{"id":13448,"date":"2023-04-26T11:00:31","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T11:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/?p=110583"},"modified":"2023-04-26T11:00:31","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T11:00:31","slug":"how-to-find-the-best-deal-for-you-at-a-yoga-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/26\/how-to-find-the-best-deal-for-you-at-a-yoga-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find the Best Deal for You At a Yoga Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Yoga ain\u2019t cheap.<\/p>\n

On Manhattan\u2019s Upper West Side, a monthly unlimited yoga membership can run $249. In downtown Washington DC, that same month of practice costs $189. In Cincinnati, it\u2019ll set you back $170. Take a single class in Bozeman, Montana, and it\u2019ll cost you $18.<\/p>\n

There are legit reasons why yoga studios charge what they do. Although that doesn\u2019t exactly help when you\u2019re struggling to make space among your bills for yoga as an essential expenditure.<\/p>\n

As a yoga student, I\u2019ve been there. And as a yoga teacher who\u2019s spent a lot of time at studios, I\u2019ve been privy to a lot of behind-the-scenes conversations around pricing. It\u2019s not easy on either end of the situation.<\/p>\n

But I can tell you that what appears to be the least expensive option isn\u2019t always the most cost efficient for you. There are a lot of not-so-obvious factors to consider as you study your studio\u2019s pricing options. Knowing what they are and how they apply to you can save you literally hundreds of dollars on studio classes each year.<\/p>\n

How to Find the Most Affordable Deal at Your Yoga Studio<\/h2>\n

1. Introductory Special<\/h3>\n

Best If:<\/strong> You\u2019re trying a new-to-you studio<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> Most yoga studios offer an \u201cintroductory special\u201d exclusively for students who haven\u2019t attended class there. You basically get to take unlimited yoga classes for anywhere from one to four weeks at an astonishingly low cost.<\/p>\n

When trying a new-to-you studio, the intro special seems like a \u201cno duh\u201d option. And it is. Or rather, it can be. It all depends on whether you actually use it.<\/p>\n

Think of the intro special as the talking phase of your relationship with the studio. It\u2019s a chance to get to know the teachers and the studio beyond the initial allure. That means you need to invest enough time to reassure yourself whether the studio is\u2014or isn\u2019t\u2014right for you.<\/p>\n

Two weeks can seem like ample time to suss out a studio. But if you have more than your usual commitments in the weeks to come, hold off until your schedule eases. I\u2019ve overheard countless students ask if they could extend the intro special because they didn\u2019t avail themselves of it due to sickness, deadlines, final exams, laziness, forgetfulness, and so on. The answer was almost always \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n

As incentive to attend classes, chances are you\u2019ll receive texts and emails during your special offering a steeply discounted rate on a membership or class package if you sign up before your intro special ends. Gather your intel before you commit.<\/p>\n

2. Membership<\/h3>\n

Best If:<\/strong> You practice more than once or twice a week<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> An unlimited membership offers you as many classes as your body and your schedule can handle for a flat fee. If you consistently practice at a studio more than once or twice a week, a membership is usually your most cost-effective option in terms of cost per class. Some studio memberships also include other financial incentives, including waived fees for mat rentals, free guest passes, and discounts for workshops and yoga teacher trainings.<\/p>\n

But you also want to consider the less-tangible membership perks. Some students say committing to a membership encourages them to try classes they might otherwise not attend since there\u2019s no added cost. Others find a membership prompts them to practice yoga more consistently because they think of it as an accountability partner in the form of an automatic debit from their banking account.<\/p>\n

And when you practice more frequently, you usually find yourself practicing with the same students class after class. If you find yourself nodding hello to the same someone in the row ahead of you each Tuesday or laughing as you walk out of the studio with others, that\u2019s a form of community. And the scientific evidence for the health benefits of social connection<\/a> is pretty profound.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll typically encounter two membership options:<\/p>\n

Monthly Membership<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most students who opt for membership take the monthly approach. When you compare what you\u2019d pay per year, the cost of paying once for an annual membership is typically much lower than what you\u2019d cumulatively spend with a monthly membership. But with a monthly, you don\u2019t need to commit for the entire year or say goodbye to that much cash all at once.<\/p>\n

Watch your attendance. If it starts to lessen or you\u2019re unable to attend for an extended length of time, ask if you can pause your membership. Or, if you simply aren\u2019t taking advantage of unlimited classes, consider cancelling and opting instead for a class package (see below).<\/p>\n

Be certain to read the fine print. Membership contracts typically stipulate 30 days (or more) notice prior to cancelling. Also, if you\u2019re currently paying a reduced membership rate, chances are you won\u2019t be able to access that if you re-up your membership after canceling.<\/p>\n

Annual Membership<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re committed to the studio where you practice, an annual membership is the most affordable option in terms of per-class cost. Although of course, there\u2019s the rather large outlay of money all at once.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re tempted to sign up for the annual membership at a new-to-you studio, you might want to pause before committing to an entire year. It\u2019s a little like moving in with someone after the fifth date. That\u2019s why availing yourself of that intro special is essential.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that these contracts are typically non-refundable. If you move before the end of the year or other circumstances lessen your attendance, you\u2019re still locked into that membership. Rare is the yoga studio that will offer an exception. Ask whether your annual membership is set to auto-renew and, if so, keep your start date in mind so you can reevaluate before it re-ups.<\/p>\n

3. Class Packs<\/h3>\n

Best if:<\/strong> You practice once a week or less<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> Most studios offer an array of class packages, whether you purchase five classes or fifty or somewhere in between. Some studios let you share your package with friends or family, making it even more of a deal. The math is pretty simple: The more classes you purchase, the lower your cost per class.<\/p>\n

But your calculations shouldn\u2019t stop there. If you practice intermittently, a class package is almost always your most economical option. But if you practice at least once a week, you might be money ahead with a monthly membership. Consider your average monthly attendance and what you\u2019d spend on a class package. Then compare that to the cost of a membership.<\/p>\n

For example, someone once gifted me a class package at the studio where I practiced. After thanking the person profusely, I quietly did a little math. The same dollar amount that would have gotten me through four weeks of yoga classes would finance four months of my practice if spent on the monthly unlimited membership. When I approached the studio manager and asked if they could apply the cost of the package toward a membership, she didn\u2019t hesitate to make the change.<\/p>\n

Also, check if there\u2019s an expiration date on your class package. Buying the fifty-class package might be the most efficient price per class. But if you practice once a week and your package expires in six months, you\u2019re effectively donating what you paid for those unused classes to the studio.<\/p>\n

4. Drop-In Rate<\/h3>\n

Best If:<\/strong> You\u2019re traveling or occasionally attend a studio<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> Paying the drop-in rate for a single class is usually the most mat-droppingly expensive option for a per-class experience. The cost varies dramatically depending on the studio and city\u2014$20 in Raleigh, $22 in Nashville, $27 in Boulder, $30 in San Francisco, and $35 in New York City\u2014but is always discouragingly expensive.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s intentional. Drop-ins are designed by studios to encourage you to instead opt for the class package, which makes the per-class experience more affordable for you and more financially advantageous for the studio.<\/p>\n

But there are times when that drop-in can be a godsend. Opt for it when you\u2019re practicing in a city or a neighborhood you don\u2019t usually frequent. Maybe you\u2019re sneaking yoga in on a work trip or attending class with a friend across town.<\/p>\n

The drop-in can also, counterintuitively, work well if your financial situation is a little precarious. When I took a substantial salary cut that went along with an editing gig I desperately wanted, I needed to juggle bills rather creatively. I literally could not afford a class package. But I could manage to pay the $18 drop-in rate each week for the one class I didn\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n

5. Occasional Sales<\/h3>\n

Best If:<\/strong> You have the time and patience to wait for a deal<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> Many studios slash their prices every once in a while. The studio where I practice tends to regularly offer substantial discounts on the anniversary of the studio\u2019s opening, around the end of the year, even certain astrologically significant dates<\/a>. These sales are announced on social media and the studio\u2019s email newsletter, making it easy to take advantage of the specials.<\/p>\n

When you start to pay attention, you might start to notice a pattern as to when there will be a price break. Knowing that, you can budget accordingly.<\/p>\n

6. Sliding Scale Classes<\/h3>\n

Best If: <\/strong>You\u2019re troubled financially and otherwise could not afford yoga<\/p>\n

Why:<\/strong> Some studios allow those who are financially challenged to pay what you can for classes and memberships.<\/a> It\u2019s a substantial loss of revenue for the studio but some owners decide to do so in support of making yoga accessible to those who otherwise can\u2019t afford to practice.<\/p>\n

The sliding scale structure typically applies to studio memberships and yoga teacher trainings. The lesser rate is arranged through a conversation with the studio owner or, increasingly, some studios allow you to opt for a discounted rate online without the potential awkwardness of reaching out in person.<\/p>\n

At Yoga Shala West in Los Angeles, founder Pranidhi Varshney applies a sliding scale to all her students<\/a>. She notes a suggested price for a monthly membership and asks everyone to pay what they can comfortably contribute relative to that. Proceeds from those who are able to pay more supplement those who need to pay less.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach student is not paying for his or her own practice. Rather, all students are contributing what they can to the community so that all of us may thrive in practice,\u201d writes Varshney in the website\u2019s explanation of the studio\u2019s pricing policy. \u201cWe encourage our students to think not about getting the best deal, but about allocating capital in a way that aligns with their core values.\u201d<\/p>\n

About Our Contributor<\/strong>
Renee Marie Schettler<\/a> is a senior editor at <\/em>Yoga Journal and has been a writer and editor at <\/em>The Washington Post, Real Simple, and other online media platforms. She started practicing yoga nearly 20 years ago with teachers who challenged students to feel the strength and space of precise alignment of a pose. Her understanding of yoga changed when she began studying with teachers who emphasized the grace of surrendering into the stillness of a pose. Renee has been teaching yoga since 2017 and finds that writing and practicing yoga are similarly about exploring truth. Follow her at @reneemarieschettler.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/figure>\n

A little yoga class calculus can save you hundreds of dollars a year.<\/p>\n

The post How to Find the Best Deal for You At a Yoga Studio<\/a> appeared first on Yoga Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[37,35,36],"class_list":["post-13448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ayurveda","tag-blogs","tag-yoga","tag-yogacourseware"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}