I recently signed up with a dating website. I refused to buy a membership in order to access extra features. The free version was already more than enough to find dates. The site kept pestering me to upgrade and sign a long-term contract. I was content with a month to month deal. They were hoping I’d commit to 12 months at a time. I wasn’t planning to stay on the dating site for very long. I hoped to meet someone and be done with it. I was not looking to use the app for an entire year. They were so adamant about the year-long membership because that’s how they make the bulk of their profits. Dating websites aren’t the only areas where I get pressured to agree to an annual membership. Gyms and fitness centers are some of the worst. They encourage clients to sign up for long-term memberships. It’s not even allowed to utilize the facility unless you agree to a 12 month plan. I have tried to get out of a contract before it expires, and that was impossible. Once I put a stop to the automatic payments from my checking account, they turned me over to collections. I was extremely frustrated because I’d moved across the country. There was no way I could still utilize the membership. I had hopes of transferring the membership to my new location. However, they don’t have a gym in my area. I’d need to drive over an hour. I tried explaining all of this during the many phone calls and emails I’ve made to this company, but I’ve gotten nowhere. The membership dues have turned into a nightmare. I don’t want to simply pay them, but the debt is hurting my credit. Plus, I am reluctant to sign up at a new gym with those old fees hanging over my head.