Wow… Tuesday’s post was intense, eh? This is where I feel the need be even more honest with you all and say that I’m totally lame and shed a tear or two while writing it.
And then your support came in waves… I have been so completely and utterly dumbfounded by it. Not only do I know I can reach my goals with the help of your support, but it’s teaching me that what we tip at on the scale is possibly even more taboo of a topic than what our debt is. I hope you don’t mind if there are many more posts on this, as well as updates on my progress, in the future.
For now, I need to write a post that I can honestly say I never thought I would. It involves me weighing out the costs and differences of the two gyms I’ve been going to, for the last few weeks. Weird, right? I know. I’ll try to keep this post short and sweet, since the last one was a solid 1,000+ words (plus hundreds more in my replies).
To make it simple, let me tell you about both of the gyms I’ve been testing out…
Gym #1
As seen above, Gym #1 is an oldie but a goodie. I say that because it’s one I had been to many times before ever starting this new journey. I felt comfortable going back and it has helped me jumpstart my weight loss. While I’m often blasting music through my headphones, there is a TV for every 3-4 machines, and they are always playing hockey games and soccer matches. Also, it’s almost always near empty. The only con is that it’s a 10-minute drive from my apartment. And during the week it doesn’t open until 6:00 a.m. Then again, it doesn’t open until 7:00 a.m. on weekends but that’s the exact time I like to go at and, again, means it’s always near empty.
Gym #2
I’ve only been to Gym #2 3 times now and I’m still not sure if I like it. Yes, it’s only a few minutes away from my apartment and it means one of my best friends will go with me during the week… but it’s in the same room as the swimming pool. This adds humidity to the air that I don’t always like. And even though there are the same number of machines, it can be busy at times. The one thing I really don’t like about this gym is that you can sign up to use machines, even when other people are on them. So, partway through a workout, someone could come up to me and say they are booked to start on my machine in 5 minutes. What’s up with that!? A 30-minute max is what I’m used to and it’s first-come-first-serve, people!
The Fees
For Gym #1, I bought a 10x pass for $38. If I decide that this is the gym for me, I will then buy a 3-month pass for $103 (or $34.33 per month). Since I’ve only just started going to Gym #2, I’m paying the drop-in price of $3.75. I can also buy a 10x pass for $30.15 or a 3-month pass for $75.38 ($25.12 per month). That $9.20 difference each month could total a $110 savings each year. But is that enough to waiver my decision one way or the other?
I think this weekend will be my first test. Up until now, I’ve been going to Gym #2 during the week and Gym #1 on weekends. This weekend, I’ll attempt going to Gym #2 to see how busy it is, etc. And maybe next week I’ll see how long the drive to-and-back from Gym #1 affects my morning schedule. Paying for both isn’t cost-effective, but I need to be sure before I commit to anything.
What are your gym membership fees like? And how did you choose your gym?
