Gym memberships traditionally rise in January as people vow to self-improve after pigging out over the festive period – but as we previously reported, many Britons are now maxed out a month on from the early Christmas pay date.
The Money team spoke to Steven Dick, co-founder and co-director at The Fitness Group, about how you can keep on track with your New Year’s resolution for a little bit less…
Take advantage of free trial periods
Making sure you find a gym that suits your lifestyle is important if you’re going to stick with it when January turns into February. That’s why it’s a good idea to take advantage of free trial periods. This way, you can try a few different gyms near you for free before committing to one.
Join the gym at the end of the month
The end of the month is when most gyms are looking to fill their sales quotas. This means they’re more likely to introduce welcome deals to new members.
Use gym discounts and offers
Many gym chains have exclusive offers and discounts for new members as a way of steering them away from the competition. This could be removing the initial sign-up fee, slashing the prices of an annual membership or even offering you a free upgrade to a premium membership package if you sign up on the spot. Make sure you ask.
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Choose a pay-as-you-go membership
While not as common as an annual or monthly membership, pay-as-you-go packages are a great way to save money since you’re only paying for the gym when you actually use it. Some gyms also let you pay for a series of sessions without fully committing to a contract, so you can still use many of the discounts from bulk-buying a membership.
Sign up for a yearly membership
If you do know that you’re going to use the gym regularly, an annual membership might be worth the contract. Usually, you’ll save a lot of money by signing up for a year rather than paying in monthly instalments.
Change to a basic gym membership
Doing your research will make it easier for you to find somewhere that specifically suits the way you want to work out. There’s no point paying an elevated premium membership fee for swimming pool or spa facilities that you don’t use. Sometimes, all you need from a gym is good equipment and a wide offering of classes.
Negotiate your membership
While it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get much more off the set membership prices, asking specific questions about current promotions and offers might mean the difference between paying full price and managing to whittle your costs down a little.