Gym that requires credit card/bank account

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  • David_AUS
    David_AUS Posts: 298 Member
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    It is convenient for both parties. They can focus on providing the facilities and maintaining the equipment and you can concentrate on using it. Just remember to cancel if you choose another gym or are not using the facilities. You can get your bank to stop payment to prevent any accidental continuation of membership fees - be mindful of cancellation period is all.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Lol@ the idea that giving a gym auto debit authorization is on the same level as "unfettered access" to your bank account. It's permission to withdraw $40 a month plus any incidentals *that you sign for * at regular intervals, not giving them power of attorney. Seriously, it's not a big deal.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I might add that all the places We have given permission to withdraw their fee's from our account, We had to fill out a paper giving them permission to withdraw a set amount and if it ever changes we must authorize the new amount....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,622 Member
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    Be smart. Link it to a credit card and not your bank account. It's much easier to solve a dispute (if it happens) with the backing of your credit card company.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    It's perfectly safe. You have protection for unauthorized use.

    you don't have that much protection in Canada.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Lol@ the idea that giving a gym auto debit authorization is on the same level as "unfettered access" to your bank account. It's permission to withdraw $40 a month plus any incidentals *that you sign for * at regular intervals, not giving them power of attorney. Seriously, it's not a big deal.

    In Canada, the bank will not stop the automated payments for you. They send you back to the business and tell you to make THEM stop it from their end.
  • hananah89
    hananah89 Posts: 692 Member
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    I'd vouch for the Y, was a member growing up.

    Now I work for a university and pay for the gym through payroll deductions. Very easy since I never even get the money in the first place.

    I actually have none of my bills set up for automatic withdrawal. Some companies (like Time Warner who I use for internet) will change their prices by a few cents (which is so weird) so this way I can see the bill first. My bank account also transfers money for free and I just write it in my calendar the due dates. Never had a problem.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Lol@ the idea that giving a gym auto debit authorization is on the same level as "unfettered access" to your bank account. It's permission to withdraw $40 a month plus any incidentals *that you sign for * at regular intervals, not giving them power of attorney. Seriously, it's not a big deal.

    In Canada, the bank will not stop the automated payments for you. They send you back to the business and tell you to make THEM stop it from their end.

    that can happen here as well. in fact, it happened to me with something years ago, possibly even a gym membership but i can't remember exacty, and i was incredulous. I remember screaming into the phone "You mean they have more control over my bank account than me?!?!" and the bank was like, "Yep."

    aaaaaaaand, i called the whoever-it-was and asked them to terminate and they complied right away. and refunded the most recent debit. my main point is that it isn't a big, scary deal. if you give ME access to you bank, be worried. if you give it to LA Fitness, nobody is going to run wild with your monies. nobody but me, anyway.

    now what was that routing number again?
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    My membership to Anytime is done on my Visa. I'm getting some pretty sweet travel miles from Capital One from it =)

    Personally never give a Debt Credit either a Credit Card or Pre-Paid Credit Card.
  • bheathfit
    bheathfit Posts: 451 Member
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    It's perfectly safe. You have protection for unauthorized use. Just be sure to ensure you understand the cancellation policy, which is typically at least 30 days in advance of the next payment.

    That is the problem exactly... You just authorized people that you have never met and may not trust if you did meet, on your account. Debits, deposits, etc...
  • pyrowill
    pyrowill Posts: 1,163 Member
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    Only way to avoid this would be to google Pay as you go gyms in your area.
  • mrussell60
    mrussell60 Posts: 14
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    I have a second credit card with a smaller limit (few thousand) and I do those kinds of things with it. I also use it for buying stuff online. If anything goes wrong I call the credit card company and say I lost it .......they send me a new one which has a new number and no one can compromise any further. I can't really see a gym have significant hidden feest but I have heard horror stories about diet programs that you pay for - which is why I am here on POF :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    *waits patiently for droves of people that gave thier debit or ach info to Bally's to come in and post about had their life savings got stolen by someone they didn't know*

    .......Aaaaaaand nobody. The world just isn't that scary of a place as people would like to believe.
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
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    my gym wanted the same thing. i was hesitant bc after a little research, people were complaining that it was difficult to leave. my gym requires, according to the very small print, 90 days to cancel. but if they have your cc on file, they will just bill you. this made me uncomfortable, so i paid cash, all up front for the year. they weren't happy about it, but weren't happy that i was leaving without joining if it meant i had to put it on a cc. so cash it was.

    they do have a cc on file for me tho, for incidentals if i don't have cash, like towels, or drinks or whatever, i just didn't want my membership linked to it.

    everyone accepts cash. if they don't, i would seriously consider looking for another gym.
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
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    not sure how else a gym would charge you monthly if it didn't come from a debit or credit card they have on file? never have heard of someone going in and paying with cash each month, how annoying/inconvenient that would be for me! i have enough bills, i like that my gym has my debit card on file. my gym takes it from my debit card each month on the same day. easy peasy. READ the contract before you agree though and make sure you know for sure what the rules are for leaving so you don't get screwed over and end up paying for months and months you don't use. make sure you get a copy of your receipt and signed contract.
  • andeey
    andeey Posts: 709 Member
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    It's perfectly safe. You have protection for unauthorized use. Just be sure to ensure you understand the cancellation policy, which is typically at least 30 days in advance of the next payment.

    That is the problem exactly... You just authorized people that you have never met and may not trust if you did meet, on your account. Debits, deposits, etc...

    You do realize that every check (cheque for my Canadian friends) ever written has the routing/ABA number and account number on it and people hand those off to "strangers" every day?! It's not as big bad as everyone is making it out.

    Sure, there might be some minor inconveniences from paying an extra month because you didn't cancel on time, but you're talking about giving your information to a legitimate company to pay for a legitimate service they're providing. You are not providing them unlimited access to your account or balances, you are authorizing them for a specific amount each month until you cancel.

    Please, let's not get all wrapped up in acting like someone stole the information out of the rubbish bin and they're going to wipe out your life savings.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,996 Member
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    Lol@ the idea that giving a gym auto debit authorization is on the same level as "unfettered access" to your bank account. It's permission to withdraw $40 a month plus any incidentals *that you sign for * at regular intervals, not giving them power of attorney. Seriously, it's not a big deal.

    Lol @ the idea that everyone in the world can be trusted to do only what you've given them permission to do. Giving someone your bank account number is like cashing your paycheck, stuffing the cash in your wallet, tossing the wallet into the office at the gym, saying "just take $40 please," and then walking away, leaving the wallet behind. Works just fine when everybody who has access to the office is honest.

    What you've given them permission to do and what they have the ability to do are two different things. And once money is gone from your bank account, good luck getting it back. And do you want to have to go through a lawsuit to try to get the gym to reimburse you?

    I don't know what the consumer protection laws are like in Canada, but in the U.S. you have pretty good protection against unauthorized charges on your credit card, and your credit card issuer basically has to put disputed charges on hold while they work to figure out what really happened. Even if your consumer protection laws aren't that strong, from a practical standpoint, at least you can deal with any financial hit from unauthorized credit card charges over time, rather than having your bank account (rent money, etc.) wiped out.

    Edited to fix typo.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    I go to 24 Hour Fitness. In order to avoid giving them my CC info, I paid for an entire year up front. Yes, it was pricey and a big chunk of change, but now money is not deducted from my bank and there are no concerns about them charging me fees. I think I just have to give them 30 days notice so they don't renew my year membership in October.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Lol@ the idea that giving a gym auto debit authorization is on the same level as "unfettered access" to your bank account. It's permission to withdraw $40 a month plus any incidentals *that you sign for * at regular intervals, not giving them power of attorney. Seriously, it's not a big deal.

    Lol @ the idea that everyone in the world can be trusted to do only what you've given them permission to do. Giving someone your bank account number is like cashing your paycheck, stuffing the cash in your wallet, tossing the wallet into the office at the gym, saying "just take $40 please," and then walking away, leaving the wallet behind. Works just fine when everybody who has access to the office is honest.

    What you've given them permission to do and what they have the ability to do are two different things. And once money is gone from your bank account, good luck getting it back. And do you want to have to go through a lawsuit to try to get the gym to reimburse you?

    I don't know what the consumer protection laws are like in Canada, but in the U.S. you have pretty good protection against unauthorized charges on your credit card, and your credit card issuer basically has to put disputed charges on hold while they work to figure out what really happened. Even if your consumer protection laws aren't that strong, from a practical standpoint, at least you can deal with any financial hit from unauthorized credit card charges over time, rather than having your bank account (rent money, etc.) wiped out.

    Edited to fix typo.

    Lol@ complete paranoia.

    *continues waiting for one real life example of one of these worst case scenarios that people keep painting.*
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,996 Member
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    not sure how else a gym would charge you monthly if it didn't come from a debit or credit card they have on file? never have heard of someone going in and paying with cash each month, how annoying/inconvenient that would be for me! i have enough bills, i like that my gym has my debit card on file. my gym takes it from my debit card each month on the same day. easy peasy. READ the contract before you agree though and make sure you know for sure what the rules are for leaving so you don't get screwed over and end up paying for months and months you don't use. make sure you get a copy of your receipt and signed contract.

    I belonged to a small gym about 10 years ago that was perfectly happy to have members pay their monthly dues in person, in whatever form they liked (cash, check, credit card), so long as it was paid by the 10th of the month. I really liked that gym. They didn't require a contract (you could quit at any time), and clearly their business model was about providing a service that customers valued, rather than selling as many memberships as they could to people who would have to keep paying for a year or two or more, even if they discovered that the service held little or no value for them.

    The one I belong to now wanted my bank account number for the monthly fees, but I gave them a credit card instead, which provides greater consumer protection. I believe that it is a reputable business; I like pretty much everyone on staff; I think they're honest. But I don't see the point to taking that risk.

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