Many people will be joining gyms this year as they try to jump-start their New Year's resolutions to lose weight or exercise more, says Andrea Woroch, a consumer adviser based in Santa Barbara, Calif. When summer arrives and the weather warms up, many will abandon their gyms for the opportunity to exercise outside, but they'll still be paying for membership, she says.
Instead of throwing money away on a gym plan that you're not using, ask the fitness center to pause your status during the summer, Woroch says. "Many gyms let you pay a minimal $10 to $15 every month to freeze membership," she says.
Members would still be paying something to keep their account at the gym, but if they didn't have to pay the full cost, they could save up to a hundred dollars or more off of the full-service annual gym fees during that time, she says.
Potential savings: up to $100.