Bob

Yeah, but does your $1200 include everything? For some it does, in which case it is a good deal.

On ours, it just gets you in the door, then you've got to pay $30-80 per class session which seem to last no more than a couple months on top.

The discounts to the summer kids programs are a little healthier though mind.

Local tennis club isn't to bad, it's about $600 a year and quite nice, has a gym and pool too and it's not much further than the Y, but that's already far enough to not want to go there daily.

Bob

Yeah, it's quite active.

It's shit when you post a "wanted" though. No luck on skates, well hockey skates yes, but apparently they're different and harder to learn to skate in.

I've no idea the difference mind, but was told they wouldn't be good for a none skater.

It's pretty good for other toys and sports though.

Hiro11

This is a good point, but probably true everywhere.

Yorkieabroad

At ours, the membership fee includes all the classes. I could even get the kids into things just on a single membership (not family) - not sure how that worked. I did pay ( I think $10) for a 6 week kid triathlon training session, and personal training sessions were extra, but everything else was included.

It was definitely a good deal - I would still be a member, but I left because I've just joined a 3 month 5 day a week bootcamp ($75/month) at a gymnastics gym which has a sprung floor, so protects my arthritic knees better than the Y's basketball court floored gymnasium. That will get me thru to the other side of the MS150 (Houston-Austin) in April, then I'll rejoin the Y for the summer.

Yorkieabroad

I think hockey skates are sort of serrated on the bottom - maybe so they can get more blood on the ice, but I guess someone who knows more about these things than me (ie, just about anyone!) will come along and say its for better maneuvrability or stopping power or something.

Mr Weeze

I think they are a shorter blade for more maneuverability, but you are more likely to fall over as a result.

Yorkieabroad

So nothing to do with getting more blood out of your opponent? Darn.

Bink

We pay just under $90/month for a Y membership for the family, including child care. The main reason we chose it is the Y near us separates kids of different ages and the ratios of helpers/child is very good compared to other gyms. We had a bad experience at a smaller, cheaper local gym where our then 1 yr old got hold of a sweet wrapper and was choking on it. Fortunately they noticed quickly and managed to get it out of his mouth before he got into real trouble but we're a lot happier with the quality of the staff at the Y from a childcare perspective. I would say the ratio is typically no more than 5:1 normally more like 2 or 3:1

My wife uses it 5/6 times a week and it does include classes which is another main reason we switched. I'm not so good at using it! I play footy 3 times a week instead although do venture there ocassionally.

I actually think it's pretty good value all in all. Certain things are extra but most of the generic classes are included in the price.

ottotheboar

We pay $55 a month for a family of six. It covers everything including pool and excercise classes.
We live near Farmville VA about an hour from Richmond, Charlottesville or Lynchburg so have no choice.
They are well funded and offer assitance for low income families.

Ray

No ... but I can sing the song

AmerLisa

Oh Ray....

Captain Cheesestick

I have family membership. My wife signed us up 18 months ago and I thought she was mental. I'm still completely torn about it. It's $80 a month with most things included like music classes, child care and some other activities they put on. Although the reason she signed us all up was so my daughter could do the swim classes which are $10 and are during the school day now. Which run for about 8 weeks and then oddly the town pool runs classes for free after that. Weirder is that the pool is only open for the public (free swim) for 90 minutes a day at weird times like 7pm. The rest of the time it's classes.

I didn't step foot in there for over a year because I run outside whatever the weather and do any other working out at home. But the last few months we've alternated mornings because it's been monkey-bollocks cold and I've appreciated it a lot. 5.30 in the morning it's useable. But step foot anywhere near the place after 7am and you actually have to wait to use a treadmill via a sign up sheet and are limited to a poxy 30 minute run. If you get into a habit of going it's nice and handy (and warm). I'm off in a minute and today I'll think it's worth it. But in a month when I can see the road outside at 5am? I won't go near the place for months.

If you compare the price to a gym the it's good money. But if you weren't ever going to spend money in a gym it's a silly comparison really.

WEBlue

Yes, the variation in schemes & prices makes the Y not such a good deal in some places.

In the 80s when we lived in TX and our kids were little, we had a family membership--mostly for the pool, which cost a nominal fee each time on top of the very reasonable family membership fee. But as older folks looking to join our local Y here in CT, we were shocked at how expensive it would be. No way we would shell out so much money! We'll continue to walk around our area for free, thank you very much!

Bob

We found that one of the neighbouring towns has a pool...I thought it was a old folks home at first, turns out, it's behind the home

But it's $640 a year for none residents, about $55 a month and the pool is open 5am-9pm during the week with only a few hours here and there that it is closed for classes, couple hours after school hours twice a week and once around lunch time I think the person said.

It's also $8 for a adult day pass, half price for kids and kids 4 and under are free, with the option of buying a 8 pass block for the cost of 5 day sessions.

I don't think we'll swim nearly enough to make a annual pass worth it, but those prices seem a lot more reasonable, considering how much more pool time you get than at our local Y.

It's almost half the price for town residence too, which is a bargain for folks living there.

No gym though, but considering how cheap those are around here at the moment, plenty for everyone I guess.

Yorkieabroad

My MIL/FIL joined about 3 or so years ago, paying 29/month each and started off going to 1 or 2 of the "old folk" classes a week then hanging with their friends round the free coffee for a few hours. Then they realized they were enjoying the classes and getting fitter- it really has given them a new lease of life. Now they go to a "regular" class every day and its knocked years off them - even their coffee group are more "my" age than "theirs"!

My 70yo MIL often goes to 2 classes a day, normally early morning and evening, so our times never crossed. However a couple of months ago I bumped into her while she was sweatily dashing from a Zumba class to Step Aerobics in a get-up that I'm pretty sure was designed with High School Cheer Leaders in mind...I'm now looking for a therapist and a new fantasy....