Healthy for a Happy Life

Along with the New Year come throngs of new gym memberships. Unfortunately, many of us will waste resources on well-intentioned mistakes. Check out these six tips to get the best deal possible:

1. Try before you buy. Contact gyms near your home or office and request a no-commitment trial. Most fitness facilities will give you a one-week pass to try out the facility. Be sure to visit during the times you are most likely to work out, so you can gauge the crowds, suggests Pam Kufahl, director of content at Club Industry, a website for fitness pros. Try the classes that interest you, examine the cleanliness and condition of the facilities, including the weight machines, the locker room, and the swimming pool. Ask members what they like and don’t like about the club, and get a copy of the fee schedule so that you can plan your strategy for negotiating your membership dues.
2. Search for the best deals. Scour the web, including Groupon, Living Social, and Gilt City, to find the best deals and use these findings to negotiate the best rates as you narrow your search.
3. Join at the end of a month and time your purchase. “You can often get the biggest discount on a gym membership later in the month,” says Andrea Metcalf, a certified trainer and health coach in Chicago. That holds true in January or during any month of the year. Metcalf says that toward the end of a month, gyms trying to meet their monthly sales quotas will offer you lower rates to entice you to join. If you are not in a rush, consider waiting until the summer to lock in an annual membership rate. The summer is the slowest period for new gym memberships and maybe your best time to get the best deal.
4. Do your homework. Get references, look for a report at the BBB, and research your options on line, reviewing complaints and feedback. Be aware that gym membership sales can be very aggressive and misleading. The Better Businesses Bureau of the U.S. and Canada, handled 5,108 complaints about health clubs in 2013, the latest statistics available. This makes health clubs the 28th highest complaint category among hundreds of businesses. Most of these complaints stem from discrepancies between what consumers say they were told by sales personnel and what the signed contract said.
5. Consider pay as you go before you commit. If you have any reservations about the contract or the cancellation policies, pay as you go until you are completely comfortable. It will cost you extra in the short-term, but will save you far more in the long-run.
6. Know what you’re buying. If you decide to sign a contract, don’t rely on what the salesperson says. Read the contract carefully. Can you terminate it, and, if so, how? What happens if you move or become disabled? Is there a separate enrollment fee? What are the monthly charges? Is there a penalty if you pay late? Does the contract renew automatically? Beware of or low-cost lifetime memberships or “free” memberships, which could be a sign that the club is financial trouble. Make sure any discrepancies are addressed and that the contract is adjusted accordingly before you sign. Entering into a gym membership contract is a big commitment, so be assertive in your negotiations and proceed with caution.