Stupid Tax
April 25, 2008I, like many others, am a big fan of Dave Ramsey. I check his site regularly to read Dave says and stupid tax. Today, as I was checking our bank statement, I found a stupid tax that we have been paying for 9 months!! My husband had a gym membership that expired last July. Today I discovered that they have been taking $31.18 out of our account every month even after it expired. We don’t even live in that area anymore!! Well, I called Bank of America and told them that we did not allow these payments, and they said they can’t even stop this (pending) payment. I have to call back tomorrow AFTER it goes through to stop further payments, and I can dispute any that are within 60 days. My husband called the gym to complain, and they said that without any proof in writing, they won’t refund any of the money. Not to mention, he has to drive approximately 40 miles to the gym to cancel things in person. That is a total of $280.62 in stupid tax plus about $8 for the gas to get there and back. I have hopes that we can get $60 back by disputing the charges through BoA, but it is still a bit of a mental setback.
I am trying to look on the positive side. We are trying really hard to get a handle on budgeting, and if I wasn’t so meticulous about checking our statements on line, this could have gone on for a lot longer. It is also a good lesson learned about reading fine print, and getting everything in writing. This is also a great lesson for my husband, because he hates having to handle this sort of thing, and since it was his membership, he has to be the one who goes to the gym and deals with the people there.
I’m sure I have paid many other stupid taxes in my life, and will in the future, but I have to think that we learn better through mistakes, and I know this lesson will stick with me.
Getting Out Of Debt 
Good for you for looking on the positive side! I think it’s hard to avoid such taxes, but like you said, you learn from mistakes. I’ve paid several stupid taxes over the year, but they’ve all been a bit different, most recently we overdrew our checking account, but on the bright side, it will hopefully encourage my husband and I to talk more about where our money is (as in, earlier this week it was not in the checking account)!
That is awesome that you found some “fluff” in the budget. God Bless on finding other ways to save money to use for beating debt!
http://beatingdebt.wordpress.com/
I have paid 12,000 in stupid tax I hope that makes you feel better cheer up!!
I just spoke with my husband who drove all the way down to the gym only to be told he has to come back on Monday when the bank will be open. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. The owner can’t remember to call on his own?? Just Him can’t be the first to ever cancel his membership there. I’d like to go, too on Monday and make a scene, but my husband get’s embarrassed easily, plus I think it’s good for him to handle it on his own.
I would have YELLED at the gym. No proof? Don’t they know when their gym memberships expire?
I would go to high hell to correct this. But that’s just how I do things when people are being idiots…