Stange shit that happened when i joined the gym !

[fatslug]

I signed up at GOLDS GYM recently and the lady asked me to tick either VISA or MASTERCARD ????!?

im like what the fuck ???? im joining for a gym arent i ??! what has matercard or visa got to do with it ?

Lucky for me I needed a new credit card but whats the relationship with joining the gym and automatically applying a creditcard for you ?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!

could someone explain ?

thanks !

[ahochaude]

I signed up at GOLDS GYM recently and the lady asked me to tick either VISA or MASTERCARD ????!?

im like what the fuck ???? im joining for a gym arent i ??! what has matercard or visa got to do with it ?

Lucky for me I needed a new credit card but whats the relationship with joining the gym and automatically applying a creditcard for you ?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!

could someone explain ?

thanks !

a membership promotion, perhaps?

other than that, shit seems weird and too "future-like".

[Yariman]

I signed up at GOLDS GYM recently and the lady asked me to tick either VISA or MASTERCARD ????!?

Sorry, I don't know what yo umean by tick?

[Steve Bildermann]

This is not unusual at all. Nowadays many businesses are off setting their long term debt payments to Credit Card companies. They get a quick and guaranteed cash turn around and the credit card companies get another potential debt slave who will no doubt start to use the card for other things to at a nosebleed markup.

I'm surprised you haven't seen this before. Just about all the big Keitai companies issue each user with a credit card which is used for paying the monthly bill - yes I know the money comes out of your bank automatically but actually you are not paying the Keitai company, you are paying the Credit Card company who have already paid the Keitai company.

You can now get a Credit Card for just about any regular payment or rental. Apartment rent payments, monthly utility bills, your ISP etc.

[tetsujin gaijin]

That sounds freakin stupid. Why would anyone want to have a seperate credit for every bill? At that rate you'd have a seperate card for your keitai, rent, gym, utilities, isp, etc. Are you obligated to sign up for the credit card? If you are, can you turn right around and cancel it?

[Steve Bildermann]

That sounds freakin stupid. Why would anyone want to have a seperate credit for every bill? At that rate you'd have a seperate card for your keitai, rent, gym, utilities, isp, etc.

Go here for further ranting, raving and holding breath till face turns blue

[SF'd Gaijin]

I signed up at GOLDS GYM recently and the lady asked me to tick either VISA or MASTERCARD ????!?

im like what the fuck ???? im joining for a gym arent i ??! what has matercard or visa got to do with it ?

Lucky for me I needed a new credit card but whats the relationship with joining the gym and automatically applying a creditcard for you ?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!

could someone explain ?

thanks !

Fatslug,

It is common practice for these clubs to require a credit card. They can automatically take money from your card to be sure the get paid. The only bad thing about this is the following: Before you commit your card, be sure that you are going to be using their services for the entire period of time you commit to. If you stop going to the gym, they can continue charging your card even though you've stopped going or moved since they have your card number.

Take Care

[Andocrates]

Gym' are known for shady business practices. Why do I need to sign up for 12 months? On what level does that make any sense? On the other hand just because you give them a CC number doesn't mean you are at risk of being cheated because you have rights under the law. I don't believe they can continue to charge your card if you quit and inform your card company. They have to sue you in court.

Tick = check off

[Steve Bildermann]

It is common practice for these clubs to require a credit card.

SF'd - ever so slight misunderstanding here. If I understand him clearly what Fatslug is talking about is that when he joins the club his 'membership card' issued by the club will incorporate a credit card (he can choose either MC or Visa)

He's not talking about giving the club his regular (other source) credit card number.

[SF'd Gaijin]

It is common practice for these clubs to require a credit card.

SF'd - ever so slight misunderstanding here. If I understand him clearly what Fatslug is talking about is that when he joins the club his 'membership card' issued by the club will incorporate a credit card (he can choose either MC or Visa)

He's not talking about giving the club his regular (other source) credit card number.

Steve,

You may be correct, but whatever credit card is being used to pay for the gym membership (Visa or Mastercard), my point was that if fatslug moves or decides to quit the club, there is nothing to prevent the gym from continuing to charge a monthly or one time ongoing fee. The only way to stop any charges would be to cancel the card. I am aware of complaints here locally where the gym had continued to take monthly fees from a card once the contracted term is up. Also, it is true that the cardholder would not be liable for the charges once the contract is up, but it is a hassle to deal with this. There is no problem with doing this, but I just wanted fatslug to be aware that he needs to ensure that the gym is aware that once the contracted period is over, he needs to ensure that the card is no longer used by the gym.

SF'd

[kamome]

I joined a gym that gave me the option of starting a credit card with them or paying cash on a month-to-month basis. It was one of those "executive" gyms with different payment plans, but it might be worthwhile to see if your gym also offers a pay-as-you go option if you don't want to sign up for a credit card.

If there isn't a cash option, at least you get the convenience of monthly withdrawals from your bank account by the credit card company. You don't have to use the cc for anything else, and you don't have to deal with the gym management if you have a payment dispute. And when you want to leave the gym, just cancel your membership whenever you want and cancel the credit card.

[Steve Bildermann]

By way of clarification. Yes I know this ongoing charge after quitting thing is very prevalent (can you say Ballys) overseas however in Japan it does operate somewhat differently.

Remember in Japan most credit cards are not credit cards as you would understand them they are actually monthly debit cards with a 30 day waiver. That is you can charge against them for thirty days but the full amount is automatically paid by the bank to the Credit Card company each month. You do not received a bill and you do not have the option to pay the familiar (but ever so deadly) minimum charge.

You can if you like get a 'revolving' Credit Card which does operate like a U.S. type Credit Card but they are not so common,. You can also split up your charges over a few months on a purchase by purchase basis at the time of payment by telling the vendor you'll pay 'Ikkaibari' or 'nikaibari' etc.

In the case of the sports club issued credit card. The sports club has nothing to do with the company that operates the card (Card Gaisha) which in turn has nothing to do with Bank that pays the card that pays the club. When you leave the club you pay till the end of the month and then the membership number (which is actually the Credit Card number issued under a masking alias number) becomes invalid so the sports club cannot charge against that number because the alias number was never a Credit Card number in the first place. You are insulated from any extra charges.

Yes it's sounds complicated but it works very well. This was all started about 1990 after the bubble collapsed and many consumers were left with massive debt to Banks which they simply refused to pay. The banks put in place this system. It covers them. It also covers you but that was never the reason for the system (I don't think I know the Japanese for 'consumer protection' )

[kotatsuneko]

screw private gyms.

ask your neighbours where the local govt run gym is.

if your'e lucky, one of them may have optioned a yearly contract with them, especially if they run their own business.

back in Sapporo, a relative who owned a local shop paid a fee so all her employees could use the gym, along with a few guests, and signed me up as a guest member so i only had to pay like 150 yen a time, the building was part of the local govt complex and i happily pumped iron a few stories up with a sweet wide view of the local mountains

this may be a good alternative to the almost bankrupt konami gyms et al.

[fatslug]

It is common practice for these clubs to require a credit card.

SF'd - ever so slight misunderstanding here. If I understand him clearly what Fatslug is talking about is that when he joins the club his 'membership card' issued by the club will incorporate a credit card (he can choose either MC or Visa)

He's not talking about giving the club his regular (other source) credit card number.

yep exactly that........ At the moment still waiting for the card but theres no garantee that I`ll get it.....I really dont care either way...

but thanks for the info everyone !

[emperor]

How much does a year at Golds Gym cost?

I joined a gym here in Dublin as soon as I got back from Nippon and all its MOS Burger fattiness.
For membership and use of both the gym, pool, jacuzzi, steam and sauna its €500 for 12 months and €600 for 16 mths.

Just this week however, they started a new promo - if you lose 6kg in 6 months you get your years membership for free!

My gym is owned by Ben Dunne - from one of Irelands wealthiest families - he had been at the head of a chain of "Dunnes Stores" before getting caught in the late 80s in a Florida hotel-room with a hooker and heaps of cocaine and then tried to make a suicide run for the 17th floor balcony but was stopped by the cops.
He made public apologies on TV and Radio and the Irish population forgave him - much in the way the Japanese banks officals go on air and tear themselves away on a regular basis..