No, they do not charge anything upfront. All you pay is the cost of food. So for me, to pay around $20-25 for a months supply of food is worth saving the "up front" costs for a clini PLUS the monthly charges. But, it will be different for everyone.

I did the same as amaliayosa and really stocked up on almost 2 months worth of food witht he free shipping deal.

One thing to keep in mind, their lowest cost shipping option will take about a week to arrive. Keep that in mind when ordering, and make sure you have enough food to get you by until your next shipment arrives. They do offer in their website a "food journal" and place to keep track of your weigh in. They also have a LOT of PDF files for almost anything you might have questions about, and if it is not listed, it is very easy to contact them. It is really a pretty great option, especially if used WITH 3fc. Its a set up for a win! (in my opinion)

Does anyone have an issue with gas when on maintenance part of Ideal Protein?