Question to Current/Former Gold's Gym Members

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Hey all,

 

I was lookin at joining Gold's Gym near my home. I went on a tour of the facility and found it to be awesome and found everyone to be very nice and professional. Way better than anything I saw at Work-out-World, the YMCA and the World Gym around here.

 

Anyway, I like what I see so my friends and I talk with the salesperson about numbers. She told us it would be 50 dollars to enroll, 50 dollars for the last month, 50 dollars for every month in between, and 20-something dollars for this month since March is half over. What I would've had to pay if I signed up today would be 128 or so. So far I like what I'm hearing and this would be perfect for now since I'm goin back to school in August (doin an internship now) where we have our own on-campus fitness centre.

 

So up to that point I'm clear until my friend raises a concern on how each month is going to get paid. You are charged every month automatically from your credit/checking account until you give them a 30-day notice of leave. So my friend tells me he knows people who have had problems with this set up before but he didn't tell me at what gym. I personally think it'll be all good as long as I follow the rules they set. Meaning, as long as I tell 'em before July 25th that I'm leaving in August, I'll be all good and no more charges. He also raised that issue that somehow they always hook you back in which I thought was BS too because if ya gotta go, you gotta go and there is no sense in staying.

 

Anyhow, I was wondering if you guys have any problems with automatic payments, specifically with gyms and especially Gold's Gym. Or has anyone had any problems with Gold's Gym?

[CanadianChris 0]

I try to avoid giving any place access to my chequing account. That's just opening yourself up to all kinds of bad stuff.

[MrRant 0]

Be wary of the enrollment fee as it may be a "discounted" one and if you try and leave before the year is up, you will pay the rest of it.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Back in '94 I enrolled at Bally's. I can't remember the fee amounts, but I was told after a few years I'd have $6 monthly dues for LIFE. Well, after several years I finally got around to having the $6 monthly dues for LIFE. The next month, the fee doubled. When I asked what happened to my $6 dues for LIFE, they said my rate was subject to change (in fine print, of course). The next week I closed my membership (was moving anyway and there wasn't a Bally's nearby).

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

DON'T JOIN GOLD'S GYM! They bullshitted me about how easy it would be to cancel and I ended up taking it in the ass when I found a much cheaper gym. I would highly recommend NOT joining.

[Guest The Satanic Angel]

$50 a month seems a little outrageous to me (paid $33 a month at a Gold's in FL, paying $25 a month in WV). That specific gym was good to my family concerning our membership because in the beginning my mom and I joined, and I stopped going, so they let my dad take over my membership. Don't know how canceling the membership worked out when we moved because I had no part in it.

 

Ask about a daily rate. The Gold's I went to in FL was $5 a day. If it's the same in your locale, and you're only going to go twice a week, you'd be better off going by a daily rate anyway.

 

I knew someone who would go around to all the local gyms and go for their week-long trial membership (which was usually free or very cheap) and just move on to a different gym after each week was up. I imagine they may have caught onto her eventually, but they hadn't when she told us the story.

 

Seriously, until August, it may be more beneficial to you if you just jog around the block, or get a bike.

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Thanks for the advice. Just for your consideration, I had planned to go 6 days a week, 2 1/2 hrs everyday.

 

Now, from what I understand, just to clarify, I will not be signing up for a year. To do so would be 575 dollars. I am doing a month to month arrangement where the only fishy part is that they automatically take from my checking.

 

Now, as an example. Let's say I bought the membership today and paid the 128. I could cancel tomorrow (since it's before the 25th) and still workout the entire month of April because I paid for the last month up front and I've given them 30 days notice. At least, that's how it's supposed to work.

 

The local YMCA is 65 dollars a month, which is the next closest facility. I rather not pay that because the Y sucks haha.

 

Also, now, if I did join Gold's I would get a discount on because I am currently working for the City Government. I also get a 150 dollar reimbursement from my health insurance (Blue Cross) for joining Gold's. I am not sure if this applies anywhere else.

 

Thanks a lot for all the tips.

 

Much appreciated.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

If you're going to a college with a fitness center, why not just use that? Weights are weights, dude.

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No no, I would but I'm doin an internship here at home (in MA) so I'm currently near a gym. My college is up in upstate NY, RPI. So when I return in the fall, I can use the fitness centre no problem. I just need something while I'm here at home while also getting good instruction and direction since I'm very green when it comes to fitness.

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Quick update, found this nice hidden gem gym near here that is giving me a deal for 4 months only for 150... it's supposed to be 150 for 3 months, so it's all gravy, baby.