“It Keeps Me Sane”: People Reveal 30 Memberships That Are 100% Worth Every Penny

We were curious to get Cameron's, aka u/CamHalf's, opinion on memberships, so we asked him which ones he personally values the most. "Outside of the standard streaming services that many people have, the memberships I feel my family gets the most bang for our buck is the public library. It’s free, you can’t beat free!" the co-host of the 'Lagers and Loudmouths' podcast shared with Bored Panda.

"We pay for an annual kid’s science museum membership for my almost 6-year-old son. We also pay for a yearly membership for my wife and son at Dollywood Theme Park. But after reading the thousands of responses to my question, I feel like I need a Costco membership! Unfortunately, our nearest Costco store is over an hour away. But perhaps that’s still worth it. The people of Reddit seem to think so," he said.

The reality is that many people these days are looking to cut costs to save more money. We wanted to get the OP’s take on how someone might go about evaluating whether or not a membership or subscription is worth keeping if their budget’s in trouble.

From his perspective, this is a relatively simple thing to do. "Are you using it consistently enough to justify the cost? It’s just a matter of sitting down and doing the math to see if the numbers are in your favor. If you use something once or twice a year, it’s not likely worth the membership price. But if you use it weekly or evenly monthly, one might be able to justify the cost."

According to Cameron, probably few people expect their posts to go as viral as they do. However, he said that he can “certainly see” why the topic got so much attention.

"So, I think people are always trying to get the most bang for their buck, and memberships are often one of the best places to get that bang. They usually have a higher initial cost, but they pay out in dividends as long as you consistently utilize them."

Feel free to check out Cameron and his co-host Tyler's podcast 'Lagers and Loudmouths,' where they address various debatable questions. "We like to do one more serious topic and one fun topic. For example, our last episode that dropped discussed the pros and cons of legalizing psychedelics as the serious topic and ‘who are your top 3 TV dads?’ as the fun topic,” he shared with us.

From our perspective, there are two broad types of memberships. There are the ones that help you save money and ensure brand loyalty. Then, there are the ones that gobble up your cash in exchange for a (theoretically) useful or entertaining service.

The former would be something like a grocery or retail store membership where you get discounts, collect points, and get all sorts of promotions. Meanwhile, the latter are things like annual memberships to cultural and recreational events and activities, as well as monthly gym memberships or streaming service subscriptions.

In our experience, the memberships and subscriptions that are usually most worth it have two aspects to keep in mind. First of all, they’re ones that you use constantly. Look, many of us have had moments where we imagine the type of person that we want to be. We put in the effort and resources to set up the groundwork.

For instance, you might buy lots of art supplies and sign up for digital lessons, get a gym subscription, or sign up for tango lessons. However, we might not have the energy, willpower, or passion to follow through with that commitment. So that membership or subscription becomes a money sink. It’s a relic of our (lukewarm) desire to be someone else.

So, if an activity isn’t an integral part of your life, cut it out. You’ll save money. But the bigger victory here might be something else entirely: it’s being honest with yourself about who you are and who you’re not. Maybe it turns out that you like the idea of being an artist more than the hard work it requires to become a pro. Or you might want to take some pressure off your shoulders and simply draw or paint for fun. 

Similarly, you might realize that gyms aren’t for you. You might not enjoy the crowded social space as much as other people do. Instead, you might prefer jogging, hiking, swimming, tennis, playing team sports, or some other way of moving. 

The second aspect that you want to consider when evaluating any membership is to look at how it impacts your life. To put it simply, if the service is something that makes you happy and gives at least some meaning or purpose, keep it. The activity should more or less align with your values and lifestyle.

That might involve signing up for memberships in local heritage foundations, volunteering efforts, or national park organizations, depending on what you value the most!

Alternatively, if you're pressed for money but get a lot of use out of your (possibly expensive) memberships, you can always cut costs elsewhere. However, that requires a thorough analysis of your income and expenses. The first step is to come up with a realistic budget. The second is to cut back on your expenses. While the optional third step is to increase your income.

In terms of expenses, you can dial back on dining out and cook more at home. Buying groceries on sale and in bulk can also help you save more than just a few pennies. And you may even want to consider going meatless one or more days a week. Quality red meat is expensive. However, there are plenty of good protein sources out there that are cheaper.