Gym Membership Cost Cutting: Official MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

morverngirl

Due to health issues I find using gym equipment affects my muscles badly. I would like to go to a "nice" pool for exercise ,my local authority pools don't qualify. Do anyone know of a facility that offers reduced membership for use of pool only,off peak is ok.I used to belong to Virgin as that is nearest to me but had to cancel with my muscular problem. Thanks.

hlg_2

I've just read the Gym membership cost cutting article with interest - Does anyone have experience of haggling a good deal with Virgin Active gyms? My local Virgin gym's official monthly rate is £60, but we can get it for £47 per month through a corporate scheme at work, as long as we sign up for a minimum 12 months. The truth is that I know loads of members there and even those who are not on a corporate rate pay the £47 per month rate, so I don't really feel that it represents any kind of discount. I can't justify paying that per month.

HOWEVER....I do know that lots of members there are paying £25-35 per month from when it merged with another smaller gym and Virgin honoured their monthly payments. I have tried asking for this rate (there are quite a few of us who would join now, for 12 or 18 months at this rate so there was a good incentive for the sales team) but they flatly refused saying that the corporate rate (which appears to be standard for everyone) was the best they can offer. I'm sure there must be a better deal I can do but I'm not sure how to unlock it - any tips?

moneypooh

We have cut the cost of our gym membership by joining our leisure centre instead of a gym only facility. Our family membership covers all activities - most free off peak with swim and gym all times. We are lucky that the gym has been totally re-built and is now top notch. We pay monthly and there aren't any joining fees and you can cancel after 6 months.
It is extremely great value for money
We all (2Adults/2teenagers) go regularly and it's about £15 a week all in

.

Bullmuck

Is it still worth looking into the pru health offer for gym membership? Surely the recession shoudl hit the gyms too and force them to reduce their premiums?

lollol

Hi
is there anyone on here with this club. what sort of prices are they charging? hope someone is able to help

MWH1

Bullmuck wrote: »

Is it still worth looking into the pru health offer for gym membership? Surely the recession shoudl hit the gyms too and force them to reduce their premiums?

Hi folks. I've been a member of Nuffields (was Cannons) for through Pruhealth for 2 years now. Last year I got myself on to platinum status and managed to reduce my monthly gym membership cost to under £2 a month!

I've just received my renewal email from Pruhealth who have advised me that my new rate from next month will be over £40 despite successfully reaching platinum once again. If these punks think I'm giving them £40 a month they're dreaming. Haven't they heard of the credit crunch!! :rolleyes:

Feel free to post any comments. Thanks

floss2205

I can only agree with moneypooh. I recently joined my local Everyone Active centre which is the activity brand at my local authority leisure centre. We got a free membership card and the whole family can pay as they go for the activities that we do and we are now classed as members who can use any of the Everyone Active sites in the UK - I think there are about 60 of them looking at the website.

We have also been offered the opportunity to join as 'members' paying a monthly fee. The great thing about joining this over the pay as you go option is that there is no joining fee and we are not tied into a contract - perfect when you don't know what's around the corner - and it makes our 4 times a week trips to the centre much more affordable! For myself, my husband and my two daughters (7 and 11) the monthly membership costs us £68 and this includes all classes, gym membership and swimming (my old gym membership cost me £50 a month just for me!). The only thing it doesn't include is swimming lessons for my younger daughter but they are really reasonable anyway. I also noticed that if we wanted off peak membership or I had been over 60 or a student, it would have been even cheaper!

The added benefit of the Everyone Active card is that it also gives us benefits such as money off with other retailers and special offers sent to our email. This card was free for us to get and as from 1st April it will also entitle both my daughters to swim for free when the centre launches its free swimming initiative on 1st April.

There are some great deals out there still - its just a case of looking locally.

MichelleM123

hlg wrote: »

I've just read the Gym membership cost cutting article with interest - Does anyone have experience of haggling a good deal with Virgin Active gyms? My local Virgin gym's official monthly rate is £60, but we can get it for £47 per month through a corporate scheme at work, as long as we sign up for a minimum 12 months. The truth is that I know loads of members there and even those who are not on a corporate rate pay the £47 per month rate, so I don't really feel that it represents any kind of discount. I can't justify paying that per month.

I'm also looking for any tips with virgin active. Fitness first gyms seem like such a good deal in comparison! But FF is quite far away from me and I know i'll tire of the trek within the first month, while VA is next door!

I'm going on Sat for a free trial to see if I like it. I just phoned to ask about any deals, I got the standred 12 month contract @ £49.95 or no contract membership at £66 plus £10 joining fee!!!

I know that if you take up a virgin credit card you get 1 month free gym, but that's all I can find... any other offers anyone has found? Haggling with gym people is very intimidating!

matt4504

Hey,

One quick question. I'd pay my boots insurance via direct debit but do I need to have a seperate direct debit to pay virgin active or do boots pay virgin direct etc?

Thanks,

Matt

burnout

On Friday i got £15 admin fee and then £25 per month for a full membership at Fitness First plus a free ipod shuffle.

So anyone who wants to sign up there should be able to get that rate if you haggle enough. It wasn't even that hard to get that rate, he wanted £35 per month and then £75 joining fee to begin with.

Best time to go is probably the end of the month as he even said himself it was his last day to get target.