Pruhealth scrapping its free/discounted gym loophole in November. Discussion

TooNice_2

Redknapp wrote: »

Have only just come back to this thread having discovered 150pts did not count for me last month. Been on the phone to them for over half an hour. They said the points have always been like this (150pts max per month) even though I have been told otherwise by 4/5 people at Pruhealth. I was even given a points plan by one of their sales staff which included 150pts each for fitbug and gym. I even posted it in this thread. They are looking into the recorded conversations and will get back to me.

This is going to cost me 600pts and make getting to Platinum in the next 3months impossible other then spending silly amounts of screenings etc. To say I am P'eed off is an understatement.

I am going to be equally displeased if this is the case as they told me otherwise too. I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to buy a Fitbug if I knew this was going to be the case. Sure it's a nifty device worth about 20 quid on it's own, but to be honest I don't really need a pedometer given my current exercise routine.

Bargain_Rzl

QQuaver wrote: »

How hard is it to do 12,500 paces?

That really depends on your general lifestyle, QQ. I used to have a pedometer a few years ago, and was doing easily 10k, usually more, in the course of a general weekday. I remember looking at fat people on "health makeover" programmes on TV, and being told they were registering barely 3k steps a day, and I genuinely wondered how it was even possible to do so few steps, while I who considered myself quite inactive was notching up 10k+ without even trying.

Anyway, the reason it was so easy was that I had four fifteen-minute walks per day (one each between home and my local station, and then between the station and my office, both ways) and I used to spend my lunch-break running around doing errands. Since I moved to my current flat, where I can catch a bus to work from outside my front door, I've realised just how much exercise I was getting back then - and yes, I'm fatter and less healthy now (though I'm working on it )

TooNice_2

QQuaver wrote: »

How hard is it to do 12,500 paces?

I started using the Fitbug on Friday and managed to get over 12,500 in the last three days. I did end up taking slightly longer route at time because I got worried that I wouldn't make it, but I ended up doing a few thousands over twice. And keep in mind that I spent 25 hours of on the bus/train over Friday and Saturday.

My verdict then is that it's really not that hard to get 12,500, and depending on your lifestyle, you might manage to do it without making extra efforts. The only problem is that you might not realise how many steps it takes you from one place to another and end up worrying over it throughout the day (if you are shooting for the 10 vitality points).

Given that you can't get more than 150 points per month for exercise, my recommendation for people wanting to spend the bare minimum to hit platinum and/or have access to an affordable gym already (in the 20-30 pound range), is to go with the Fitbug route.

The Polar route is more expensive but quicker. I don't think most people can do 12,500 steps in 30min, but it's not difficult to do 70% of your max for 30min during a cardio activity that you enjoy (it doesn't even have to be 'classic' exercise: I find the 'dancing game' at the arcade to work very well). I would've got one of the polar HRM if I didn't recently buy a Nike one just 2 months ago.

I am still frustrated that the pru-health consultant provided me with the wrong information about the 150 points cap though.

Redknapp

bachgammon wrote: »

Sorry to hear about this, Redknapp. I remember reading your posts and I bought a Fitbug as a result. As I am trying to lose weight, it is doing me some good to reach 12,500 paces a day as often as possible and it was quite cheap.
In fact I am thinking of ditching the gym at the end of the month in favour of Fitbug on its own. The gym is about 20 minutes' bike ride away and I often end up buying Lucozade sport or a flapjack to add to my gym spending.
I expect to move house fairly soon and will hopefully move closer to a participating gym, for which reason I am keeping in with PruHealth.
I think it's worth investigating whether you can earn Boots Advantage points if, in desperation, you get yourself scanned to go Platinum. They say Advantage points are the best of the loyalty schemes..
Regards
Rick

Sadly for me the fitbug was only bought for the extra 150pts a month and along with yourself buying one on my recommendation a friend also bought one and he doesn't really have a use for it either like myself as we go more then 15 times a month to the gym.

The worst thing is, I was told multiple times by different people over the phone that I would get 150pts for the gym and the same again for fitbug. This has clearly been a policy change by Pruhealth and they are trying to pass it off as a mistake by the customer services and sales team. Guess I will have to wait and see what these recorded conversations come up with, though I wont hold my breath even though I know for a fact I asked the question so it would be on a recording.

I will look in to the advantage points, thanks mate.

TooNice wrote: »

I am going to be equally displeased if this is the case as they told me otherwise too. I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to buy a Fitbug if I knew this was going to be the case. Sure it's a nifty device worth about 20 quid on it's own, but to be honest I don't really need a pedometer given my current exercise routine.

I am in exactly the same situation as I mainly do weights when at the gym. Though I do play football a fair bit I don't really need a pedometer to tell me how many steps I have done whilst playing.

punkypickle

I erm....shook my fitbug..to help reach my goal..naughty I know...and yes it defeats the point...;) :rolleyes: :cool:

Has anyone else thought that Pruhealth and Fitbug must have the same people making the website? So many links don't work it's untrue...it means I can't use Fitbug's website to it's potential as I couldn't add in the 12 mile bike ride I went on at the weekend....or add things to my food diary..it's very frustrating..I would be absolutely spitting if I'd just paid £80 odd quid for it!

Does anyone know how to get the Boots Eye Test? there seems to be no link at all on the site!

QQuaver

punkypickle wrote: »

Does anyone know how to get the Boots Eye Test? there seems to be no link at all on the site!

I can't see it since the new design. Phone up?

TooNice_2

Redknapp wrote: »

Guess I will have to wait and see what these recorded conversations come up with, though I wont hold my breath even though I know for a fact I asked the question so it would be on a recording.

I am in exactly the same situation as I mainly do weights when at the gym. Though I do play football a fair bit I don't really need a pedometer to tell me how many steps I have done whilst playing.

I'll definitely speak to them about it too - I was told that I would be provided factual information (as opposed to financial advise), but the fact aspect seems to have been left out here. My gym points still hasn't even shown up on my statement yet. Fitbug seems far more reliable at least earlier on, points getting updated within hours, hence I reiterate my earlier recommendation that people should just use that to 'level up' cheaply if they already have access to an inexpensive gym (e.g. University gym, Fitness First etc.). From the looks of it, I do at least 10,000 and quite possibly 12,500+ just from my daily activities, and given that, I don't really need a pedometer to keep meet those values. I even take it off during my dance classes because I don't want to drop it by accident.

I have one question about the health screens: can anyone explain to me the procedures for the Roadtohealth screening (i.e. what they measure, and they take from me etc.). At 25 pounds, it's the cheapest option, but I wonder if it's as good as the one from the Diagnostic clinic which cost 30 if you reach Silver (they take urine, blood and saliva samples). I am not even sure how to find the nearest branch and the website (which seems to redirect me to a new site) doesn't provide any information about the branch locations or the test itself.

kennedy_grant

I have enjoyed a complete year of great membershio at a beautiful Cannons gym in Paddington for £15.03 per month. This was a fantastic deal. As the old saying goes, if it looks too good, it usually is. Although I have completed just over one year on this scheme I am now feeling incredibly bitter towards Pru Health and their cheeky, non upfront new scheme to achieve the same previous great value.

Please all members beware and check the exact payments you will be making. I have detailed my scheme below for you to see what I am on about.

In August 2007 I signed up for Boots Health insurance (Pru Health) my quote was just £15.03, mus'nt grumble.

I went to the gym three times a week, which meant that I paid no more fees or membership costs. Total for the year £180.36 an umbelievable saving on the £612 I would have paid. Now the acheme goes like this...

You must earn 2000 vitality points per year to be entitled to a reduced membership of just £25 per month in addition to your premium. However it does not stop there, they have made it EXTREMELY difficult for the avarage person to even get the reduced monthly fee and limited the gym acquired points to just 1500 per year meaning that now I will be paying the Bronze price of £38 plus my new premium of £23 per month total £61 per month

In basics this means...

£732 with Pru Health and with the Gym direct £612.

UNBELIEVABLE CHANGE!!!!!! Neadless to say I cancelled as of 01st October 2008

richchestmat

I don't agree. I got over 2000 easily and I never had 100% free gym as I go to Virgin Active Notting Hill. There have been tons of posts explaining how to get 2000 and a flash demo on the Vitality website covering the same thing. With 1500 points for exercise per year you only need 500 minus your 10%+ carry over from the previous year. You can get that 500 by doing the online stuff, reading articles, not smoking, etc. Getting those points has not costed me any extra money.

I got to Platinum in my first year and for year 2 I pay £27 for the year on my premium and £15 per month for the gym. That's compared with £69 per month for the gym on a yearly contract or £79 on a monthly Virgin alone. Plus I get cheap health checks, extra nectar points and that cheap heart rate monitor.

How many points did you total up for your first year? What else did you do besides going to the gym 3 times a week? Even if you didn't know Pru were going to change the way they calculated your gym price you don't really have an excuse for not totalling up points to reduce your premium to 75% or 100%.

EDIT: Actually I'm going to call shenanigans and troll on the above post. If you went to the gym 3 times a week then that's 30 points per week and roughly 1560 points (or 1500 anyway). So you should be on Gold with the Gold rate and a 75% discount even without doing any of the other stuff.

Simply put; Troll's story does not add up.

ChipPan_2

richchestmat wrote: »

I don't agree. I got over 2000 easily and I never had 100% free gym as I go to Virgin Active Notting Hill. There have been tons of posts explaining how to get 2000 and a flash demo on the Vitality website covering the same thing. With 1500 points for exercise per year you only need 500 minus your 10%+ carry over from the previous year. You can get that 500 by doing the online stuff, reading articles, not smoking, etc. Getting those points has not costed me any extra money.

I got to Platinum in my first year and for year 2 I pay £27 for the year on my premium and £15 per month for the gym. That's compared with £69 per month for the gym on a yearly contract or £79 on a monthly Virgin alone. Plus I get cheap health checks, extra nectar points and that cheap heart rate monitor.

How many points did you total up for your first year? What else did you do besides going to the gym 3 times a week? Even if you didn't know Pru were going to change the way they calculated your gym price you don't really have an excuse for not totalling up points to reduce your premium to 75% or 100%.

EDIT: Actually I'm going to call shenanigans and troll on the above post. If you went to the gym 3 times a week then that's 30 points per week and roughly 1560 points (or 1500 anyway). So you should be on Gold with the Gold rate and a 75% discount even without doing any of the other stuff.

Simply put; Troll's story does not add up.

matt - i disagree, it is not a good deal - in your argument the member would still have to pay a high price for most of their 1st yr due to the new system with the increased hassle of totting up pts, rather than joining direct. Plus the amount of times i have spent on the phone faffing around with CS people and being told different things i cannot even quantify.

I joined in June, and was hit by this new points scheme, as many people have and am really quite disappointed in Pruhealth. If they think most people who lead busy lifestyles - many people do very well to go to the gym 2-3 on a regular basis, can be bothered to navigate thru this procedural maze of vitality points and misinformation, then they'd really think again.

Under the old scheme, Pruhealth had a lot of ppl join thru recommendations and word of mouth - this new scheme will mean i myself and others who've been hit with this will tell many more to steer clear.