Gym Membership Cost Cutting: Official MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

colprimus

Ali_UK wrote: »

Gym subscriptions are no different to things like sky/phone contracts etc in that you will have a notice period (which will have been stated in your initial t&c's) that you have to abide by - simply cancelling your direct debit does not cancel your membership, as far as they are concerned you are still a member - just one that hasn't paid their dues for a few months. You could try pleading ignorance but I'm not sure how much luck you'll have I'm afraid.

It should be noted by anyone thinking about cancelling a DD with a gym without the proper notice that they will just add an admin fee and pass the debt onto to debt collectors. Quite often these days you may also find that the DD is infact a recurring payment set up against your debit card which you probably used for your first payment whne you signed up...you cannot cancel a recurring payment, you'd need to cancel your card to stop it

colprimus

jojo2004 wrote: »

I got a callback from Fitness First yesterday - I said I couldn't afford it, so 'unless there's anything you can do on price', I would say no. He couldn't have cared less!!
Is that part of the great bargaining game where gyms are concerned, or should I give up and buy stretchy pants?
xx

I worked in Gym sales for a while,appearing to be unwilling to do anything about price when asking for a price reduction is standard and is infact the correct approach because chances are the 'prospect' ie you probably contacted them in the first place so they already know that you are very intrested in joining their club and will probably call back to accept the deal offered in a couple of days. Don't do anything wait for them to call you back and they probably will in 14days after their ACTUP computer programme generates a call for you after this 14day wait they will be more willing to sharpen the pencil on costs. It should be said that a lot also depends on how corrupt the sales adviser is as lot of discounts are not 'offical' and he may be desperate for a sale so he can get on the accelerated bonus scales ie double bonus on ALL sales if he gets more than 30 sales that month you may be number 31 with just hours to go and he may therefor put you through as a corporate,a promo, a student etc,etc
Don't ever go in with a 'you need this sale' attitude or you won't get anything unless they are absolutely desperate, rem you try to haggle with gyms once in a blue moon...these guys do it all day every day and they do it for a living.

hayleythedaisy

I want to join Nuffield (for various reasons location facilities etc) Me and my OH want a joint membership which is £74 a month, does anyone know of how to get this reduced? Or what we can get thrown in? (Not fussed on guest passes cos I'm selfish and want to use it myself) Thanks

FreakyDolphin

Hi, I'm a 30something female looking to join a gym in the Tower Hill/City/Tower Hamlets boundary areas-any recommendations? I've noted there are a few Virgin Active/ Ftiness First and an L.A Fitness around as well as Nuffield (formerly Cannons). I was wondering what advice people had as to getting the best rate? Also, if they are any good? I'd rather pay a little more for somewhere relatively clean with good classes and not too many poseurs:eek:.

Nectar Offer: I've just traded in 4000points at Nectar online for a 10day pass to any Nuffield Club, inc 2x 30min personal training sessions, valid for 2 people.
Also on offer: 1day pass-500 points
5day pass-1500 points

nic678

I'm currently with JJB paying £36/month, my tie in period is over and I don't want to pay this much anymore but i do want to stay with them.

Has anyone managed to get discount with them after leaving/threatening to leave?

Alternatively I was going to try and get student membership for £30/month by signing up to do a cheap part time course and therefore getting a student card. I'm not sure if this would work tho if i was only part time student, does anyone know??

Or if anyone knows of any other good deals with jjb I could try to get.

Fifer73

Please feel free to move this if i have posted in the wrong place.

Needing to remove fat more than weight, I have mobility issues nothing to bad but it does effect my right side , arm slightly and right leg also weaker than my left side and would benefit from personal training assistance to build a program that would remove fat from stomach area and build on my other areas whilst taking into account my mobility issues.

I have been looking at details of local council run sports centres nearest ones to me are in the Leven and Kirkcaldy area, good point you can get a months membership to try them out, prices range from £20- £30 a month.
Has anyone used the Fife local athourity sports lesiure gyms ? :j

Other alternative is Bannatynes Gym in Dunfermline
but that ranges from £45 + a month and traveling costs would also increase to get there. :j

Has anyone used the Bannatynes Gym in dunfermline?
Any advice on local athority / large chain in Fife area would be helpful, also any ideas on how to lower cost if the large chain would be better for my needs .

Many thanks

diddles

Myself and my daughter are currently in month 10 of our 12 month contracts at Total Fitness, Preston. We pay £40 per month for mine - full adult price and £25 per month for my daughter who was a 17 yr old student when we joined

Total fitness have written to us as my daughter is now 18 and is 'entitled' to go on the full adult membership!! I have made an initial enquiry as she is still a student and was told she can stay on a student contract but the cost will probably be more

I can not afford to pay more than £65 per month as we only go once or twice a week, but we really enjoy it and dont want to leave.

Any ideas how to get a discount, should we threaten to leave?

Organic12

I've been looking at this thread with interest as my local leisure centre membership expires in mid-August.

Please can someone tell me whether or not Virgin Active pools are cleaned with oxygen or chlorine? If chlorine, then any ideas of pools that are cleaned with oxygen (or another alternative) please?

I would phone and ask Virgin but need to do all my research before I get dragged into the “Why don’t you come and visit us” conversation.

I swim 3-4 times a week and the chlorine is getting to me as I'm prone to eczema. I do everything I can to reduce the effects but the chlorine is slowly winning. Btw, I get really, really bored with the gym and classes.

So, I either find a pool cleaned with something other than chlorine or reduce the swimming and with it my fitness. I do need to keep up the swimming due to other health matters.

In true MSE style I'm looking for the cheapest deal with Virgin. I can potentially get a corporate rate. My ideal would be to pay a "Pool only" tariff, however, I think that might only happen in la-la land.

I’ve looked at the Pru-Health website and their Vitality summary does not mention swimming. Therefore, I don’t think membership through Pru-Health is an option for me. If anyone knows otherwise, I’m happy to be corrected.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Lugh_Chronain

I just discovered this and thought I'd post it here.

The Gym Group and includes Guildford - £14.99 per month, Hounslow - £14.99 per month, Liverpool - £9.99 per month & Vauxhall - £14.99 per month.

The Liverpool gym opens Autumn 2009 & the Vauxhall gym opens 10th August 2009. Both Liverpool & Vauxhall have no enrolment fee though Guildford & Hounslow have a enrolment fee of £20.

I think the no enrolment fee for both Liverpool & Vauxhall might be an introductory offer. So I guess the sooner you join up the more you'll save.

slewis1972

Any deals at Nuffield as the sister in law wants to join the local one but wants to get it as cheaper as possible?

Anyone know if they do a monthly deal instead of taking a 12month membership?

Thanks

Scott