole hour plus i don't have to think about what moves i should do. I just follow instructions.
  • sugamonstaa
    sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
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    Hated planet fitness especially their motto. I been there a few months.

    P.s you can get out at any time at LA fitness. Don't know why initiation is so high.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    A gym that you'll go to consistently 4-6 times a week is priceless in my opinion. For me that would include a number of factors such as:

    1. Having all the equiptment/options I need
    2. Not so busy that it's impossible to get a rack/piece of equiptment when I need it
    3. A location that's easy to get to from work and home
    4. A non-hostile environment

    Cost is secondary to these factors but I have enough disposable income for that to be the case.

    I vote in favour of doing a free trial at both gyms so you can check out the equiptment and also what the place is like at the times you usually go.

    I also think that there may be scope to negotiate the joining fees so definitely give this a go. Ask if they have any promotions available or coming up
  • GWehsling
    GWehsling Posts: 120 Member
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    I have two suggestions that have worked for me: Go to the expensive gym and tell them you are temp and not sure of your permanence and get them to negotiate their rates to keep you or go to your neighbourhood gym and tell them you will leave them if they don't get another squat rack. Both of these approaches have worked in my favour in the past.
  • aficzeri
    aficzeri Posts: 7 Member
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    In Mn Lafitness is the best deal and atmosphere. Stay away from planet fitness it's a joke it's not even a real gym
  • aficzeri
    aficzeri Posts: 7 Member
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    sugamonstaa wrote: »
    Hated planet fitness especially their motto. I been there a few months.

    P.s you can get out at any time at LA fitness. Don't know why initiation is so high.


    https://youtu.be/XOMvFy_nCIA

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