My wife likes lifetime fitness, but it's costly... We have two gym memberships

[Anonymous]

We have two gym memberships. My work used to offer an 80 percent discount at the YMCA, but it's been taken away unless I go to the one across the street from my work. So we have been members of the Y for over a year. About four months ago, my wife joined Lifetime Fitness, mainly for the swimming pools. In the summer, she took our boys, ages 2 and 5, almost every day to the outdoor pool, and they would also spend 2 hours in the childcare. Lifetime charges per person, and we pay $210 for only my wife and the kids. I am not a member of Lifetime. I work out twice a week at the YMCA- once during the week and another weekend day when my wife is working all day. I bring the kids with me on both days. I have been trying to convince my wife that we should only pay for one gym membership, i.e., the YMCA, because it's cheaper, but she says Lifetime has improved her quality of life, and she can't agree. She says there are more stay-at-home moms there, and the swimming pool has open availability for kids to swim, unlike the YMCA. Also, she likes that kids don't have to wear life jackets and a hot tub in the women's locker room. She said there are creepy guys in the co-ed hot tubs. She also likes that towels are provided, and the kids can stay in childcare longer. Here's the kicker, we are moving, and the Lifetime closer to us is more expensive, so it will be $289 per month for the three of them. My wife still thinks it's a fantastic deal considering childcare is included. I can see her point if we consider it more as a daycare. Our younger son loves childcare. They usually go every other day, and he asks if they can go to the gym on the days they miss. We will also have a YMCA 5 minutes away from the new house. They have childcare for up to 2 hours a day and an outdoor and indoor swimming pool. My wife says she doesn't feel the pool is clean, and they only have a little availability for kids' swimming times. So we will be where we are now and have two gym memberships because I don't want to join Lifetime (extra $189), and it's a lot further away, so I won't want to drive that far. My wife does work part-time and says she doesn't care and will pay from her salary because it's important to her. I can't get out of this, so help me think about it differently. She's thinking more about the kids and how she feels lifetime gives them more.

[Anonymous]

What’s the cost of you all doing lifetime vs you all doing YMCA? What’s your individual cost for YMCA? I feel like your wife has the stronger points and your kids like it. Can’t you run outside or walk if youre that concerned about the cost?

[Anonymous]

Buy a pair of running shoes. $150 every few months is cheaper than a monthly gym membership.

[Anonymous]

Team DW. I doubt the delta between the prices is worth this fight, and if she doesn't like the other gym she won't go as often and the effects will creep into other areas of your life.

[Anonymous]

We have friends who joined Lifetime mainly for the swimming for their kids. The kids turned out to be strong, competitive swimmers in their older years. Would that be worth it for you, to promote something like that? I think their Lifetime had a year round swim club that the kids joined in early elementary.

Meanwhile, the YMCA product and the Lifetime product are two different things. At this time in her life, your wife is saying that she needs Lifetime, to the point where she is willing to pay for itself. As the kids get older and you two are in different stages of life, that may change. It's not forever.

[Anonymous]

*pay for it herself

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the cost of you all doing lifetime vs you all doing YMCA? What’s your individual cost for YMCA? I feel like your wife has the stronger points and your kids like it. Can’t you run outside or walk if youre that concerned about the cost?

It's $130 for a family at the YMCA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy a pair of running shoes. $150 every few months is cheaper than a monthly gym membership.

I don't run. The treadmill is easier on my joints. Also, I like taking my kids to childcare on Saturdays. It breaks the day up.

[Anonymous]

Its basically free daycare. Stop complaining. They should be charging you twice what they are.

[Anonymous]

We belong to Life Time and I also have a Retro Fitness membership. My husband, a wiser man than you, is happy to spend $300/mo for my a$$ to look like it does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have friends who joined Lifetime mainly for the swimming for their kids. The kids turned out to be strong, competitive swimmers in their older years. Would that be worth it for you, to promote something like that? I think their Lifetime had a year round swim club that the kids joined in early elementary.

Meanwhile, the YMCA product and the Lifetime product are two different things. At this time in her life, your wife is saying that she needs Lifetime, to the point where she is willing to pay for itself. As the kids get older and you two are in different stages of life, that may change. It's not forever.

It's important to her as she grew up at the swimming pool. She swam for hours on end as a child especially in the summers. I grew up swimming in ponds in a third-world country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy a pair of running shoes. $150 every few months is cheaper than a monthly gym membership.

Cool. Who is going to watch the kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We belong to Life Time, and I also have a Retro Fitness membership. My husband, a wiser man than you, is happy to spend $300/mo for my a$$ to look like it does.

Her a$$ looks amazing no matter what she does orange theory, baree, hot yoga. She has done it all. It would look good without the gym. She's naturally fit. She doesn't do cardio, just stretching and weights. I think most of the time, she's in the locker room in the hot tub, showering and blow-drying her hair.

[Anonymous]

At least she's not in the hot tub with other men. LT would be the place where she would meet more men so keep her out of the coed hot tub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We belong to Life Time, and I also have a Retro Fitness membership. My husband, a wiser man than you, is happy to spend $300/mo for my a$$ to look like it does.

Her a$$ looks amazing no matter what she does orange theory, baree, hot yoga. She has done it all. It would look good without the gym. She's naturally fit. She doesn't do cardio, just stretching and weights. I think most of the time, she's in the locker room in the hot tub, showering and blow-drying her hair.

I don’t get why you’re penny pinching on this. She looks great (including her hair) and is getting a break from the kids, for an incredibly cheap price. What is your income that this is really bothering you??