HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON GYM MEMBERSHIPS

You made a New Years Resolution to lose weight or stay fit. Good for you.

You need to go to a gym to accomplish your goal. Not so good for you.

Did you know that the average gym membership can run $700 or more? Yikes! Don't these people know that there's a recession?

Here are some tips to cut your membership by 50% or more:

1. Most gyms offer a 1 or 2 week free trial before you sign up. Take advantage of these offers with all the gyms in your area. This way you'll know if the facility is right for you and you can compare prices and maybe negotiate by pitting on against the other. Worse case scenario, you'll get several weeks of free gym usage.

2. As we mentioned above - negotiate. Ask about new membership sales and promotions. There are lots of discounts in the beginning of the year, so take advantage of them. Also, check the internet for prices. Look for newspaper ads and don't forget the local free papers too.

3. Check with HR. Many companies offer gym discounts available through their Human Resources Departments. Some even offer incentives to stay fit. (This is for those of you with jobs.)

4. Check with your landlord if there is a fitness center in your building. (This is for those of you in apartments.) Very often there is an additional charge for its use. If so, try to get those fees included in your rent. If there are a lot of apartment vacancies, insist on free gym use; after all, they don't want you to leave.

5. Check your insurance. Very often, Insurance Companies will offer gym promotions for their insured, and it never hurts to ask.

6. Check your other memberships. Costco, AAA, AARP, Credit Unions, etc. may offer discounts for their members.

7. Pay month to month. If you're not sure if you're going to stick with your fitness regimen, go for month to month payments before you sign a long term contract. According to research, most members visit a gym less than 50 times a year. If you become one of those people, take a long hard look to see if a gym membership makes sense for you.