Health - Fitness

Secrets to getting the least expensive Health Club Membership:
This advice only works at the big chains: 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, Golds Gym...
I was in the Health Club Industry for 5 years and loved most of it, especially the members and club team members...management outside the club is a different story.  They lost touch of why we're in business.  I was a General Manager of several different club locations at 24 Hour Fitness and knew as much about the inner workings of my clubs as anyone.  When it comes to memberships, you only need to know a couple of things.  There is always an multi-club membership no higher than $29.99 per month, no contracts.  You can almost always avoid up front fees, aka: enrollment, processing, initiation...  you have to pay first months and last months dues everywhere.  That means about $60 to get started.  Some places let you break this up.  You may have to be patient to get the low rate.  Here is a sneaky way to get lower rates:  First, call a club in the area you want (doesn't have to be the main club you want to attend).  There is a chance that someone in sales will share the rates with you.  If not give them your contact info and tell them to call you when they have the price you want.  Second, get on the website of  another club of the same brand you may attend and give your contact information like your interested in a membership. This shows up in the managers system as a web lead.  He/She will then call you to set up an appointment to visit the club.  You don't have to go because after 45-50 days, you will get a dicounted rate emailed to you. You can also tell them to call you when they have the rate you want.  Third, visit the club and see a fitness counselor.  When you do not buy the membership that day, they will keep calling you until they offer the best special.  Also tell this person to call you when they have the desired rate.  You may have 3 people calling you and you can pin them against each other, and someone may break the rules to give you an even lower rate.   Another way is more conventional and only ONE Step: call the club you want and ask them when they are having closeout, usually the end of the month, and the time of the best specials.  An even lower rate than a closeout rate is the Friends and Family rate.  Employees are given rates to give to their family that you can sometimes talk a club manager into giving you.  They don't get commissions only credit for the number of people they sign up, at any rate.  Friends and Family is $24 Initiation, $24 per month at 24 Hour Fitness.  The most cost effective membership at 24Hour Fitness is the 2 year multi-club membership you purchase at http://costco.com for $289.99.  If you have any questions about any of this, I can answer as needed.       

Grapevine Dental
Went to Grapevine Dental last week on a Groupon Deal $49 for a new patient package - Comprehesive oral evalution and cleaning and full mouth X Rays (valued at over $400!). Great Buy and even bettter service. Natalie booked my appointment over the phone and answered all my questions. I printed my new patient forms from the website, Amanda enthusiastically greeted me when I showed up, and I only waited a couple of minutes. I was turned over to Kimberly who was so friendly and detailed about what we were doing. Then Dr. Shireen Irani came by for a pleasant consult. It was so refreshing and everyone had such great customer service, I have found my new dentist! Click on the link and Check them out. You'll enjoy your experience.  http://www.grapevine-dentist.com/

Anytime Fitness: 
Although I used to manage 24 Hour Fitness locations, I'm a big fan of the small business that still cares about what the members want.  Anytime is a great concept and one of my buddies is opening one.  I'll post his location and link soon.  In the meantime, goto their general website:  http://www.anytimefitness.com/