I was desperate to lose weight but didn’t want to pay – this is how I bagged a £140 Slimming World membership for free
WEIGHT loss can be one of the toughest battles for people to face, especially if they’re on a budget.
Many people have found success by connecting with like-minded people with the help of support groups such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World.
While those on a budget may be put off by the weekly or monthly membership fee, one savvy member of money-saving community has shared her top tip for making a massive saving.
Carole-Anne Clark said: “I'm doing Slimming World and they're currently doing a scheme with my local council whereby you can self-refer if your BMI is over a certain weight, you don't have to go through your doctors as you used to.
“You just call them with your NHS number, height and weight and tell them which group you want to attend (or they'll tell you your nearest) and they then email you and the consultant a code for free joining plus 12 weeks fee.
“After this, so long as you have attended a minimum of 10 of those 12 weeks and have lost at least 3% of starting weight you can then get another 12 weeks free.
“Weekly fee is usually £6 I think so you're saving an initial £72 on the first 12 weeks then another £72 if you do the second 12 weeks so it is a fab saving. I've lost 20.5lb since the beginning of January.”
Tom Church, Co-Founder of Latest Deals, said: “Carole-Anne has done really well to make this fantastic saving - I wanted to find out what other support is out there for those wanting to lose weight, but who may not have access to this great deal.
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“Weight Watchers is often running a promotion on its website - for example, at the moment it’s giving new members 9 months for the price of 6, where they will save £50.
“You can also self-refer if you meet the eligibility criteria, such as having a Know Your Risk score of 16+ or a HbA1C reading of 42-47.
“Many local GP surgeries will be able to provide referrals to Slimming World or Weight Watchers depending on where you live, but if you don’t want to see a doctor it’s worth having a look on your local council website to see what’s available.”
Tom said that plenty of councils offer financial relief when it comes to losing weight.
He continued: “For example, the Norfolk County Council website indicates they will provide locals with free Slimming World membership on referral.
“You need to fill out the questionnaire on the web page before calling Slimming World and giving them your answers. You will then be able to attend a Slimming World Online course or go to a group in person.
“Kent County Council has a program called One You Kent, which provides an online referral form for you to fill in. You will then be contacted by an advisor who will discuss the option available to you in your area, which can include free one to one or group support to assist with weight loss.
“Similarly, Hampshire County Council has a service called ShapeUp4Life which gives members of the community access to a free 12-week programme which includes face-to-face classes, online classes and a mobile app for additional motivation.
“Money should not be a barrier to losing weight if you want to do so, and it’s great to see that there is plenty of free support available in local communities across the country.”