Read the fine print.

I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. A lesson that, as an attorney, I should already know. You see, nearly three years ago, when I was still living in Dayton, I signed a contract for a membership with a Bally Total Fitness. The contract was for two years. When I moved to Cincinnati in 2007, I couldn't cancel the membership because there was another location within 25 miles (I think it was something like 19 miles away-SWEET!). I understood and continued paying every month through the end of the contract. The contract ended this past December of 2008.

Or so I thought.

Over the weekend, I visited my sister and came across a piece of mail delivered to me at her house from good old Bally's advising that I needed to get a new debit card on file because my old one expired. Strange, I thought. Then I did a little investigating on my bank account and discovered that each month since January, Bally's has been withdrawing $14.99 (half of my original monthly rate) despite the fact that my contract expired in December of 2008. The only reason it didn't charge me for April was because my card number had changed.

Irate, I called this morning to find out what the heck was going on. After 95 minutes on hold (I am not kidding, I literally had to go through 4 automated prompts to sit on hold for 95 minutes), I finally got through to a gentleman who sounded anything but American. I'm pretty sure Bally's outsources its customer service.

I explained the situation and said two things: 1. I want to cancel this contract immediately and 2. I want to be refunded the 14.99 you've charged my account three times. He then had the nerve to ask me why I wanted to cancel and if I wanted to possibly transfer my membership to a family member or friend. Why yes, your customer service is so helpful and your company is so non-deceptive, I'd love to rope one of my friends into the same kind of horrid contract.

Finally, after 20 minutes of explaining that "to cancel" really means "to cancel" as in FOREVER, he said my account was cancelled, but that unfortunately he could not refund me the $60 Bally's stole.

And here is where the lesson is learned. Apparently, the contract states in little bitty print that if you do not cancel with 60 days notice (wow), you are charged on a monthly basis until you do cancel. Nice. So, I signed the contract and I'm bound-fine I get it. I'm just glad to be out of that mess.

So, we should all read what we sign. Every word. Be it a car loan, mortgage, a lease, or a freaking gym membership. It's your money. And while I have a few choice words for Bally's (which will be going in a letter to their customer service department), ultimately, I am the one responsible for not knowing to what I was agreeing before I signed the document.

I guess I learned two lessons, the second being to keep better track of my bank account. Yikes.