How to beat gym membership tricks (2024)

By Tara Evans
Updated: 10:06, 11 January 2011

If you're thinking about signing up to a gym this January you might be put off by difficult contracts and sky-high memberships.

There are some notorious pitfalls to avoid when you commit to a contract – from joining fees to cancelling – we've come up with five top tips for getting the deal you want.

Cost vs use

How often do you plan on going to the gym? Be realistic. It might work out cheaper to go to your nearest leisure or sports centre run by the local council – they are often less costly compared to a private gym. Work out how often you're likely to visit your gym and divide it by the monthly membership – is it worth the cost of a single visit?

Length of contract

Most gyms will expect you to sign up to a minimum contract of a year. The price of membership may be less expensive if you sign up to a longer contract, for two years for example. But be realistic about how much you will visit. Are you likely to keep up your good intentions? Or will you just end up tied into two years of not going to the gym? The shorter your contract the more expensive it will work out. For example, some gyms offer a flexible contract with no minimum contract length – but this will come at a bigger cost.

Joining fees

You will find that most gyms offer promotions in January. If you're going to join a gym take advantage of an offer which waives the joining fee. If you're looking to sign up later in the year you can try and negotiate with the gym so you don't have to pay this fee. At the end of the day they are looking for more members and with many people trying to cut back on their outgoings you may find that they are more than happy to negotiate, with a little bit of haggling!

Discounts

If you're prepared to do some negotiating then you should ask about any discounts available. If you're only going to use the gym during off-peak time (usually during the day – but remember to check the details) then you may be able to get a reduction on the fee you pay. It is also worth asking about corporate gym memberships – some companies organise a discount with gyms for employees who join.

Cancelling contracts

Unfortunately if you sign a contract you are legally responsible to uphold it. First of all make sure you read the contract – including the small print – carefully. Don't sign anything you're not happy with. Make sure you know the details of the cancellation policy. You will usually have to give one month's notice in writing. It may be more difficult than you expect to get out of your contract, just like our reader, Sarah, below found out.

'It was a pain to cancel my gym membership'

I was a member of a gym in Camden on a 12 month fixed contract paying £42.95 a month. After a year of gym going I decided to cancel my membership but I was told that I needed to speak with the manager. They then told me that the manager wasn't there but my name and number would be added to a (long) contact list.

I was told the manager would call me. A week passed and there was no phone call. I went in to the gym again and said that I couldn't wait to hear from the manager – they reluctantly terminated my membership. But only after one final month (the notice period), in which I would have to pay £42.95 for the last time.

Sarah Holmes, 26, production resources coordinator, from London