Does anybody read these?

I'll probably get sued for this...

I use my blog for good. If one person reads this and heeds my advice, it'd be worth it. It just seems fair. And besides, I really don't think certain people want to screw with me.

Back when I was really serious about losing weight, I joined the gym. Curves is not really a gym. The Y was inconvenient. The other gym in town was way too expensive.

So that left Bally Total Fitness.

And I bet you know where I'm going with this. I heard all the Bally's stories. I knew. But it was really the only option. It was a great deal and I honestly was fitter than I'd ever been in my life. So, at the time it was worth it. It was an expense that I felt was necessary, so I made it happen.

When I moved to Ohio, there was no Bally's but I knew I wasn't staying there indefinitely. So, I kept paying figuring that it'd be easier than trying to cancel and getting something else later. I know it's not easy to cancel your Bally's membership.

Only a few months ago, I found out there was no Bally's in Nashville. Can you believe that? They wanted me to go to the Knoxville club, but that's a bit inconvenient. So, I told them I'd make a one-time payment on my credit card to clear up my fees and send them what they needed to close out my account.

Maybe it got lost in the mail, but I'm beginning to suspect that really they are just big fuckers who like to steal people's money. Because after that one-time payment on my credit card, they kept charging my bank account for fees for an account that was supposed to be canceled.

After months of this, I finally talked to a chap who gave me a new list of things to do to cancel my account, all of which I did. And allegedly my account was closed July 3. Not exactly sure why they are still charging my account on July 17, but regardless I am running out of money and I am beyond pissed that these jerks would steal money from me. Not that it's really a big surprise, but still...

And I refuse to be like EVERYONE else who's ever worked out at Bally's and cancel my bank account to stop them. That's not fair to me. It's not fair to all the folks who legitimately get paid from my bank account.

Anyhow, who knows how this story will end. But seriously people, you'd rather be fat than sign a contract with these folks. I wouldn't ever work out there again. I wouldn't recommend their club to my worst enemy. They are assholes and they have very shitty business practices. I wish I would've had more options in Detroit. I wish the second I'd moved to Ohio I would've told them to shove their gym membership up their ass. Because now here I am with no job and I'm trying to fight with them over them taking $40 I don't have and they aren't entitled to.

A friend of mine manages a credit union and she says I need to contact my bank tomorrow and file an affadavit of fraudulent activity against them, which I intend to do. I also intend to tell everyone who'll listen to not do business with them. They just don't have any rights to screw people over the way they do.

But honestly, I should've just canceled my bank card like anyone else would do. So once again I get screwed over for trying to do the right thing and standing up for myself.

Sometimes I wonder if it ever ends...

posted by Laura at 3:05 PM