Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTChristy BieberSun, June 21, 2026 at 8:00 PM GMT+2 5 min readAround 77 million Americans hold gym memberships, according to the 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report (1). With gyms charging average monthly dues of $65 (2), Americans are spending a lot of money to stay in shape.But what happens if your gym membership is no longer worth it, you want to cancel, and your gym doesn’t cooperate? Let’s pretend, for example, that Xavier has a gym membership he signed up for two years ago. The membership is month-to-month, so he has the right to cancel, and he wants to do so.Must ReadRobert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Surprised? Here’s where their money is actually goingJeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — here are 5 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being oneThe problem is that the gym contract requires him to talk to a staff member to cancel — and the gym doesn’t actually have any staff. Xavier has visited the gym at different hours, called, emailed, and sent letters, but no staff member is ever present, no one answers the phone, and no one responds.Now, Xavier is in a situation where he is being billed each month, and he doesn’t know what he can do about the situation. So, what can Xavier do?Read the cancellation contract carefullyThe first key thing to do if you have a gym membership you don’t want is to ensure you’re following the cancellation procedure exactly.“Check your contract and make sure it allows for cancellation based on what you agreed to in the documentation,” Bobbi Rebell (3), CFP® and consumer finance expert at BadCredit.org (4), told MoneyWise. “Make sure you have the right to cancel. It should say in the contract what the cancellation procedure is, so follow that. If it is not clear, and assuming you have the right to cancel, communicate your request to cancel in writing.”Xavier should double-check his contract to make sure he’s doing what he’s supposed to do in order to end the membership. Of course, the problem in his case is that his contract requires him to cancel via a staff member, and he can’t get in touch with one.Read More: Robert Kiyosaki has a grim warning for baby boomers. This is what he recommends to protect your wealthGet help from your payment sourceSince the gym has effectively made it impossible for Xavier to cancel his contract, his next best option is to get help from the payment source.“If they are charging you on a credit card, contact the credit card issuer and let them know what is going on,” advised Rebell. “You will likely need to formally dispute the charges, but that will at least get their attention and should stop future charges. If they are taking money using a debit card or autopay from a bank account, contact that bank or financial institution and tell them what is going on, and have them stop payments.”Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info