Irish people spend €30million on the gym every year

its_steve116 · 08-01-2019 04:47PM #1

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

DontThankMe · 08-01-2019 04:50PM

No problem with spending money on anything that improve people's health since it will result in less people getting sick and ending up in our ****ty public healthcare system that can't handle the current amount of people that it is treating.

alchemist33 · 08-01-2019 04:50PM

If it's from 30 people going to the gym, yes - it is an unnecessarily big amount for them to spend.

MaryBrosnan · 08-01-2019 04:50PM

If they didn’t spend perharps another 30 million on Supermacs or Macdonalds they would have to go to the gym.

dar100 · 08-01-2019 04:51PM

Compare it to alcohol

Then compare it to impact and benefits to both

See where this is going....

You can extrapolate cant you?

Boom_Bap · 08-01-2019 04:51PM

Each?????????

Allinall · 08-01-2019 04:51PM

I pay €300 a year, and use it at least twice a week.

That’s about €3 or less per visit.

Great value.

Snipp · 08-01-2019 04:52PM

30 million spent by a population of almost 5 million is definitely not an unnecessarily big amount imo. I assumed it would have been a lot higher.

Tell me how · 08-01-2019 04:52PM

That works out at on average, €6 per person per year.

Or, another way to look at it, if the average membership is €600/ year, then only 50,000 or 1% of the population is doing so.

I know there are mitigating factors such as gyms not applying to the entire population but either way, €30M seems small to me.

Grayson · 08-01-2019 04:53PM

I know more people who join but never go

HiGlo · 08-01-2019 04:53PM

Was that what was said?
I thought they said that in One Day people of Ireland spend €30m on health/beauty/fitness. I remember being surprised cause I couldn't work out where they were able to get this figure from?

Maybe I didn't hear correctly tho.

MOH · 08-01-2019 04:57PM

Irish people spend €186 million on RTE's license fee every year. At that rate the gym sounds far better value.

razorblunt · 08-01-2019 04:59PM

Yes but only if they put pictures on instagram using #fitfam before and after a workout.

facehugger99 · 08-01-2019 05:01PM

I spend €300 a year which works out as only €50 per pack.

08-01-2019 05:04PM

seems small indeed.

if the average person going to the gym paid 300 a year, then that's only 100,000 people.

08-01-2019 05:15PM

Private business gyms are really a city thing though aren't they, in the countryside you'd be part of a sports club more likely

yourdeadwright · 08-01-2019 05:17PM

its changed so so quick , 10 years ago when I started going the gym you wore your old clothes, like old t-shirt and a pair of football shorts . now its a fashion show, and every aul one who's never seen the inside of the gym In there life are down the local supermarket decked out in the latest Nike or Under armour gear,

Fiftyfilthy · 08-01-2019 05:18PM

270e for the year and go 4x a week

Some people piss that up in a single weekend

Cienciano · 08-01-2019 05:34PM

Sounds like a great weekend

Mitch Connor · 08-01-2019 05:38PM

350 for the year for me, and I go 5 or 6 times a week. Great value, and I'd be a sphere of fat without it. Its the easiest money I spend all year. This is an inane and insane question.

sk8erboii · 08-01-2019 05:49PM

No its not.

08-01-2019 05:53PM

Quid a day, gets me up early, bit of exercise and a swim, hot tub if it's not busy. **** it.

topper75 · 08-01-2019 05:59PM

Disregarding brand snobbery I won't begrudge people their polypropylene etc..

Sweating in clinging cotton is annoying. And invites a chill or cold.

orourkeda1977 · 08-01-2019 06:02PM

I'm a fattie.

I'd have to spend that on myself to get my fat arse off.

Jankouskas87 · 08-01-2019 06:21PM

I spend 200 a month on my membership which is a great incentive to go - I tend to go 4 or 5 nights a week.

I will point out I live in Dublin and is a Crossfit gym(box to give its proper title) so it's more expensive than your typical gym.
To answer your question I don't think it's expensive per capita and actually it's a probably a good investment....

On a side note ,I had a conversation a number of years ago before I joined in relation to Crossfit which went as follows:

Me : How much do you spend on Crossfit a month ?
Him : Membership is 150 per month.
Me: That's fairly expensive.
Him : How much would you spend on a night out on the beer in Dublin?
Me : 100-120 on a long night I guess.
Him: And how often would you go out in a month?
Me: Maybe 3 nights I guess ..... ok point proven !!!!!

The point being if you can afford it and that's what you want you spend your money on - work away and enjoy yourself.

I might try and catch the documentary now - was it a Prime Time special?

DEFTLEFTHAND · 08-01-2019 06:36PM

I always found that you can do a lot without the gym also. Just invest in a yoga mat for floor exercises and a good pair of runners for road running.

08-01-2019 06:48PM

you can but gym classes are good when the motivation levels are not so high -> when it's pitch dark and cold in the middle of winter a run is not as appealing.

LuckyLloyd · 09-01-2019 10:41AM

This topic often precipitates a race to the bottom conversation, where it becomes almost a contest to see who is spending the least per month; and negative discussions around 'I can't believe you spend that much', 'all you need is fresh air and a strong mind', etc.

If people could afford a personal trainer 3 times a week and they stuck to it and it improved their health and well being is seems like a good investment to me. Some people need more help than others when it comes to staying fit. I also kind of think that it doesn't matter what you do (running / strength training / a sport / yoga / crossfit) if you do it regularly and it works for you.

meeeeh · 09-01-2019 10:52AM

It depends, if you buy annual membership and then use it only for a month (me) then it's too much. If you use it weekly it's good investment.

Personally I prefer to go for a run and I use indoor cycling and rowing machine at home in winter when it's too dark outside. Going for a walk with dog is less intensive but I think it's also hugely beneficial.

Fresh air is great but indoor gyms are still much better than nothing as long as you actually use them.

JohnCleary · 09-01-2019 01:22PM

My gym (pool / decent gym / classes) costs me €250 per year (I still blag a student rate)

I go 4-5 times a week, let's say on average 45 weeks a year. Each visit it approx 90 mins. So, let's just say 4 times a week, 45 weeks a year. That's 180 visits.

Cost per visit = €1.38 / 1.5 = 92c per hour to be in the gym.

Fackkkk, I'm spending WAY too much on the gym!

seamus · 09-01-2019 01:28PM

The question really is how much of that €30m is not being used (people with memberships they don't use), or is being spent unnecessarily, i.e. people who join a gym just to use the treadmill or bikes.

Irish people spend €30million on the gym every year

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