Ymca membership?

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bearinthebigbluehouse
bearinthebigbluehouse Posts: 43 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How much is your membership? Mine was 56 a month, no joining fee, free child care, free classes and a pool which I didn't use. I find that this is a little bit high and it goes up every year.

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  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
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    Where do you live? I have found that YMCAs aren't actually that well priced compared to for profit gym. I pay 50 a month for my gym on a month to month contract and it's for the best facility in town. A lot of other gyms are half that price and open 24/7. You might want to shop around to see where else is available.

    On the other hand, if you do make good use of the child care, you probably won't find that many other places.
  • theseus82
    theseus82 Posts: 255 Member
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    If you're not making bucko bucks you can apply for a scholarship. It's just some paper-work. Family membership will also cost more as well.

    With a scholarship, I was paying $27 / month. But I only joined because my treadmill broke down, and I actually used it everyday. When I finally replaced my treadmill with a sturdier (and pricier) one, I quit my membership.
  • LexyDawn
    LexyDawn Posts: 113
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    $75/month... but I added a tote box to mine... it is $65 without the box... free classes, and I don't know about childcare.... I think it's pricey but worth it for the convenience of being close to my home and office.
  • chattychick
    chattychick Posts: 90 Member
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    The YMCA is supposed to go on a sliding scale fee- so those who cannot afford to pay the full membership can get "scholarships". I joined the Y a few years ago- and at that time I was not employed full time. My membership fee was $31 a month. Since I have maintained membership since then, I still pay in that range (it has recently been raised to $33 a month).

    There are other gyms that are cheaper but I am a fan of the Y because they are so plugged into the greater community. Is your membership city wide (can you use it at multiple Y's). They do offer memberships for specific Y's and they tend to be cheaper. Hope that helps.
  • mauryr
    mauryr Posts: 385
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    Mine is 45/month, with a 150 enrollment fee. I am quite happy with the facilities - not as shiny as commercial clubs, but very complete. Pool, racquetball, machines, weights, showers, sauna, steam, jacuzzi, classes, daycare (for an additional fee) and it's full of nice friendly people. Demographic skews a little older than I (I'm nearly 50), but it's pretty mixed.

    I'm also happy that I can visit other Y's with no charge. The hollywood ymca is quite nice.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    Yeah YMCA memberships are expensive...and in order to get a cheaper pass you have to prove you're low income. I love the leisure center I go to...I pay roughly $39/month but my company pays half my membership...but it's a huge facility, and it's very well taken care of. The last gym I went to was tiny little hole in the wall, no staff, poor reaction rate for first aid, and I paid $36...leisure centres are the way to go
  • bearinthebigbluehouse
    bearinthebigbluehouse Posts: 43 Member
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    I live in Southern California so maybe that's why it's so much. I was on scholarship and then my husband started a new job and now we make too much, we are not over by much. I asked if I could volunteer and help out but they said no. I miss it so much! I love the small classes, nice people and my spinning class!! It goes up 2 dollars a year.
  • Sanya77
    Sanya77 Posts: 172 Member
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    I pay $ 61/ month(1 adult and 2 kids) with free childcare, free group classes(inc. Zumba, turbo kick, yoga, pilates, and many other), free pool usage, of course fitness room, free and free computer lab for Rossetta Languages, free basket ball court, raquet ball court, billiards and free prime time for teenagers. BTW my kids also get discount for summer camps, snow day care, fun clubs, swim lessons, summer camps. It's in Troy NY.
  • fasttrack27
    fasttrack27 Posts: 324
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    Dang, you all have it pretty good! It's about $80/mo here in West Michigan for a single (more for a family). I am over the limit for financial assistance. I still go with it over the 24/7 franchise places because of all the extra services (classes/showers/pool and hot tubs/towels/etc), their community involvement, and the friends I have there. Surprisingly, the othe' places around here were not a ton cheaper when factoring the big upfront charges and they have very inferior facilities and services.
  • Brandie6004
    Brandie6004 Posts: 87 Member
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    I pay 85/month for a family membership (in TX and the 100 joining fee was waved when we signed up due to a promo). I love my Y membership! we have an outdoor and indoor pool and an awesome kiddie pool. I really like the child watch area and staff. My kids love it there too! (my 4 yr old loves it so much that if I do a short workout she has a cow when it's time to go!) I like to do my work out and then take the kids swimming.

    I have a friend that is also a Y member and a mommy. A few months ago she looked into other gyms. She didn't care for the childwatch areas in any of them; one of the gyms you had to pay everytime you dropped your kiddos off. ...and none of them allowed the kids to swim.

    So, I think if you have kids to think about the Y is the way to go.
  • bearinthebigbluehouse
    bearinthebigbluehouse Posts: 43 Member
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    TY for all of your responses. I thought mine was high because of where I live, but it doesn't look like it. I miss the Y but I don't think it's worth it. My Y is old, small and it needs to be painted. They get new machines but it's from the other Y across town, the one across town is a new building and when they get new machines my Y get their old ones. The child watch is another story, lots of complaints from me and other parents about the lady who watches them.

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