Fiscally fit tips for selecting a gym

(Average cost is the monthly gym fee divided by the number of workouts.)

I stopped working out at a health club when we moved to the suburbs a few years ago. My excuses: inconvenient locations or class times, and expensive membership dues. In reality, several local clubs offer loads of great classes in the evening and on weekends, and costs are fairly reasonable. If, like me, you're getting on track this fall, use these tips to find a club that's not too heavy for your wallet.

Try before you buy. Before signing a contract, be sure the gym offers what you want. List your needs (personal training, child care, kickboxing classes, etc.), and ask for a day pass or trial membership.

Don't get stuck in a long-term deal. Avoid sales pitches offering a "discounted rate" for joining for a year or two. Don't sign up for a "lifetime membership" (that's the life of the club, not your lifetime), which are illegal in some states. Best bet: Use a month-to-month contract.

Be careful using automatic debit programs to pay fees. If you sign a 12- or 24-month contract, it may be difficult to cancel the automatic debit program if you decide you want to get out of the health club contract. And read the fine print: Often, you must provide written notice 30 days before the end of the contract, or else you're automatically re-enrolled.

Finally, find out how to get out of the contract. Be sure you can cancel without paying a penalty. Ask whether the club will let you sell your remaining membership to another member if you move or decide to leave the gym for any reason.

Sharon Epperson is CNBC's personal finance correspondent.

Source: http://www.usaweekend.com/05_issues/050911/050911thinksmart.html#moneysmart

Thanks SheltieGuy. Good timing. I recently read that our hospital system is going to be building a health center very near my home and it will include workout facilities as well as other health related services. It is supposed to open in about a year. I had been thinking maybe I needed to consider a gym membership again so that really caught my eye. I was sort of thinking about joining one of the ladies workout companies here in town (like Curves only not that franchise) for the next year in the meantime. I'm failing miserably at figuring out a way to get weight training into my life so I was thinking about that as a way to get it going but I know that more than a year and I probably won't be improving much. Gotta stop in and see what they have to offer. I have a couple of options on the way home from work.

Of course, if I don't stop spending money like I have on the house lately, there won't be much moola to spare!

Peg