Budget buster: Ymca?

[kristenrice]

Here's the deal...

DH is a police officer and I am a paramedic. I work nights, he works days. We both have very physically demanding jobs that require us to be in pretty decent shape. Well, he is...I am not. I am trying. I have lost 20 pounds since December but now that summer is here, it is harder for me to find time to excercise. We have a "gym" of sorts in our basement...elliptical machine, cage, free weights, various benches, etc. Our 2 DD's (almost 4 and just 6) just cannot find something non-destructive to do while I excercise. I am only talking about a 20-30 minute jog on the elliptical machine. I know that I can do outdoorsy stuff (like biking), but it is so dependent on the weather. I get migraines easily when I overheat so I prefer to excercise indoors. Going bike riding in the rain is not an option either so I really stick to indoor stuff.

Ok, getting to my question...

We can get a family membership to the YMCA for about $100 a month. They offer free childcare for up to 2 hours while you work out so it would be SO much more convenient for me. There are 2 locations that are within 20 minutes of our house. They are also planning on opening a new one (they haven't even broken ground on it yet) that will be only 10 minutes away. I really like the idea of being able to go and work out for a while and then maybe hit the pool with the kids. It would also be nice to get the kiddos involved in some of the free classes and activities too.

DH says, "Are you really going to use it?" and I do not know how to answer. It seems like a great idea. I have been so motivated lately to exercise now that I have actually seen the results. I want to keep going, but finding the time to do it (i.e. while the kids are supervised) is getting more and more difficult. I would love to add more strength training to my workouts too, but there just isn't enough time. I am constantly running upstairs (OK, that is part of the exercise) to check on what the kids are doing. If DH and I want to take turns to do a complete workout, that takes up 2 hours of our already limited time together.

As you can see, I have no trouble seeing all the benefits. We can afford it, but the question is still "are we going to use it?" For any of you that are "Y" members with small children, how practical is it? I guess I find myself getting stir crazy around the house sometimes and I just want a place to go where the kids and I can burn off some energy. I am wondering if there is a difference between the "concept" and the "reality".

TIA!

 

[lindsmom]

We had a Family II membership last year - both DH and I were members, and DD, but you could have more children. We found that DH wasn't using it, but I was, and DD is in swimming lessons year round so this year we got a one adult membership for just myself and DD.

I love our center - they just completed a remodel (essentially a whole new building), and DD's swim lessons are half price because of the family memberships. They also have free childcare with the fam. membership so I'm looking forward to using that when my little one is three months old this winter.

I can't say for you what will work, but I totally understand what you're saying. You could see if they'll let you do what I did when we first signed up - we signed up for the three month option, then tried it to see how much we'd use it. When we decided we wanted to continue, they let us put that three month payment toward a one year membership.

ETA: We also get a $150 "fitness benefit" from DH's insurance company (BC/BS) for any membership over 4 months. That helps with the budget buster too! Mathwise, we paid $488, minus the fitness benefit = $338, minus the value of DD's half price swim lessons ($50 x 6 sessions = $300) it ended up costing $38. Not bad. Their prices just went up, though but it's still a pretty good deal.

 

[Darcy03231]

We've had a family membership to our local YMCA for about 10 years now. I love it! It was great when the kids were little as I could work out and know they were supervised. Now that they're older they go on their own several times a week. For us, its money well spent.

 

[ontariomonkey]

We have wasted literally hundreds if not thousands of dollars on unused gym memberships over the years. I vow to never do this again, and to just buy day passes until we prove to ourselves that we are going consistently. Not sure if the Y has day passes.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

The YMCA has no contract, so you can pull out at anytime. As a member, you will receive member benefits such as discounted programs for the children and exercise classes for yourself. The child care alone is a big plus! Time away from the kids, yet they are still close to you.
All children should learn how to swim, and the YMCA is a great place for the kids to learn those skills.

 

[DisSpirits]

Check and see if you can get any discounts through your jobs. I am a nurse and because of where I work, I don't have to pay the initial fee plus I get a monthly % discount.

Personally, I used the Y for a while, then dropped it. When I was going in to work out before work, it was well worth the money. Once my hours changed, I couldn't go before work and taking my kids didn't work out well for me. My kids get freaked out in "daycare" type settings though. That would be something to consider with your kids. Will they go to the play/care area and make friends and play? Or will they have an emotional meltdown in the corner (like my little beauties did. It was embarassing!) Maybe you could talk to your Y and see if you can do a trial day to see how it works for you and them?

 

[PinkRhombus]

Aren't there some gyms in your area that offer free access to police and EMS? There are a couple here that do that.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I wouldn't get a Y membership unless I had small children.

We were members of the Y when my kids were younger, and we took advantage of the programs geared towards the children...swim lessons, day camp, soccer and basketball leagues.

$100/month may be excessive for just you and your husband. But for you, him and your two DDs, I think it would be worth it.

 

[delmar411]

does the Y not offer discounted or free membership for police/firefighters/EMTs?

(not sure if you asked them already or not)

I like our Y membership. But I need the childcare it provides or else I'd have to get out to the gym at 5am every day!

Ours also has a really nice outdoor pool and splash pool for the kids. So that alone makes it worth it for the summer months.

It's not a waste of money for us but I know we will use it. Even if just for 30mins of a sanity break for me.

 

[kristenrice]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!

I think we got some info a while back, either from my employer or the city (DH's) that we could have the initial fee ($160) waived. We're going to look into that on Monday.

Our kids need swimming lessons so even if we don't join, we will enroll them in the swim classes. They are both very social and do well in the "daycare" environment so I think I would have to pry them out of the KidZone.

I'll have to further discuss it with DH. If he isn't planning on using it, I do not want to be "responsible" for getting our money's worth.

 

[TinkerBrie]

We started out with a family membership, but just dropped it to single membership for me as I seemed to be the only one that used it! I love it. I really like the classes!

 

[LisaNJ25]

Also check you health insurance. Mine gives the first month free.

 

[Imzadi]

I think part of the reason people don't end up using their memberships when they had good intentions at the beginning is what's involved in getting everyone over there.

Right now, in your head, the benefits sound great. But, when you factor in: you have to round up the kids, get them dressed (as well as yourself) with proper gym/swim attire, get into the car, drive over, stow coats, etc., drive back, change out of workout swim clothing, etc., it may add on an extra 30-45 minutes to what, in your head, is intitially only a 2 hour, easy trip to the Y.

Plus, you have to go during ther Y's schedule. Right now, you see a 2 hour break here & there you or DH can work out. Once you join the Y, you have to do the swim classes when they have them scheduled. You only have to miss a couple because they didn't fit into your schedule, and then comes the downward slide to miss a few more... Then, you aren't using the membership at all.

Right now, you don't have the mental energy to round up the kids and creatively set them up with a craft, video or activity while you do a 20-30 minute jog on the elliptical machine. Are you really going to have the continual motivation for a 2hr 30 minute trip to the Y?

 

[ilandrazdsw]

We love our Y! The kids are in Swim classes, so DH and/or I take advantage of working out when they are in a class. DS just finished 5 weeks of Karate and now DS and DD are starting 5 weeks of sports camp (exposure to 5 different sports in 5 weeks for 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours). We have found that the classes offered by the Y are less expensive than those offered by the city (not including membership). If we find that we are not using it when school starts we can cancel at any time, but we would have to pay the registration/application fee if we rejoined. The only bummer is that the open swim hours don't really work with our summer schedule and for sure won't when school begine, so I have they change them for fall/winter hours.

 

[brymolmom]

I say that if you can get the initial joining fee waived (or ask at your branch - ours has 2 times a year when ANYONE can get it waived) - then go ahead and join for a couple/few months. Put it on a calendar that you will do it for 3 months and if you go X times (whatever would be 'worth it' to you), then keep going - otherwise, cancel.

One thing that many have commented on in the pp's is lessons/activities for kids. Not sure if it's different in different places - but anyone - not just members - can sign up and take those lessons here. And it's only about $10 cheaper for members in some cases (NOT worth the $85/month membership fee for that savings) - so really, I would look at the benefit to YOU and YOUR HEALTH, not really at the kids things - cuz you can do those either way.

I find that it is worth it for me - we have family membership, but I go a lot more frequently than dh. Not sure if I really go enough to take full advantage - BUT, to me, trying to stay in shape is tough and even if I only go a couple/few times some months - that's a few more times than I would have otherwise.

Also - it is nice in the winter here to use the pool with the kids on occassion - a nice, inexpensive (since i'd be paying the $$ anyway for working out) way to get out of the house sometimes.

 

[Praying Colonel]

We dropped our Y membership a few months ago after having it for many years. We kept saying "We'll use it when (it gets hotter--it gets colder--we get less busy--the kids' schedules get more sane--insert whatever excuse you want to here). We loved it and always enjoyed going--after we'd gone --but we finally just admitted that we weren't ever going to go enough to justify the cost ($85/month where we live). YMMV.

Where I live, government pays 50% of the government employees' initial membership fee. Maybe your government does something like that.