Health and fitness are one of the most important things in life, and money we spend on those should be viewed as investment rather than expense. But with the ever rising cost of living and stagnant wages, it’s always good to save some money where you can. In this article, we go over several ways of getting a gym membership for cheap.
Gym Membership Transfer
A lot of gyms were ordered to close throughout the COVID pandemic, as a result, some of the gym goers have purchased fitness equipment and started working out at home. After investing into a home gym, some of these people are now trying to get rid of their membership membership, and are willing to transfer their remaining contracts for cheap. Some of them will even pay you to take over. For other benefits of taking over someone else’s gym membership, you can read about them at the link.
GymTakeover.com was created to help people sell their unused gym membership, or takeover someone else’s at affordable rates. You can find gym membership transfer listings near you on our website.
Wait for Promos
If you are not in a hurry, you can always wait for your local gyms to run a promo. Especially when a new gym first opens, they usually offer membership at a cheaper rate just to get people to sign up.
Sign a Longer Contract
Some gyms will offer a cheaper rate if you commit to a longer contract. Make sure you fully read and understand the contract before you sign.
Join a Gym Abroad
Some gyms such as Anytime Fitness gives its members worldwide access to its gyms, even though each gym is individually owned and may have different rates. For instance, I was able to get an Anytime Fitness membership overseas for CAD $35 a month, but my local gym in Canada wanted $55. Obviously, it’s not cost effective to go overseas just for a gym membership, but if you happen to be traveling, why not look into it? The only caveat is that the gym abroad becomes your home gym, and you will have to deal with them for renewals or issues related to your membership.
Take Advantage of Group Rate
Some employers, or chambers of commerce if you re a business owner, have deals with gyms that allow you to join at a cheaper group rate. If you don’t have access to those group rates, see if you can get your friends to join with you and negotiate. There are also gyms that offer family discount.
Insurance Coverage
While you might not be able to get a gym membership for cheap, your insurance coverage may subsidize it. So go read those fine prints.
Be Flexible
Some gyms offer different levels of membership, and you can get one for cheaper if you are okay with less amenities, accessible hours or locations. Ask yourself, do you really need a gym membership with access to a sauna, pool or hot tub? Or is it more of a want?
Municipality-operated Facilities
Another option is to check with your municipality to see if there are any publicly funded sport or recreation facilities. They are often more affordable and offer family discount.
Join a Gym with Cheap Membership Rate
You can always join budget gyms like Fitness for $10. Just make sure you ask for a trial period so you can see if the gym is well-maintained and not too busy.