gym is so friggen expensive!

yentasdoitbetter
yentasdoitbetter Posts: 82 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
why does the gym have to be so friggen expensive to start????? its $50 bucks to join, then 40 bucks a month! so just to start going to the gym, its almost 100 bucks!!!!!! i'd love to start but its tough to come up with an EXTRA 100 bucks when things are so tight these days....

what is everyone else paying????

Replies

  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
    I work in a hospital network, so we have 3 different gyms we can use (not all of them are uber-equipped, however), for $15 a month, and it's taken out of payroll deduction.

    The only thing sweeter than the price is the fact that it's 50 paces from my workdesk!!
  • byHisgrace
    byHisgrace Posts: 175
    I live in a small town so there are only two options, the YMCA and the Family Christian Center. Both are $75 to join and $55 per month.

    On the other hand, my friend lives in a more urban area and she goes to Planet Fitness. I think it's $15 or $20 per month, very resonable.

    How many gyms have you priced?
  • AlmostHot
    AlmostHot Posts: 312 Member
    My husband works for a company that is family orientated and to have healthy families as employees so they actually pay the gym fees for the whole family. but if i didnt train there my boys swimm 10 sessions a week and the pool has a gym which parents are free to use while the kids train.:blushing:

    But I do aggree with you that gym is really expensive:tongue:
  • Chenoachem
    Chenoachem Posts: 1,758 Member
    I bought a set of variable weights for a one time price of $100 and do all my workouts at home. I live in a place where I can run and bike year round so I just take advantage of that. When I lived in NH I attended a YMCA since the weather wasn't so kind. It was $80 starting fee and $56 / month. It is just too much of an expense. My daughter takes a tumbling class and hers is $50/month with a $60 yearly fee. That gives her access to the gymnastics equipment other times than just class.
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    I have frequented various gyms since the age of 16.... imho, you can get as good a workout at home! Jillian Michael's Shred DVD, P90X, Chalean Extreme, Turbojam, and other workout DVD's can give you as good a workout. A set of free weights, a mat, maybe a treadmill - and you are ready to go!

    A gym is typically a huge facility with expensive start up, and is very costly to run. $50 a month isn't really that much if you think of their overhead. Gyms really earn their money on people who sign up and never walk through the door again. I forget the ratio, but most people who join never go.

    I might recommend home workouts!
    :flowerforyou:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    check your local hospital or heart institute. they always have a PT room that is also used for working out.

    Also, find out if a friend has a membership the ballys or la fitness. At Balleys I got my friend a full year membership for 100 bucks by adding her as friend/family.

    Oh and I lost all of my weight BEFORE I joined a gym. Walking, jogging, riding a bike.....all good cardio and you burn more walking on your own than on a treadmill!
  • kolney
    kolney Posts: 93
    We belong to the YMCA b/c our girls go to the daycare there. So we get the gym fee waived (however we pay a ridiculous amount of $ to have them in that daycare...best one around!) If they weren't in that facility it would cost us $100 to join and $90 a month to be members just at the gym. Isn't that crazy?
  • licia67
    licia67 Posts: 109
    I do not work out in a gym. I use Beachbody products and have gone from a size 14 to a 6/8.
    The initial cost of some of their products is as low as $50.00 and they get as high as$120.00. The great thing is once you buy them you never have to pay for them again.
    I have invested about $100.00 in free weights, but that happened gradually over time.

    I suggest that you take a look at Beachbody products before you make your choice. ChaLEAN Extreme is great for weight loss while toning and the workouts average about 35-45 minutes.
    P90X is a fantastic workout program if you are up for a challenge, they average about 55 minutes each, with one that is 90 minutes.
    If neither of these sound like they will work for you, check out all the other products they offer, and read some of the posts on the message boards.
    You will also find a photo gallery where people post their before, current, after photos to document the progress that they make.
    If you watch the infomercials, the people in them are real, with real results!
  • apalesko
    apalesko Posts: 21
    I have a limited membership, where I can go between 6 and 11pm five nights out of seven. It's 90 dollars... The joining fee was 100 dollars. A membership where I could use the gym any hours of the day, any day per week, would be anywhere from 150 to 250 dollars.

    If you think gyms in the US are expensive, move to Japan--it will change your perspective. ^_~
  • katethegreattt
    katethegreattt Posts: 6
    do you have a planet fitness around you? its really no money at all. you have to pay the start and close fee in the beginning which i forget but after that its either 10 or 20 a month. 20 a month gets you tanning and you can bring a guest for free.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    The YMCA will give you a reduced rate if you can't afford the full price. Well, they do it here, I assume they do it everywhere. :)
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    I agree with the workout at home. You can buy your own treadmill for as low as 200 bucks for cheapo. Try some tried and true dvds like Billy Blanks Taebo, Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds, The Firm and others listed above.
  • JoyousMaximus
    JoyousMaximus Posts: 9,285 Member
    I work for the Navy so we have access to all the military gyms for free. Have you considered taking a class at the local community college? They are only 1 unit and it for three months (in Cali that means it's only $20 total!)
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
    We're paying $89 for a family per month and it was a special enrollment of $99 its usually $199.

    That includes fitness, classes and pools. I figure it's an investment in my family's health.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
    Shop around. I have found that the gyms around me vary in price so much. The one I go to is $300 for the year. When I go 5 days a week, it's really cheap. The YMCA is expensive. I looked into that because they have the pool too. The local university was expensive as well although their gym is brand new and looks amazing. The city has recreation centres too but they have limited equipment.

    Sometimes, they will lower the price if you ask or if you bring a friend to join at the same time. Be prepared to take some time to look around if you really want to join a gym. I know that lots of people swear by the DVDs at home or working out on their own, but I love going to the gym.
  • stephica
    stephica Posts: 164 Member
    I thought the exact same thing when I was signing up. However, a good friend had put it in terms of if you are paying 45 dollars a month that's only 11.25 per week, Think of how much you spend on coffees per week etc, but remember this is for YOU & your health! Personally, I don't think I would be able to work out at home, I need to get out and moving, at home it's way to easy for me to make excuses.

    Either way, I go to Goodlife... They had a deal when I was signing up for no sign up fees and I pay 22 dollars bi weekly. I have posted a article, Hopefully it will help out a bit. Good luck!!

    http://www.buzzle.com/articles/maximise-your-gym-membership-and-save-money.html
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
    I LA Fitness. Been a member for years now so I'm not quite sure what my down payment was, maybe $100 and then $35 a month for one club membership. I recently moved and they tried to charge me another $100 just to use a different gym but I fought it. I love it because they have kids club, sauna, racquetball, basketball, volleyball, pool, jacuzzi, lots of cardio machines, never have to wait and plenty of weights. Classes are really good too and spin class, etc. When I cannot go to the gym, etc. I can put my membership on freeze for $10 a month.
    In these times though, your right. It is expensive to join. You could talk them down though, trust me!
  • leannelliott
    leannelliott Posts: 8
    Planet Fitness is a great gym if you have one near you.

    At school we get a free membership to the YMCA but while I'm home for the summer it would be around $100 to join for the 3 months and that is the shortest contract I could find, so instead of doing that I just go out and walk; or ride a bike.

    In the mornings my mom and I will take a 20 min walk around the neighborhood which is simple because it's right outside your front door and it gets you out and exercising. Sometimes if I want a change I drive to any of the trails around me and walk or ride my bike there. I found that when I'm walking/riding somewhere where i'm more in nature and not looking at cars and houses I am more motiviated to do more :wink:
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