I signed up for Round The Clock Fitness a month ago, first month was .25 and then scheduled to start this month on the 6th (during the holiday weekend).

I'm enormously pleased with Round The Clock Fitness, however, the billing company for my membership didn't process payment on the 6th so I called the gym and spoke with the owner. He gave me the number to Affiliated Acceptance Corporation and his gym's ID number.

I get on the phone with a cold woman who looks up my account, tells me the payment was declined. I had recently had to cancel my debit card because of a problem on the internet and had a new one to update the account with.

Then, I'm told there is a $15 decline fee. So a month's gym membership now costs me $58.19. That's higher than L.A. Fitness and this is a small neighborhood gym.

At any rate, I'm now going to strive to simply pay off the entire balance early so I don't have to deal with these cheese ball two bit jerks at the billing company.

It's policies like this, (that were never stated in the contract mind you) that make people not want to do business with anyone...then we wonder why the economy is so bad...it's because the banks and "billing" companies have all the money.