Health is wealth, they say. Yet it’s curious that keeping your body in good shape can be a really expensive business. Minus the cost of good and healthy food, even getting an affordable gym can be a frustrating task in 2020. Well, it will be frustrating only if you don’t have a good direction.

There are lesser stories of cheap gym memberships than there is news about gyms that offer “fitness deals” that still cost north of a hundred bucks as registration fees alone, let alone the monthly membership fees that are anything but cheap.

Fortunately, that’s what this piece will give you – a chance to sweat as much fat away, safe in the knowledge that it’s at the cheapest gym memberships in the US of A. Below are the golden tips you’ll need to get cheap fitness deals in 2020.

It’s all about the timing

By now it’s common knowledge that the only time it’s wise to “stretch” for gym memberships, is that divine period of the year when gyms are tripping over themselves with different promotions and fitness deals – January.

Just as New Year celebrations reach their peak and ebb away, different gym campaigns roll around to take advantage of the seasonal wave. So, feel “free” to wait for that moment and take advantage of the best opportunity to get different bonuses. You can look forward to not having to pay registration fees, or enjoying some benefits at deep discounts along with some free extras.

Another great time is towards the beginning of summer. You should specifically take action towards the middle or end of January or whatever month you’re looking to sign up, when you can request for the seasonal bonuses to cover the last days of the month, and start payment for cheap gym memberships in the next month.

Look behind the icing

Whatever your choice of timing, always think long-term when making your choice out of those juicy offers. Simple as that. Fitness is a lot more about consistency than peak moments. This makes it a waste to sign up for awesome-looking specials that you can enjoy for a month or two before they get back to ridiculous amounts and you can no longer afford them.

Instead, treat those promotions as windows of opportunity to sidestep huge signup fees, and settle into a good routine at cheaper gym memberships and with the cushion of any other bonuses.

Think Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness is the epitome of cheap gym memberships in USA. With fitness deals starting from $10, Planet Fitness gym memberships could be just the thing you need to get your fitness on the way at the cheapest possible prices. In this case, though, the terms might seem too good to be true, so you must try it to believe.

Negotiations

Talks about prices are almost essential, especially when you want to go for the more expensive options. In fact, negotiations for gym memberships are vital to choosing the right gym.

You can go with a friend, or even a family member willing to join the gym too, to get an even better deal and more confidence for crunch talks. Getting someone to sign up with you also “works out” well because you get a person to motivate and get motivation from, which will be important if you don’t want to fail yet another New Year’s resolution.

Don’t go straight into the gym you want to join

This is not advising you to loiter around the premises of a gym of good repute. Rather, look carefully at the alternatives and keep an open mind about choosing the right gym for you. This is useful for a lot of reasons.

First, you’ll need the general knowledge when you get at the negotiation table of the gym you want to get, for cheaper fees. You can exploit the free trials that some gyms offer to get a more accurate feel of the gym. It’s not a sin to try out four gyms, for a week each, throughout January and end up joining a totally different gym. You never know, you might be surprised with what some of the alternatives have to offer you.

You can alsoask the internet for its opinion. Scour through social media for gyms you’ll like to join to get a heads up when there’s a promotion around the corner, discounts on offer or packages you might benefit from. Some sites are available that hook you up with the best deals and coupons for cheap gym memberships too.

Get a little dirty

When at the negotiation table with the sales associate of the gym you’re eyeing, don’t feel guilty for bringing up the fact that there’s a cheaper gym down the block. Make sure the fact that you’re drooling about the high quality of gym equipment you’re seeing doesn’t get noticed. Let them know you’ve been around different gyms and you’re not going to sign up if you don’t get a better fitness deal than what they put on their banners.

If the sales associate is too adamant on what is written on their brochure, then it probably means you’re talking with the wrong person. In such cases, it’s cool to go up their ladders and speak to the manager instead.

Check if you’re eligible for any bonuses

Nobody knows if you’re eligible for any discounts except if you find out yourself. There is no one waiting to tell each person which discount he/she is eligible for. So, take the active step of asking your boss if your employment qualifies you for any fitness deals or discounts.

Military personnel usually get discounts at many gyms out there, local health centers have fitness shacks with close-to-free cheap gym memberships, and even students or ex-students can get discounts or cheaper gym memberships in USA. So, don’t be shy to ask if you are privileged. It always stings when such a benefit is found out later.

Don’t fall for empty promises

Don’t ever forget that regardless of how nice that sales associate is, he/she is still a sales associate. To get your signature on that contract, they’re usually capable of being as creative as they can in making the gym alluring. By falling for the lure, you might not be releasing the top dollar, but you may be giving a lot more than the gym service is actually worth.

If the promises are obviously in construction and your better judgement (coupled with the judgement of another sensible person) admits that the gym can be trusted to deliver without delays, then go ahead. If not, then you’re just giving out money, and that’s not how to get cheap memberships, is it?

Health insurance and the gym

Some health insurance schemes have a clause that allows beneficiaries to get cheaper gym memberships. It could be discounts at specific gyms or generally accepted stipends that cover fractions, or the totality, of your monthly gym membership payments. All of these depend on your health insurance company.

Look at the contract – really look at it

Many sad stories have been told of people who started getting fat again after canceling from gym contracts that took more cash from them than they initially planned for. It pays to be careful about the tough landscape that is gym contracts and their inconspicuous pitfalls like towel service, locker ownership fees and even cancellation costs.

If you can, look to reduce or remove these extra costs that will injure your savings in the long term. Also, it pays to agree to shorter contracts, and less auto-renewals so you are in full control of your wallet and the transaction.

FAQs

How can I get a free gym membership?

Some local hospitals and organizations set up programs or sessions for the public that require no payments. But there are also other alternative ways to staying fit for free. You can:

  • Ask for a free pass from private, YMCA and YWCA gyms.
  • Find out the free days for private gym days.
  • Register for triathlon training.
  • Work out at the resort or hotel’s gym.
  • If you’re lucky, you might even have insurance stock in an insurance company that pays your gym membership fees.

Is Planet Fitness really $10 a month?

Yes, it is. However, there are other plans in the Planet Fitness gym brochure that cost a bit more.

How much are gym memberships?

The financial weight of gym membership fees depends a lot on the location of the gym. For example, Planet Fitness is very popular for its cheap $10 cost, but only a few locations have the $15 option, which is the average membership fee for Blink Fitness.
Also, for the least plans going by brands:

  • Anytime Fitness costs $36 and 50 cents on average for a monthly subscription.
  • Crunch Fitness costs $9 and 95 cents on average for a monthly subscription.
  • LA Fitness costs $29 and 99 cents on average for a monthly subscription.

So, there it is – your guide to putting your fitness on track in 2020. Whether you accomplish or fail your New Year’s resolution is now completely up to you.