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"How to Save Money on a Gym Membership\\nFind a place you love (and can afford!) so you can lose big pounds without spending big bucks. Plus, how to painlessly break up with your gym.\\n__\\\"I SAVED $204.\\\"__ SELF reader Bristel Bowen from Austin, Texas, mentioned a deal from Anytime Fitness to lower the price at her 24 Hour Fitness. \\\"They matched the deal. I pay $20 a month instead of $37.\\\"\\n\\nThese days, thrift is in, and \u00FCbercheap clubs with monthly fees as low as $15 have sprung up, forcing midpriced chains to negotiate to compete, says Pamela Kufahl, editor of *Club Industry*. Point out a competitor's offer to see if a gym will match it or come close, she says.\\nDaily deals sites, such as [Groupon.com](http://www.groupon.com) and [LivingSocial.com](http://www.livingsocial.com), offer big local savings. (SELF saw a recent Groupon deal for an 87 percent discount on the first two months of membership at a Chicago club.) These are often blink-or-you'll-miss-'em offers, so act fast. Stay alert, too, for social-networking promotions that let you test a new gym: At Crunch Fitness, nonmembers who check into a Crunch on Foursquare.com get a free one-week guest pass, no strings attached. 24 Hour Fitness offers a similar carrot\u2014a three-day freebie\u2014on its Facebook page.\\n__\\\"I SAVED $150.\\\"__ When she joined a gym in Santa Barbara, California, Andrea Woroch offered to pay in full for a year; in exchange, the club waived its $150 initiation fee.\\n\\nPaying in advance instead of monthly can trigger a major discount. At Costco, you can snag a two-year contract to any 24 Hour Fitness for $320. That works out to $13 a month, versus $37 when you pay in installments.\\nSend an all-call work email for gym joiners. At Gold's Gym, 10 or more coworkers who sign up together receive an automatic 10 percent discount. And ask if your company has a deal with a local fitness chain for a group of employees joining en masse.\\nBally Total Fitness cuts its fees by up to 33 percent for friends-and-family memberships; simply name your relative or pal who's a current member. Some clubs even allow roommates to use a discounted family membership, Kufahl says.\\n\\n__FINAGLE A FREE YEAR__ Inquire about incentives for referrals. \\\"We give members a free month for each friend who signs up,\\\" says Adam Kilpatrick, New York City and New Jersey's Club H Fitness vice president of sales. \\\"I've seen people accrue a free year from referring buddies.\\\"\\nBecause a gym is not a bargain if you never go.\\n\\n__A locale on your regular route.__ Convenience *is* king.\\n\\n__Hours that mimic yours.__ Also, do a walk-through to make sure it's not overly crowded at your usual time.\\n\\n__Fit favorites.__ Request a few free day passes to test your go-to classes\u2014[Spin](/fitness/2009/12/spinning-master-class), [kickboxing](/calculatorsprograms/calculators/caloriesburned/kickboxing), [kettlebells](/fitness/workouts/2011/01/kettlebell-workout-slideshow) or Zumba. You can get to know the instructors and see if they impress you.\\n\\n__Sanity-saving amenities.__ If child care, free towel service or TVs on every [cardio machine](/fitness/workouts/2011/11/fat-frying-cardio-routines-slideshow) will make or break your workout, write those necessities down on your list to tick off when you visit.\\n\\n__A solid first impression.__ Eye the equipment; take a shower; use the bathroom. Then ask a regular what she thinks of the club. A candid, unbiased opinion can be the best indicator if a gym is for you.\\nThese tips make a split as painless as possible.\\n\\n__Pull the plug quickly.__ Thirty-eight states have mandated a \\\"right of cancel\\\" clause that lets you opt out of your contract within at least three business days of signing it.\\n\\n__Dig out your paperwork.__ Your contract includes info on how to quit (likely in super small print!). \\\"Some clubs require you to send in a cancellation via registered mail or give 30 days' notice before terminating,\\\" Kufahl says.\\n\\n__Know the legal outs.__ Some states have clauses that allow a clean break, like moving 25 miles from a club in the chain or having a medical condition that lasts three-plus months, says Edgar Dworsky, founder of [ConsumerWorld.org](http://www.consumerworld.org).\\n\\n__Really stuck? Try the resale market.__ You can post your membership on [Craigslist](http://www.craigslist.org), and [TransferMyMembership.com](http://www.transfermymembership.com) allows you to create an ad to sell your membership for $16. One caveat: You'll need to get your gym to approve a sale.\\n\\n  \\n__[6 Easy Moves to a Sexy Upper Body](/fitness/workouts/2012/01/sexy-upper-body-workout-moves-slideshow)__  \\n  \\n__[The Hottest New Workout Classes](/fitness/2011/09/workout-classes-and-clothes)__"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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