Insider Guide.(gym membership)(exfoliation after brows waxing)

Insider's Guide Fitness

How to negotiate a gym membership

By Lavinia Errico Errico is a cofounder of Equinox Fitness Clubs and recently opened The Gym, a Manhattan health club that operates on flat-rate membership fees. Joining a gym is like buying a car: Prices are usually negotiable -- and you can easily get taken for a ride. * Time it right. The biggest bargains are usually available at the end of the month. Salespeople need to make their numbers before the first. Also, recruiting members during summer and the holidays is like pulling teeth, so salespeople negotiate -- a lot -- then. * Know what you want. Make a list of what you're looking for. If you never swim laps or shower at the gym, the Olympic-size pool and luxury beauty products aren't selling points. Telling the salesman this can take the wind out of his sails and put you in a good bargaining position. * Choose your battle. Most gyms stand pretty firm on their monthly rate, but have room to come down on the initiation fee, taking off up to 50 percent or even waiving it completely. Be realistic, though. If the fee is $50, they might just forgo it. At $500, you probably won't get off the hook entirely. ...