Help! Anyone?

The latest fad nowadays is diet and excericise. Everybody and their mamas are doing it. I can't be left out. Plus its spring, I need to be in bikini shape for the summer. Even though I'm not fat, I'm of the school of thought that if your tummy don't look like Halle's, you have no business sporting a bikini. I knew there would be no dieting for me, so excercise it was.

So I signed up, got a call from a local gym that rhymes with Cally and I immediately regretted it. My appointment was for 9pm. By 8:45p I stopped everything I was doing and started getting ready. I was now excited. I mean, I was going to the G-Y-M!

I brought out my sweat pants, dustd my gym shoes and even brought out my red gym bra (said item of clothing had not been used in 2 years!). I looked for a black tee shirt- I didnt want to look too matching. I had to look like one of the pros who'd been doing this for years.

I spent about 3 minutes debating on whether or not to wear lipgloss. Everyone knows that trainers are always hot! I finally decided not to.

I had my white towel ready, I even took a bottle of water to perfect the whole outfit.

At 9pm, I drove the 1 minute drive to the gym and was introduced to the trainer I was supposed to see. He took me into the office for the preliminary talks.

Trainer: so what are your goals? do you want to work on a specific area, or tone up, or stay in shape, lose weight..
Bumight: I'm looking more into staying in shape
Trainer: that's good
was that a trick question?
Trainer: We have many programs and packages....

Anyways, to cut the long story short, dude said he would go over the programs with me and then show me around the gym and we'll work on a couple of machines(is that what they call them?) then come back and talk about the prices.
He took me on the treadmill , I worked that one like a pro. He showed me the ones that work the biceps, triceps, deltoids, hips, thighs, - In short, we were on a roll. I was beginning to feel the gym.

So we went in and started looking at the prices
1. He recommended the $49.95/mo plan for students
2. They require a 3 year contract
3. By this time I knew the gym wasn't for me

To be fair to the guy, he talked about a $19/mo plan that they had, but you still had to sign up for 3 years.
He then went into the sales pitch as to how I'll be doing this for my body, I need to take care of myself yadi-yadi-ya

All my excitement had deflated by this time.

Now I really want to start going to the gym for real. I mean its a way to relieve stress and all- ok, who am I kidding? I want a fab body and I need a new addiction ( see post below), but I can't pay $50 a month for 3 years! I know I'll be bored by the end of the first year. I don't have such money to waste.

The school gym is way smaller, and they have all the school athletes crowding in there intimidating the little people like me:(

I am getting my bikini body by fire by force! are there any better options out there that don't require a three year contract?