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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: G-String on January 09, 2020, 08:42:37 AM

Title: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: G-String on January 09, 2020, 08:42:37 AM
I'll be travelling in a couple weeks, to the US, and will need access to a gym every second day, so probably 4-5 times for the entire stay.  Most gym's charge around $30-40 for the time I'll be there.  But they all offer one free day pass as an introduction to the gym with the hope you will buy a longer pass after using the gym for a workout.  There's a number of gym's near where I will be staying that offer this one visit free.  Is there anything wrong if I take advantage of each gym's free day pass so that I don't pay anything at all for the gym while I'm travelling (i.e. I'd go to a different gym each day I need to work out)?  This would end up saving me around $40 USD. 

Curious what Mustachians think...  Is this frugal...smart...unethical...cheap? 
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: turketron on January 09, 2020, 09:39:05 AM
veering towards cheap/unethical, IMO. Although, if you're up front with them that you're from out of town and won't be staying long enough to buy a paid membership, and they still offer you the one-day pass, then go for it.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: honeybbq on January 09, 2020, 11:46:24 AM
If you don't mind filling out all the paperwork and getting hounded by each gym with emails, phone calls, etc.

I'd rather try to find a place that will let you do a week long pass  or a month long for a fee. Then everything is aboveboard and expectations on both sides are managed.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: economista on January 09, 2020, 04:05:14 PM
I would tell them the truth that you are just visiting and see if they offer you the free day pass. I was recently traveling to visit family and I went to the gym with them one day. I fully intended on paying the day fee and said I was just visiting my family but they said I get 5 free visits before I have to pay. Another anecdote - I work at a judo club and we never charge people who are just traveling through and want to get a workout in. We welcome them with open arms and never charge them during their stay. If you find a small, non-chain gym they might have a similar attitude.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: jeninco on January 09, 2020, 04:15:04 PM
I typically visit family for 3-4 weeks per summer, and have also had luck contacting small, local gyms in places I'm visiting and negotiating completely reasonable rates for the time I'll be there. This works pretty well with places that aren't chains, and it helps if you can talk to the owner.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: use2betrix on January 09, 2020, 06:52:23 PM
For me, it directly depends on the cost they would charge me. Some gyms are reasonable and have like a $5 drop in fee, especially if you can show an out of town ID.

Others, are completely absurd and have like $20 day passes to discourage locals from doing cheap day passes instead of memberships.

I’ll happily pay the $5 pass, or even possibly $10.. I’d gladly abuse the heck out of the trial pass system for those $20 day pass places that aren’t willing to help out of towners.

If you find a small privately owned gym, you are much more likely to get them to work a deal if you explain your situation. Maybe ask for a $20 week pass or something. My wife and I were visiting family this past Christmas and the local gym was happy to let us lift for free.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: JoJo on January 12, 2020, 08:16:06 PM
Where are you staying?  Many hotels have small gyms.  Alternatively exercise outside or do some in room exercises.  Invest a little bit in those weight bands that weigh nothing.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: jeninco on January 12, 2020, 09:00:32 PM
Where are you staying?  Many hotels have small gyms.  Alternatively exercise outside or do some in room exercises.  Invest a little bit in those weight bands that weigh nothing.

I'm actually a big fan of this, but I'm also an over-50 lady-type person who tries to do pull ups 3 times/week, and if I'm staying someplace without a usable bar (like, with family), I'm going to go find a gym that has one, because if I skip a week I see noticeable degradation. Two weeks, and I'm basically f(*&ed.

My experience has been that explaining the situation to a small, local gym owner (and offering to pay) generally results in a completely reasonable offer from them, varying from "just come in and lift" to some low price. Last time I talked the guy up a bit, by suggesting one of my kids come with me and I pay for him, too.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: G-String on January 13, 2020, 03:59:22 AM
Where are you staying?  Many hotels have small gyms.  Alternatively exercise outside or do some in room exercises.  Invest a little bit in those weight bands that weigh nothing.
No gym at the hotel. That's why I'm researching gym's in the area.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: daverobev on January 13, 2020, 06:00:22 AM
I think travel hacking people sign up with one of the large chains that allows you to use any and all of their facilities.

Free passes are really for prospective new customers. You're not. Meh.
Title: Re: Taking advantage of free intro gym day pass while travelling?
Post by: Metalcat on January 13, 2020, 06:34:37 AM
I wouldn't do this because it usually comes with a lot of hassle, a tour, and a whole sales pitch. It seems like a huge waste of time and energy when you could just do a body weight and/or bands workout.