> If I tried that with my gym, they would send me to collections.

Let them. I don't know why people let services abuse them like this.

> I don't know why people let services abuse them like this.

One reason is that the negative impact on your credit may end up costing you thousands and thousands of dollars if you e.g. need to get a mortgage

Ok? It's worth self-sacrifice to push back against practices hostile to humanity, like credit. But conforming over a fucking gym membership just strikes me as spineless.