Everywhere you go, there’s a story on TV or in a newspaper or online about how people are cutting back on luxuries during the difficult economy. More workers are bringing lunches to work instead of going out, carpooling or using public transit to save money on gas, and cutting back on entertainment like concerts and vacations. Now, a study from Rodale (which, coincidentally, publishes Men’s Health magazine) claims that health and wellness related expenses like gym memberships are among the last things to go when someone is trimming their budget. Reasons offered include:
- Working out helps relieve the stress of increased work demands, bad job interviews, and the like
- People want to get the most use they can out of their monthly dues
- Gyms are offering new programs like meditation and yoga classes or, for one gym, a “power nap” session
- It’s a great way to meet people when you can’t afford to go to bars
- If you’re in better shape you can improve your health and possibly cut down on health care costs
- If you’ve been laid off, you may find yourself with a lot of time on your hands
Has the recession made you a gym rat, or was your health club membership the first thing to go out the window?
A friend of a friend kept their gym membership even when they’d lost their home. I assume a contract had something to do with it, but the reason I heard was that they at least had a place to take a shower…