Is Gym Membership Waste of Money?
Whether gym membership is the waste of money or not, it depends on various factors. This blog discusses them and alternatives.
Cancellation of a gym membership is often considered a good way to save money. However, this option does not seem feasible for many people who cannot live without a workout.
Although you can create a gym at your home and use apps and AI trainers to work out, most people hate the idea of creating a gym at home because they do not find it convenient.
If you want to understand whether the gym works in your favour or it is just a waste of money, you should what it can offer you and when it does not make sense.
Joining a gym can be beneficial
One of the greatest benefits of joining a gym is that your trainer can recommend a fitness plan based on your current health. They can give you instructions which work out will be best for you and how to do that.
However, luxury gyms can offer you more than basic amenities like swimming pool, squatting in the sauna, juice bar, and on-site childcare. These gyms can cost you up to £100 while ordinary gyms with basic amenities can cost you up to £30.
When it does not make sense to join the gym
Various people join the gym just because that seems an excellent way to spend time and money, but they are not committed to their health. If you are one of them, it does not make sense to join a fitness centre.
- If you are choosing fancy fitness centres because they offer a spa-like atmosphere, you are wasting money.
- Likewise, if you get trapped in high fees just because you did not read the contract carefully before sign up, you will end up frittering away a lot of money.
- If you live paycheque to paycheque or are out of work and taken on doorstep loans for the unemployed, a gym membership can prove very expensive.
- Avoid joining a fitness centre when you do not have an emergency cushion.
A gym membership can be expensive, and this is not the only way to improve your health.
Here are the alternatives to a gym membership.
- Choose a basic gym over a luxury gym
Basic fitness centres are more affordable than luxury fitness centres because they offer you only basic necessities such as barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, treadmills, stationary bikes, and cardio equipment. Basic gyms are not as much expensive as luxury gyms.
Although they cannot provide you with a spa-like atmosphere, they can offer you all amenities enough for maintaining overall health.
- Create a gym at your home
A home gym can be an affordable option provided you have space in your house. You all need to do is to buy equipment like dumbbells, treadmill, and the like.
Nowadays, you can use various AI personal training apps to perform the workout at your home. However, that could be a bit expensive for you. If you are fitness fanatic, you can take out 100% guaranteed loans.
If you do not have enough money to invest in AI personal trainers, you can still create a fitness centre atmosphere at your home. Make sure that you buy only essential items. For instance, if you do not squat, you should not buy a squatting ball.
If you are creating a gym at home and you do not know how to use the equipment, you can play workout videos. You can watch various YouTube videos during the workout.
- Do natural exercise
Nothing is more affordable and better than natural exercise. No matter how much you love the gym, there cannot outweigh the benefits of jogging and brisk walking. A rule of thumb says that you should get up early in the morning and take a stroll down the street.
It will be better if there is a park nearby. Do brisk walk. This is the best cardio exercise. It will not only keep your heart and blood circulation healthy, but it will also prevent you from the risk of diabetes.
The bottom line
A gym membership can work in your favour only if you are not living paycheque to paycheque and you are not compromising with your savings. This is not a good idea if you just want to throw money at it and not be dedicated to health improvement.
Although the gym can provide you with luxury equipment, classes, and trainers, it can also cost you money. Do not forget to include travel cost. The blog does not imply that you should not join a fitness centre or they are bad.
While choosing a fitness centre, you should find out what amenities they offer you and if they all have what you need. It must fit your needs and budget. Shop around, so you do not choose a gym that charges high membership fees.
