11/20/2009 2:58 PM (PST)

They will try to get you to authorize an ongoing draft from your checking account or credit card - it's normal for this industry. But I don't recommend that, in fact I think it's best to NEVER authorize payments for any of these future service type businesses. If you can, offer them a payment upfront by check or cash and ask for a bit of a discount or a few extra months free since you are paying for several months in advance. My gym (not a Bally's) did this for me and I got a $19/mo rate for 12 months and three extra free months on top of that, so the $15 per month "effective rate" makes me feel less guilty when I don't work out!

11/23/2009 2:08 PM (PST)

I agree with D above on all points from personal experience. Do not authorize automatic payments via your checking account or your credit card. I use to originate home loans and I saw a few FICO scores ruined by Bally. Individuals such as your self that signed up w/Bally's on auto pay, some of them attempted to cancel, but Bally continued taking/charging the payment amount. If the individuals stopped payments i.e., unauthorized the charges with their bank or credit card, Bally's reported them to the credit bureaus for non-payment.

They may have "fixed" this nightmare but I wouldn't want to test it.