6 Little-Known Perks of a Gym Membership

Yes, the main reason we get a gym membership is to exercise. Good gyms offer a wide variety of high-quality equipment that would stretch beyond most of our personal finances were we to buy it ourselves.

But your local gym may offer more than just a good selection of weight benches and treadmills. Here are a few perks of a gym membership that you may not have considered.

1. Partner discounts

One thing I've noticed lately is that some gyms, particularly national brands, have started offering partner discounts. For instance, you might find a promo code for a deal on a fitness watch.

The quality of the offers varies, and some can be found elsewhere. But it's a nice perk to something you're paying for anyway.

Anytime I use third-party discounts like these, I check my credit cards for additional deals. For instance, Chase, Citi, and Amex credit cards have offer portals with tons of retailer discounts or rebates. I add these discounts to my card before using the third-party links to stack deals. And, of course, I always choose the best rewards card for the job.

2. Lower home utilities

Getting out of the house is a solid hack to lower your utility bills, since you can knock your thermostat pretty low -- don't go below 55℉ to avoid plumbing issues -- when you aren't at home (provided you don't have pets). You can do more than save on heat, though; a hot shower at the gym after your workout means you won't need to pay for all that hot water at home.

3. Better mental health

Alright, so we know that regular exercise has long-term health benefits that can decrease your healthcare costs across your entire lifetime. But it's not just your physical health it helps. Exercise is proven to help your mental health, too.

No, I'm not saying your gym membership is going to make your therapist suddenly superfluous. However, studies have proven that physical activity improves your cognition, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, and leads to better sleep.

You don't specifically need a gym membership to get these benefits. You don't even need a home gym. Any physical activity you add to your life can increase your mental health, including walking around the neighborhood, doing jumping jacks at your desk, or adding a bit of yoga before bed. Just get moving.

4. Free personal training and classes

Depending on your gym, a membership may include free access to fitness classes, either one-on-one or with a group. For instance, my gym offers half-hour blocks of personal training for free for all members -- all you need to do is sign up.

If you're socially-minded -- or not, but trying to be -- group fitness classes can be a great way to make working out more fun. They can also offer different types of workouts and help you find what exercises you most enjoy doing.

Personal training can easily cost $50 an hour or more. And fitness classes can start at $15 but can get much higher, depending on the type. Having these included in your monthly membership fee can offer big savings.

5. Free tanning and/or massage

Larger gyms tend to offer amenities beyond fitness. These can include everything from tanning beds to steam rooms to massage chairs. If you're someone who would pay for these services anyway, then you could save a lot of money by bundling them into an affordable gym membership. (Ever looked into those massage chairs? They start at $1,000, even at Costco.)

6. Better WFH productivity

This ties in a bit with the mental health point a bit, but I feel like it deserves its own callout. If you work from home, getting out of the house becomes important. Add in that most work-from-home jobs are fairly sedentary, and you've got a dangerous combination for both your physical and mental health.

A happy brain is a productive brain. Exercise makes the brain happy. Make your brain happy, be more productive, and earn more money. Everybody wins.

Joining the gym not only gives you somewhere to go to get you out of the house, but it also provides a great way to exercise all year long. Plus, the fact that you're paying for the membership may make you more motivated to actually go. If nothing else, you have to go down there to cancel it -- so you may as well just work out when you get there, huh?

Gym memberships aren't necessarily cheap, but they're hardly the most expensive thing we could spend our money on. Indeed, most of us pay just as much, if not more, for our favorite streaming services. In addition to the obvious offering of somewhere to exercise, a gym membership can have a lot of perks that offer more value than your Netflix subscription ever will.