Treadmill Here Marc Lockley offers 10 top tips to help you get a better deal on your gym membership:
1. What interests you in the gym? Is it swimming or do you enjoy classes? Do you want to use aerobic machines or tone up with weights? Choose a gym that suits your needs – the more activities and facilities the club has, the higher the cost tends to be.
2. How often will you go? If it's once a week, consider pay as you go. If it's three times or more, membership may be the route for you.
3. What time of day will you visit? If you go when gyms are quiet you can get off-peak membership.
4. What's in your area? http://www.gymuser.co.uk/gyms/chains/index.htm lists many of the options in your vicinity.
5. Try before you buy. Look at the websites of the gyms, many offer free passes to potential members. Take advantage of them and you could be fit before you pay to join one!
6. Short-list your options. List two or three clubs you are considering and write down their benefits. For example; Club A has the largest swimming pool. Club B is much cheaper than A and has a small swimming pool. Club C offers free towels.
7. What's your ideal deal? No joining fee? What about free towels and/or a free personal training session included in the price? How about complimentary passes for friends? These and money off your monthly fee are areas that could be on offer if you ask.
8. Negotiate! Speak to your second club choice. Use your prepared information to your advantage. For example; say you liked their club, but the swimming pool was small compared to your main choice. As it stands you will likely join the other club, but if they can improve the price and offer free towels (like Club C) it may persuade you to become a member. What could they do?
9. Use your seniority to your advantage. If you are retired, mention to them you are happy to restrict your membership to times that suit the club in return for you gaining a better deal. For example, Monday to Friday between 8am and 11am.
10. Negotiate again. Speak to your number one choice and tell them how keen Club B are to secure your membership with an improved deal. Let them know you would be happy to join them instead if they could (insert your offer).
Marc Lockley is a negotiation coach who writes for the Guardian online and is the author of 'How To Pay Less For More: the consumer's guide to negotiating the best deals - whatever you are buying'. Marc's opinions are his own and for general information only. Always seek independent advice. This article was published on October 29, 2009.