Flagship Gym
Mar. 18th, 2006 11:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebYesterday I renewed my gym membership. Mostly making conversation, the guy taking my money asked if I still liked the gym. I said no, I don't really like gyms. I'd rather play ultimate frisbee than walk on a treadmill. I just come to socialize with my friends. I did admit to liking their Body Flow class, especially when taught by Angela. He agreed that this was a great class. Then he told me about a location I'd never heard of and can't find evidence of online, so I guess it's being built. He said there's going to be a flagship Gold's Gym at Parmer and I-35 that will have all the usual stuff plus pools (plural!) and a rock climbing wall. Oh, yeah.
As usual I had to explain how when I first signed up, they promised they would never raise the rates on me, and every contract I get always says they have the right to do this. So I again got to cross out that line, but the guy said that they will never, ever raise the rates for returning people. He ran across one guy who's only paying $56 per year, which he thinks is great. I told him that I'd still rather not sign a contract that says it's okay with me if they do, because anything could happen in the future.
Then it struck me that one way to protect yourself against inflation is to join a gym and stay at the same one. It's not the safest investment, since gyms can deteriorate or get bought or go out of business and you might move away. But if you're at a gym anyway, well, it's been quite nice to pay the same rate for six years already.
I've heard similar things from insurance companies of all places. One company told me that once you stay with them for a certain number of years with no claims, future claims don't count against you (raise your rates) as much. I always hear about how you get discounts if you insure everything with the same company, and how you should call around looking for the lowest-priced good company every few years, but I've never heard this other thing. You might want to ask your insurer(s) if they have any policies like this.
As usual I had to explain how when I first signed up, they promised they would never raise the rates on me, and every contract I get always says they have the right to do this. So I again got to cross out that line, but the guy said that they will never, ever raise the rates for returning people. He ran across one guy who's only paying $56 per year, which he thinks is great. I told him that I'd still rather not sign a contract that says it's okay with me if they do, because anything could happen in the future.
Then it struck me that one way to protect yourself against inflation is to join a gym and stay at the same one. It's not the safest investment, since gyms can deteriorate or get bought or go out of business and you might move away. But if you're at a gym anyway, well, it's been quite nice to pay the same rate for six years already.
I've heard similar things from insurance companies of all places. One company told me that once you stay with them for a certain number of years with no claims, future claims don't count against you (raise your rates) as much. I always hear about how you get discounts if you insure everything with the same company, and how you should call around looking for the lowest-priced good company every few years, but I've never heard this other thing. You might want to ask your insurer(s) if they have any policies like this.