In a few days, January will be over. And most likely, so will be our New Year’s Resolutions (you know, because of Quitter’s Day and all). Our resolutions that, according to research, are most likely related to our body. In fact, half of us wanted to lose weight last year, or ramp up our fitness.
Maybe this past month you have tried out a new fitness tracker. Maybe you’ve been getting into exercise snacks (not the edible kind, unfortunately). Maybe you’ve been trying out some of this year’s predicted fitness trends.
Maybe you’re one of those people who think if they’re spending money on something (like the gym), then maybe they’ll actually attend…only to never go. Turns out, you’re not alone in this. Not in the slightest. Website Finder found that Australians are spending $2.4 billion on unused gym memberships. Yep, that’s not a typo. $2.4 billion.
The survey found that around 6.2 million of us have a gym membership. And of that number, 50% attend the gym less than once a week. In fact, one in five gym members show up to exercise less than once a month. Whoops.
And the gender split? Men are more likely to have a gym membership they don’t make good use of – 46% of male gym members go once a month or less. Females are at 17%.
Taylor Blackburn, personal finance specialist at Finder, said: “When it comes to value, our research shows that gym memberships are only beneficial for one in two members.”
So if you want to get your money’s worth from your gym membership the only real way to do this is to go to the gym. Try organising a time each week to head to the gym with a friend, or if you’re feeling a little uninspired with solo workouts, try a class. Gym classes are a great way to boost motivation thanks to the directions provided by the teacher.
Ultimately, investing money into your health is never a waste but this is a good reminder to hit the gym when you can.
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