Savvy consumers are questioning every monthly expensive in this tough economy and a health club membership can be tough for some exercisers to justify. I recently visited Lifetime Fitness to check out some classes and considered joining as a member. I'm already a member of two other downtown health clubs and a regular visitor at several others in the Twin Cities metro. While the club that I visited was impeccably appointed, I decided to pass on the $120/month fee to join.
To figure out if the price of a membership is right for you, first get out a calendar and mark the number of days that you worked out for more than 30 minutes in the last month. It's typical to overestimate the number of days that you exercise, so don't be surprised if the number you come up with is less than you expect. Divide the amount of money you would pay in monthly dues by the number of monthly exercise sessions to get a cost-per-visit. Having a cost-per-visit should make it easier to evaluate the following:
Does the club offer unique services that are worth paying for? Childcare, tennis, golf training or a particular personal trainer might be worth the price of your membership if the service is not available elsewhere and you honestly use the service on a regular basis.
Are comparable services available at a lower cost elsewhere? If you find yourself walking into the club and leaving after only a 40 minute run on the treadmill, then you might be better served by making a singular investment and purchasing that equipment for your home. Are you a free weight junkie? A well appointed weight room and a heath club quality mirror is available for the cost of 2-3 months of health club dues.
Do you use the facilities that sold you on the club in the first place? I was incredibly impressed with the locker rooms at Lifetime Fitness. But to be honest, I don't shower or change at the club. I don't want to pay $120/month to look at pretty tile while I'm walking to the bathroom.
Convenience. Time is money. How long does it take to get to the club? Is it on your way home from work? How much time do you spend driving to the club, looking for a parking spot, waiting for equipment and standing in lines?
When you do the math for yourself, figure out a cost per visit then use the checklist to decide if your investment is worth it for you. If you find yourself questioning your monthly dues, check back later this week for budget savvy workouts.
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Comments
Geez, which membership were you looking at?? I'm a member and have a gold account which allows me access to most of the gyms in MN. I only pay $30/month assuming that I make the 12 visit required for my insurrance to pick up the $20/month they offer.
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