Why is gym membership so expensive?

arcon5

Most of the local places want to take about £40 per month :eek:.

I know they have a lot of big expenses like staff and premises... But then so do many business' like restaurants and many still manage to churn out two meals for a tenner. Like coffee houses but you dot pay a fiver for a latte.

I detest the thought of paying this for access to a pool and a running machine.

This is what many pay per month to insure their cars.
We have a £40 budget per month for car maintenance and it covers it.
My iPhone 4s only costs me £20 per month.

So why is gym membership so expensive?!!!
When people to what.. 4-6 times per month? £8-£10 per session of an hour or so!!

Okay I've now found a £33 per month no fixed term deal on... But even that seems quite pricey. My last gym membership was a few years ago and cost £24 per month with no restrictions.

(Although I'll add if your a student they seem to snip the price significantly)

Azari

I would imagine that it has a lot to do with having to provide (nearly) enough machines, (together with space to put them and staff to support them), for peak periods when the majority of the time they will be idle.

photome

when people start going to a gym they are advised 3 times a week is what is needed so on that basis 12 times a month or just over £3 per visit is reasonable.

but Duncan didnt get wealthy by undercharging

C_Mababejive

Gyms are a con . People think that by paying money,they will get fitter. Unfortunately that wont happen. Getting fit involves discomfort or even pain. You dont need to join a gym to do it. Just walk,run,cycle.

vikingaero

It's called Lifestyling.

As soon as you apply the Lifestyle tag to any product or service then the costs soar because it is aspirational or a luxury.

For example: Barbers and Hairdressers used to be cheap when I were a lad. Now men paying £40+ for a haircut and women paying £100+ for a weekly restyle is common.

PasturesNew

They've always been expensive.... one of the reasons I've never been inside one and never will. However, comparing costs in an online conversation with a friend a few years back (a friend who spent some time every day in hers) there is a vast difference in what you get for your money.

e.g. at the time of comparison my local gym was a grim/dark room with machines in it .... and that was your lot. Hers was a gym and a pool and a social club/bar and also lots of exercise/activities that were free to join too - I think she did some quite different/odd activities. Once a member, at hers, everything was free.

For her it was her entire social life .... where I was living it sounded like a grim trudge to a soulless room to plod for an hour before going home.

bluebeary

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Gyms are a con . People think that by paying money,they will get fitter. Unfortunately that wont happen. Getting fit involves discomfort or even pain. You dont need to join a gym to do it. Just walk,run,cycle.

just in case you missed it the first time

darrensurrey

arcon5 wrote: »

Most of the local places want to take about £40 per month :eek:.

I know they have a lot of big expenses like staff and premises... But then so do many business' like restaurants and many still manage to churn out two meals for a tenner. Like coffee houses but you dot pay a fiver for a latte.

Find me a restaurant that gives you 2 meals for £10 a month whenever you want to eat.

I know what you mean, though - gyms are expensive so I just put the money towards my own kit.

dacouch

There are plenty around me that charge £15 a month although they don't tend to have swimming pools

[Deleted User]

My wife's David lloyd gym is more like a social club than a gym. I guess the high costs keeps the clientele as the 'right kind' as well as pay for nice facilities and the cheap kids classes.

It's got a nice restaurant/cafe, a softplay, a nice 'adults room' that shows the football and has free wifi.. They are also not very observant when we sneak a few extra guests in to go swimming

arcon5

bluebeary wrote: »

just in case you missed it the first time

And just in case you missed my post... I want a running machine and the use of a pool up to twice a week local to me.