One of my favorite bloggers calls herself Prudence Debtfree. I mostly like her because she's basically a frugal version of my mom (my mom used to be frugal, but not so much anymore). Anyways, two years ago, she wrote a post about 7 reasons she kept her gym membership even though she was paying off debt. At the time, I didn't have a gym membership, and I couldn't justify having one because the drive was too far (I was working full time). Since then, I've quit full time work, and I got myself a gym membership. Meanwhile, Ruth has gone 180 on me and quit her gym. Since I think this is an amusing reversal of fortunes, I'm going to give my seven reasons for having a gym membership right now, even though my income is lower than it was when I first commented that I don't need a gym membership. 1. Amazing PriceMy gym costs $45 per month. It has weights, cardio machines, various cross fitness-y things, a basketball court (that I never use), a pool (which I use rather a lot with the kids), a hot tub (which I use from time to time), towel service, showers, and a Sauna (which I only use for stretching). Plus, I meet lots of interesting people at the gym. Like Tim, who convinced me that I have to go to his class so that my knees don't fall apart before age 30. Anyways, I think that it's a fairly amazing price, especially considering... 2. Childcare includedThat's right, I get up to 2 hours of childcare everyday. Generally, I try to have a quick workout and then get home with the kids. However, from time to time, I'll either soak in the hot tub, or take a shower and do my hair and makeup after a workout. If you're the "primary care" parent, I would say that a gym with childcare is about the cheapest way to get in some self care. Honestly, you can go to the gym and read a book. Or just take a shower and do your makeup while someone else takes care of the kids. 3. Opportunity cost of a home gym is too highIn general, insourcing makes a lot of sense. But, insourcing fitness equipment is an iffy proposition. To get a set of weights and a treadmill would only set us back about $1000 (2 years of gym membership), but we have nowhere to put these items. We would either have to put the kids in the same room, or get rid of Matt who pays us $450 per month for his room. Honestly, I'm not too enthusiastic about either option. 4. I struggled with kids without a gymFitness was always a big part of my life, but after Kenny was born, I didn't take as much time for fitness as I would have liked. I did some biking and some running, but not enough to count for real fitness. When I became pregnant with Shirley I put on a lot of weight and was in a ton of pain by the time I delivered her. I knew that I needed to prioritize fitness. Because of that, I joined a gym when Shirley was 3 months old (the minimum age for childcare). 5. Unparalleled People WatchingSo I'm a creeper. I like people watching. Admit it, you do too. The gym is great for people watching, because you can also watch people watch themselves. Also, if anyone catches you watching them, you can just pretend you were checking out your muscles. 6. I like to mix it upI admit, this is one thing that I could have done at home, but I never did. I like to mix things up when I exercise. Specifically, I like to see someone doing an interesting movement and then copy them later on. I could have gotten into fitness videos or youtube channels or exercise apps, but (per point 5) I'm a creeper and I like to watch people do interesting things. I should note, that these things generally end badly for me, but it's fun. (I have a huge bruise on my leg from trying to do a burpee to box jump on a 3.5 foot box). 7. The gym is fun (for me)A lot of people act like the only way to have fun with fitness is to play basketball, or enjoy the great outdoors. That's silly. The gym is fun (for me). I mean, would I rather be climbing mountains? Sure. But the mountains don't offer childcare or hot tubs, so... tradeoffs Bonus- Fitness goalSeeing as I haven't talked about fitness in this post, I thought I should mention that I use my gym for fitness purposes. Right now, I'm trying to run a 21 minute 5K on my birthday. My best time as of late is 23 Minutes and 40 seconds. I'm a lot slower than I used to be.
5 Comments
9/11/2017 07:41:48 pm
You know what's sad? My gym is only $100 a year and I haven't been once since re-upping in the spring. I tell myself it's because it's so hot out that driving there is a real pain, but I'm just lazy. Still, at $8 a month, I can't really complain.
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It seems like the heat is the reason I got serious about going to the gym. I absolutely couldn't exercise outside this summer.
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9/11/2017 10:28:31 pm
"I mostly like her because she's basically a frugal version of my mom" !!! I love your reasons for joining a gym. That is a great price for all that you get. And being able to work out no doubt makes you happier and gives you more energy for your young family. I get a kick out of reason #5 - complete with advice "Also, if anyone catches you watching them, you can just pretend you were checking out your muscles." Words to live by! My guess is that I'll pull another 180 and join a gym again some day - once the mortgage is gone. Let's see if you've quit by then : )
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Always pretend to check out your muscles ;)
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9/26/2017 06:57:22 am
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About HannahI'm a wife, a mom, an employee, and a personal finance nerd who is devoted to spreadsheeting my way through life. Archives
July 2017
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