Looking to get a Gym Deal? Get Ready to Negotiate

Exercise is critical to looking and feeling good, but the high cost of getting in shape is often a barrier for those on a tight budget. In fact, a 2018 Dare to Be Free survey found that 28 percent of participants said they would exercise more if they could find cheaper alternatives to the gym.

Here’s the good news: You can exercise for a lot less, even free, by spending time researching options. “You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on expensive gym equipment or trainers,” says Jenny Schatzle, certified personal trainer and founder of Bond Fitness. “There are ways to get in shape all around us.”

If you’re planning to join a gym or fitness studio, negotiate for freebies. Either ask for the initiation fee to be waived, a series of free personal training services or a free month. Sometimes it’s easier for the salesperson to add on items to your membership rather than give you a discount on your monthly price, so think about how you can snag freebies from the facility.

If you feel weird about negotiating for these upgrades or freebies, don’t.  People do it all the time, and in fact, most gyms anticipate giveaways and trial deals as a carrot to get you to stick around, hoping to upsell you on other services later.  If you stick to your guns and mind your wallet, you can get these deals without having to sell your soul to the gym gods.

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