u/WorkingBoysenberry32

Hi everyone, just wanted to ask for advice because I’m a bit confused and frustrated with what happened with my membership.

My home branch emailed me saying that I haven’t paid my monthly membership and that I have late/failed payment fees that I need to settle.

My membership is on auto-debit through my credit card, so I was surprised. I checked my credit card and my emails, but I didn’t see any notification that the payment was declined or that the auto-debit failed this month.

For context, the same thing happened last month, but there was an important difference.

Last month, my credit card happened to be locked on the day they attempted the auto-debit, so the payment failed.

I actually received an email from Anytime Fitness notifying me that the payment had failed, which is how I found out about it. As soon as I received the email, I paid the membership right away and settled the applicable fee.

Because of that experience, I made sure that my credit card was unlocked and active this month so there wouldn’t be another issue with the auto-debit.

But then I received another email saying that my payment was unpaid and that I had another late/failed payment fee.

I called the branch to ask what happened. The staff told me that they could only deduct a certain amount and that I would still need to pay the late fees. I asked why the auto-debit failed, and she checked their system and told me that my credit card was showing as expired.

This is where I’m confused because my actual credit card is valid until 2030. It definitely isn't expired.

I also checked my emails and credit card account, and I didn't receive any notification this month that the auto-debit failed or that there was an issue with my card. If I hadn't received the email from the branch, I wouldn't have even known there was an unpaid balance.

So my question is: am I still responsible for the late fee in this situation?

I understand that it's ultimately my responsibility to make sure my membership dues are paid. That's why when the payment failed last month and I was notified, I immediately paid it.

But this time, I had already made sure the card was unlocked and valid, and there was apparently an issue with how their system was reading my card. I also wasn't notified that the auto-debit had failed until the branch contacted me about the unpaid balance.

Would you guys consider this grounds to dispute the late fee and request that it be waived?

Has anyone experienced something similar? Were you able to get the failed payment/late fee waived?

Would really appreciate any advice on how I should approach the branch or escalate this if they refuse to waive the fee. Thanks!

I’m a 32F (married, no kids) working as an IT Technical Lead and Solution Architect in the Philippines. I currently earn ₱214k/month and have been with my current company for over 2 years. Our team directly services an Australian client, so I'm already familiar with their systems and business requirements.

​In terms of job security, the company is surviving and has strong growth potential. There are a few short-term financial challenges right now due to some shareholder movements, but the long-term product roadmap looks very bright.

​Recently, my company went through a round of layoffs. I’m now the sole survivor on my tech stack, handling end-to-end SDLC on my own along with technical governance. Before the layoffs, I was already considering resigning. During the retrenchment process, I actually offered to be laid off, but management chose to keep me.

​While my laid-off teammates were rendering, I decided to test the waters and start applying elsewhere.

​Option 1: Migration Sponsorship (Current Employer)

​Before I received any firm external offers, my manager asked what it would take to keep me. I said I’d stay if they could relocate me to Australia. Leadership agreed!

​The details so far:

​Visa Pathway: My manager mentioned they could sponsor me directly for a Subclass 186 visa (Straight to Permanent Residency), but it will come with a service bond to continue working with the company for X years.

​No formal salary package has been discussed yet.

​They will only cover employer-mandated costs (nomination fee, SAF levy, etc.).

​I have to shoulder my own relocation costs and any migration agent or legal fees.

​Negotiation bottleneck: I asked for 170k–180k AUD base salary. My manager said this is too high for leadership to approve and asked me to reconsider. (Note: Market rate in AU for Solutions Architects generally sits around 165k–195k AUD. I tried accounting for my lack of local AU residency on my initial proposal, especially since I already know their AU client inside-out, but they still pushed back.)

​Option 2: Professional Services Firm (Local PH Offer)

​While discussing visa options with my manager, I received a solid job offer from a professional services / in-house consulting firm:

​Base Salary: ₱260k/month

​Bonus: 15% annual bonus (paid quarterly)

​Equity: $26k USD in stocks

​Perks: ₱5k/month wellness allowance (gym, massages, etc.), financial advisory access, and 26 weeks paid parental leave (though we aren't planning on kids, so I won't use this).

​My Dilemma & Questions

​One of my long-term goals is to migrate to Australia. Having relatives and friends there helps, but we don't have immediate family in the country. Moving means starting from scratch, which is both exciting and daunting.

​Straight to PR (186 Visa) vs. Bond: Direct Permanent Residency (186) is a huge deal, but how binding/risky are company service bonds in Australia? What is a reasonable bond duration or clause to accept?

​Leveraging Option 2: I haven't accepted the ₱260k offer yet. Is it worth asking them if they offer internal international mobility to Australia down the line?

​AU Salary Expectations: Given that I already work directly with our AU client, what is a realistic base salary in AUD to settle on with my current employer? What other relocation perks should I push for if I accept a lower base?

​Decision: How would you leverage this position, and which path would you take?

​Would love to hear advice from anyone who has been in a similar spot or migrated to AU via internal transfer!