Comments on: I tried to cancel our gym memberships… http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/ Family, Marriage, Finances & Life Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:09:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-52048 Rob Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:08:51 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-52048 Ok,.. at this point I feel as if I need to qualify my previous post. I don't really think that you're an idiot. Perhaps that came out wrong on the initial post. That was just my initial reaction to reading it for the first time. Do I think your decision was foolish? Yes, but you have your reasons. I didn't mean for that to come across so harsh,.. more like the ribbing friends give each other after one of them does something silly. My apologies. Anyways,.. I look forward to seeing a post in three months letting us know how it turned out and how many times you went in those three months. ;) Ok,.. at this point I feel as if I need to qualify my previous post. I don’t really think that you’re an idiot. Perhaps that came out wrong on the initial post. That was just my initial reaction to reading it for the first time. Do I think your decision was foolish? Yes, but you have your reasons. I didn’t mean for that to come across so harsh,.. more like the ribbing friends give each other after one of them does something silly. My apologies.

Anyways,.. I look forward to seeing a post in three months letting us know how it turned out and how many times you went in those three months. ;)

]]> By: Tim http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-52017 Tim Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:39:58 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-52017 yeah, it really depends if you use the facilities. I was concerned about my wife wanting to spend $134/mo for the gym, but she uses it 6 days a week. Her work pays for half, there is no contract, she goes to the workout classes which most other gyms charge to participate in, and because of the price point, the gym and classes aren't over crowded. yeah, it really depends if you use the facilities. I was concerned about my wife wanting to spend $134/mo for the gym, but she uses it 6 days a week. Her work pays for half, there is no contract, she goes to the workout classes which most other gyms charge to participate in, and because of the price point, the gym and classes aren’t over crowded.

]]> By: Kristen from FiLife http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51995 Kristen from FiLife Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:46:22 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51995 My husband and I joined a gym when we moved here to New Orleans that charged a somewhat hefty initiation fee. Our reasons for joining were solid: I loved the yoga teachers and they have plenty of classes, Jordan enjoyed the Saturday am basketball games, and running on a treadmill in the AC beat running in the hot July sun. But our lives have changed over the last year. I found a great local yoga studio. Jordan really likes playing in some free, pick up games he has found around town. Now we have a dog - and I prefer doing my run with him. So we're dealing with the same dilemma you wrote about and have to think through the initiation fee we sunk into the club. If Rob thinks you're an idiot - then I am a total bonehead. My one piece of advice for other potential boneheads? Don't sink a piece of cash into a health club until you're sure you've found a routine you'll follow for a while. My husband and I joined a gym when we moved here to New Orleans that charged a somewhat hefty initiation fee. Our reasons for joining were solid: I loved the yoga teachers and they have plenty of classes, Jordan enjoyed the Saturday am basketball games, and running on a treadmill in the AC beat running in the hot July sun.

But our lives have changed over the last year. I found a great local yoga studio. Jordan really likes playing in some free, pick up games he has found around town. Now we have a dog – and I prefer doing my run with him.

So we’re dealing with the same dilemma you wrote about and have to think through the initiation fee we sunk into the club. If Rob thinks you’re an idiot – then I am a total bonehead. My one piece of advice for other potential boneheads? Don’t sink a piece of cash into a health club until you’re sure you’ve found a routine you’ll follow for a while.

]]> By: Clever Dude http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51955 Clever Dude Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:54:22 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51955 @Warren, unfortunately we're set up for EFT, so they take it out automatically. @Warren, unfortunately we’re set up for EFT, so they take it out automatically.

]]> By: Warren http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51947 Warren Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:56:35 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51947 CD, Since you are not under contract, can't you just quit paying them, and let them figure out you are canceling? They cannot legally demand payment, right? CD, Since you are not under contract, can’t you just quit paying them, and let them figure out you are canceling? They cannot legally demand payment, right?

]]> By: frugalgrad http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51559 frugalgrad Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:15:40 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51559 It's so funny. Sometimes if you want a promotion you just need go straight to the cancellation department. People there are trained to keep customers with wonderful baits. I tried it sometimes with my home phone service when I need to reduce my bills a bit. It works most of the time. You just have to sound really distress about the high bill (but it's actually distress but you have to let the Reps know that, otherwise why the heck do you want to cancel, right? It’s so funny. Sometimes if you want a promotion you just need go straight to the cancellation department. People there are trained to keep customers with wonderful baits. I tried it sometimes with my home phone service when I need to reduce my bills a bit. It works most of the time. You just have to sound really distress about the high bill (but it’s actually distress but you have to let the Reps know that, otherwise why the heck do you want to cancel, right?

]]> By: Ken http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51388 Ken Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:13:20 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51388 Hey CD,
thanks for the post. I think it is a global phenomenon when it comes to canceling subscriptions or memberships. I usually try to write the cancellation letter the same day I signed for the subscription, print it to pdf and put it in the “send it or loose money folder” and set a reminder on my calender to print, sign and send it. I also try to use some direct language as: “effective immediately”, “please transfer overpaid fees on my account” “send me a confirmation via E-Mail” and “cancel the subscription according to §x.x of your membership regulation”. Additionally, in cases where I have to hand in important (at least to me) documents, I have a “received” template where I only have to copy-paste the company information. The template states “Hereby I approve that I have received the cancellation letter.” Get the name of that person to whom you hand it and have it signed. I believe that the mere fact that they signed something, makes them feel more responsible. Actually, I never had to use these but it feels me more secure.
Looking forward to your future posts. Greetings from Europe.

]]> By: Chris http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51345 Chris Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:20:06 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51345 As for DirectTV, I don’t know why people fall for it over and over again. I would never want an ugly dish on my home and wiring stapled to my siding like so many of my neighbors have. Perhaps if I had kids, I would want those channel options and would be looking for the best deal, but I never hear people raving about the awesomeness of satellite TV, especially on cloudy days and bad weather.

I have Dish and have no troubles with weather causing problems. Furthermore, the dish is on the back of my house, so it’s not visible from the street AND looks no worse than the gas and electric meters mounted nearby.

It is also very nice from a channel selection standpoint for both my kids and us – I personally like Discovery, TLC, History, etc. better than the network stuff.

Someday, having satellite will give the next owner their choice because the house is currently set up for either Dish or Comcast.

]]> By: Kate http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51315 Kate Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:42:30 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51315 You might want to investigate whether there is a way to send your cancellation notice by certified mail (to prove they got it). I made the mistake of just taking the written notice and the keycard by the gym and leaving it with the manager, who assured me it was all taken care of. They continued to electronically draft my checking account even though I no longer had access to the gym. I did not catch it for a really long time, partly because I wasn't as good about reconciling my bank statements as I should have been, the draft was identified by a number not a vendor name and also because some months they wouldn't take any out, then the following month, they might draft it twice. When I discovered it, they denied receiving my previous written notification and I had no way to prove I had submitted it. I wound up having to send a certified letter to the gym and also to my bank to stop the bank drafts. I later discovered I could use the track at a high school five minutes from my house and really feel bad about all the money I wasted at the gym! You might want to investigate whether there is a way to send your cancellation notice by certified mail (to prove they got it).

I made the mistake of just taking the written notice and the keycard by the gym and leaving it with the manager, who assured me it was all taken care of. They continued to electronically draft my checking account even though I no longer had access to the gym. I did not catch it for a really long time, partly because I wasn’t as good about reconciling my bank statements as I should have been, the draft was identified by a number not a vendor name and also because some months they wouldn’t take any out, then the following month, they might draft it twice. When I discovered it, they denied receiving my previous written notification and I had no way to prove I had submitted it. I wound up having to send a certified letter to the gym and also to my bank to stop the bank drafts.

I later discovered I could use the track at a high school five minutes from my house and really feel bad about all the money I wasted at the gym!

]]> By: Clever Dude http://www.cleverdude.com/content/i-tried-to-cancel-our-gym-memberships/comment-page-1/#comment-51303 Clever Dude Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:46:51 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/?p=2566#comment-51303 Yeah, I plan on canceling, and I might cancel before the 3 months is up. I did put a reminder on my calendar (6 days prior) to cancel each membership so I know when to call. Yeah, I plan on canceling, and I might cancel before the 3 months is up. I did put a reminder on my calendar (6 days prior) to cancel each membership so I know when to call.

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