How to Save Some Serious Cash when Joining Bally Total Fitness

It's December, the time of year when making New Year's resolutions (and facing those you never accomplished this year) is obsessively important. If you are anything like me, the top resolutions of 2007 (and '06...maybe even '05) will carry over to 2008. Here we go. Stuck in between the hope of becoming debt free and traveling to at least one place I've never visited before, becoming a fitness goddess securely makes the top three.

I got a head start on this one. I joined Bally several months ago (don't embarrass me by asking how many times I've actually gone). Bally's advertising folks are good at what they do - the commercials promoting low rates and no sign up fees are intriguing enough to make you walk in. But once at Bally, where do those rates go? I found that somewhere between my house and the gym, the membership fees went from $19 per month to $45 per month, coupled with a crazy two-year contract.

For the record, I'm not paying $50 per month for the privilege of walking in place and attending two or three fitness classes a month. For $50, I'd like the guy who sells me the membership to work out for me. That said, I offer you the following useful tips to save some serious cash when joining Bally.

Know the deals. In order to know that you are getting a good deal, you have to know what the competition offers. A lot of times, smaller local gyms will have better deals than Bally. Make a few calls. Visit some web sites. Before you walk into Bally, know what other gyms in the area are charging for their memberships, and what services are included.

Be honest with yourself about your fitness needs. Gyms are like casinos - they make profits on people who are dumb enough to throw cash away on monthly memberships they never utilize (yes, I've been that person, so I am allowed to say "dumb"). Be honest with yourself. How often will you go to the gym? What will you do when you go? Be clear on these facts before you go into Bally.

Tell the Bally's associate exactly what you want. Here is what happens when walk into Bally's with an intention of getting a membership. You'll walk up to the front desk and ask to see someone about joining the gym. A rep will walk over, wearing a black Bally's polo, and ask you to fill out a brief sheet with your contact info. They will give you a tour of the gym and walk you into a small office where they will share membership info with you. This is where you need to speak your mind. Don't let them get started ahead of you because they will try to talk you into the most expensive monthly membership they offer. And unless you are the person that needs access to every Bally club in the country, set boundaries regarding your needs. Tell the rep:

- how often you are likely to visit the gym weekly

- what activities you are most likely going to take part in (Bally has a ton of free fitness classes, so don't feel like you have to pay extra for those)

- if you plan on visiting more than one location

- if you have family member that already have their membership or plan on getting their membership in the near future.

Negotiate. Seriously, you can negotiate the heck out of your gym membership with these guys. The basics of any Bally's membership include:

- the contract (which you have an option to avoid, but your monthly dues will be higher)

- the down payment

- the monthly fee.

Start of by negotiating the down payment. Ask the Bally's rep to try several different down payment amounts to see how this impacts your monthly membership. Your monthly membership may increase by as little as $2-3 if you change your down payment from $100 to $50. Also, ask the rep to try several different membership types and tell you how that impacts your monthly rate if down payment is changed. Take your time in this process to assure that you get the best deal.

Hold of on purchasing the optional stuff, such as personal training and additional fitness classes. As you are purchasing your monthly membership, the rep will try to "sell" you on personal train and other amenities. Don't get this stuff right up front. In actuality, you will not realize any significant savings if you purchase these services at the time of purchasing your membership.

Take advantage of the freebies. Don't be afraid to ask for free stuff. You should get one free personal training session at the time you join the gym. Also, ask your rep if you can get a free pass to a personal fitness class that requires an extra fee. Then don't forget to use the freebies.

Now, I'm off to work out. No, really.