As long as you don't join a health club in January, you may have an opportunity to take advantage of a special promotion. Just be sure to read the fine print. If a promotion occurs while you're in the middle of your membership, keep track and ask for it when you renew.

Most health clubs won't tell you this, but the prices of many of their programs are negotiable. You may be able to take advantage of a previous promotion when you renew, or try to squeeze down the price a bit if they're willing to consider customer loyalty.

Be prepared for the fact that most health clubs won't bother to help you if something gets stolen from your locker while you're working out. Petty theft is common at gyms, so the employees are likely to do nothing. It's a good idea to use a padlock with a key rather than a combination lock, since those are easier to pick.