Joining a Gym Question. (1 Viewer)

[Daywalker]

Gym I was looking at Fitness 19 is about $9/month with an initial fee of about $50.

Basically just want to pay for six months up front plus the initial $50. So we are talking $104 total.

So contract would be for six months membership from date I sign. No cancellation fees after six months. No other fees. Just $104 for six months. No access to my banking account/credit card info so I don't end with extra charges at some point.

If I like the gym after six months I would then look to purchase another six months up front for $54 excluding the initial fee I paid at the start.

Basically I don't want to give them my banking/cc info.

Is this a reasonable request?

 

[Soulfly3]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

 

[fantasycurse42]

$9 a month?

What do they have a bench, 2 tread mills, & an elliptical machine?

 

[Daywalker]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

 

[Daywalker]

$9 a month?

What do they have a bench, 2 tread mills, & an elliptical machine?

I'm mainly interested in elliptical and treadmill which they have plenty of.

 

[Soulfly3]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

 

[fantasycurse42]

$9 a month?

What do they have a bench, 2 tread mills, & an elliptical machine?

I'm mainly interested in elliptical and treadmill which they have plenty of.

$104 for 6 months? Sounds insanely cheap!! If you're that concerned go set up a dummy bank account, keep a few bucks in it, & use that...

My gym has my Amex on file... Never had a problem.

 

[Soulfly3]

anyone who owns a gym is a money laundering juice head.

trust me man. do NOT give them bank info

 

[fantasycurse42]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

False... Most gyms keeps a CC on file.

I'm sure your gym would do that as opposed to a bank account.

 

[Daywalker]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

False... Most gyms keeps a CC on file.

I'm sure your gym would do that as opposed to a bank account.

I want to avoid giving them any info. Just have read many reviews where this gym is very cheap but cancelling is often a problem.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

False... Most gyms keeps a CC on file.I'm sure your gym would do that as opposed to a bank account.

I want to avoid giving them any info. Just have read many reviews where this gym is very cheap but cancelling is often a problem.

Review the contract, it'll say the out clause - if you leave a CC & they charge you just dispute it... For $9 or even $104 your CC company will easily overturn and prob send you a new card. Really not a big deal.

 

[Mister CIA]

I thought automatic withdrawals were the norm. I've done it that way for many years with at three or four different gyms.

 

[fantasycurse42]

I thought automatic withdrawals were the norm. I've done it that way for many years with at three or four different gyms.

It's def the norm, I don't even think there is another way.

 

[Daywalker]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

False... Most gyms keeps a CC on file.I'm sure your gym would do that as opposed to a bank account.

I want to avoid giving them any info. Just have read many reviews where this gym is very cheap but cancelling is often a problem.

Review the contract, it'll say the out clause - if you leave a CC & they charge you just dispute it... For $9 or even $104 your CC company will easily overturn and prob send you a new card. Really not a big deal.

Fair enough.

But If I'm purchasing six months up front I would not want any out clause involved to begin with. Just want to buy six months then when it expires we'll go from there.

 

[Mister CIA]

anyone who owns a gym is a money laundering juice head.

trust me man. do NOT give them bank info

I don't know much about money laundering, but wouldn't it be desirable to deal with cash only if money laundering is the objective.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

yes, when the gym is run by scam artists.

Not all are scam artists, but I wouldn't do it if it weren't an established fitness.This scam has run rampant in my current area. Then they rename, rinse & repeat.

To OP: Your request is more than reasonable. And highly recommended.

 

[Soulfly3]

anyone who owns a gym is a money laundering juice head.

trust me man. do NOT give them bank info

I don't know much about money laundering, but wouldn't it be desirable to deal with cash only if money laundering is the objective.

Without getting into specifics,just believe me when I say that gyms are NOTORIOUS for laundering. Obviously not all. But a lot. A LOT

 

[DropKick]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

Typically, you have options... A common one is a one year commitment with automatic payment from an account or credit card. I would avoid that because I've found it to be difficult to stop some people from taking money even after the commitment period ends and you give them sufficient notice.

Another option - typically a little more expensive - is pay as you go. You could pay for a month, 3 months, 6 months or a year. A place I like charges $24 a month (equal to $288 a year), but I prefer to pay quarterly (equal to $320 a year) or I could prepay a year at $300.

Quarterly is a little more but worth it to avoid issues and to have the flexibility to quit if/when I want to.

 

[bentley]

anyone who owns a gym is a money laundering juice head.

trust me man. do NOT give them bank info

I don't know much about money laundering, but wouldn't it be desirable to deal with cash only if money laundering is the objective.

Without getting into specifics,just believe me when I say that gyms are NOTORIOUS for laundering. Obviously not all. But a lot. A LOT

We are talking about a national chain here if it matters.

 

[Daywalker]

Reasonable?

If they demand access to your account, you walk. Simple as that.

Isn't it standard to set up a direct withdrawal?

Typically, you have options... A common one is a one year commitment with automatic payment from an account or credit card. I would avoid that because I've found it to be difficult to stop some people from taking money even after the commitment period ends and you give them sufficient notice.

Another option - typically a little more expensive - is pay as you go. You could pay for a month, 3 months, 6 months or a year. A place I like charges $24 a month (equal to $288 a year), but I prefer to pay quarterly (equal to $320 a year) or I could prepay a year at $300.

Quarterly is a little more but worth it to avoid issues and to have the flexibility to quit if/when I want to.

So you pay $320 every quarter without providing any automatic payment options?

Why does it cost you more to prepay a year ($300) then $24/month ($288)?

 

[flapgreen]

You get a discount for blow drying your balls at the counter.

 

[Mister CIA]

You get a discount for blow drying your balls at the counter.

:AARP:

 

[Tecumseh]

I've been with Fitness 19 for a few years, and I did quit once (but joined again a year or so later) with absolutely no problems. Obviously ymmv with a different franchisee, but I had no issue when I quit. If I remember right, i just had to take them something in writing stating that I wanted to quit. The automatic debit stopped as it should have.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Wouldn't think it would be a problem. Only thing I can think of is my gym will charge you if you trash the showers or do something weird like that. Once a year they also charge $30 for remodeling/new ####.

 

[flapgreen]

Wouldn't think it would be a problem. Only thing I can think of is my gym will charge you if you trash the showers or do something weird like that. Once a year they also charge $30 for remodeling/new ####.

Any fines for lewd acts?

 

[sho nuff]

I thought automatic withdrawals were the norm. I've done it that way for many years with at three or four different gyms.

It's def the norm, I don't even think there is another way.

This Fitness Anytime 24/7 place is popping up around here and I have joined them when the one opened up near me.

It was either $15 per month with some $50ish sign up fee. Could pay month to month with no contract if you wanted.

I ended up paying $315 for a 2 year membership without the sign up fee. All in one payment. They have no other info and the stuff I signed to join and have a copy of says they will not do an automatic renewal of my fee.

There are a lot of the $10-15 gyms popping up all over the place.

They try to get you with their free fitness evaluation...which then tries to sell you on their personal trainer services.

 

[Ignoramus]

You could always go with the prepaid credit card.

 

[RUSF18]

anyone who owns a gym is a money laundering juice head.

trust me man. do NOT give them bank info

I don't know much about money laundering, but wouldn't it be desirable to deal with cash only if money laundering is the objective.

Without getting into specifics,just believe me when I say that gyms are NOTORIOUS for laundering. Obviously not all. But a lot. A LOT

I'd like to hear more about the specifics if you don't mind.

Seems like if you're trying to get away with laundering money, having recurring cash flows in the same amount like gym membership fees hitting your account every month from very popular banks is a pretty terrible way to do it.