How to Haggle For the Cheapest Gym Membership

By Kelly Turner on January 1st, 2010

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It’s the end of the year, which means gyms are offering great deals on their memberships in hopes that they can scoop up all the eager New Years resolutionists. Those low prices may entice you to plunk down your payment and head for the locker room, but there are a few ways you can negotiate that price down even further. Whether its New Years or smack dab in the middle of June, you can use these strategies to always get the best price- which isn’t one of those nice little laminated packages they like to show you from their 3 ring binders.

Here’s the thing- most gyms can charge whatever they want. I’ve gotten a gym membership for free because I did some consulting with the owner on starting a blog. The business didn’t suddenly go under because their was one more body inside the facility, so keep that in mind. It’s business, and memberships are sales, so head into the conversation like it’s a two way street.

Put your game face on.

This salesman’s job is to sell you the highest package he thinks he can squeeze from you because that’s the main source of his income. It may seem harsh to be ready to do battle if he turns out to be a 16 year old high schooler, but trust me, he wouldn’t be pushing memberships if he wasn’t good at what he did, so be prepared to play.

Have a budget in mind.

If you let them know upfront, most likely they will do their best to work around you, but if they get the feeling you can afford more earlier on, the less wiggle room they will pretend to have.

Lie. Or don’t.

But either way, tell them you found a better price up the street, say…$20 less a month, and ask them to match it, or else you will walk.

Tell them to reduce or eliminate the enrollment fee.

Enrollment is crap- you are paying for the privilege to work out. Gyms always have specials where they wave the enrollment fee, so tell them you heard they just had one and you want them to honor it, or no dice.

Ask to speak to their boss

But only if they use it as an excuse. If they pull the “I’m not allowed to drop the price any lower than that,” say, “well, then you wouldn’t mind if I asked your boss directly, would you?” Even if the sales person.

Don’t follow the package they recommend.

Ask for the most basic, cheapest package they have, which will never be the one they offer you. Most of the time the extras additions are personal training sessions- if you don’t want ‘em, tell them to take them off, and reduce the price accordingly. Ask for month to month so there are no fees should you choose to not continue.

A few things that may work for only certain people and gyms:

Ask for a senior citizen’s discount

Ask for a student discount

If you know you can only make it certain days and times, ask for your membership to be limited to certain days of the week, and the price adjusted accordingly.

Don’t be afraid to walk. Most gyms are basically the same, so why pay more for something you can get down the street for less? Plus, the walk will burn a few calories, anyway.