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Your experience with the free 2-day vacation? (Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 2/20/11 10:14 AM ET
DH got several phone calls from a company selling "timeshare" resort packages and is very interested in the free prizes that include a vehicle, $100k, and free tickets to Las Vegas, Cancun, etc.
I did a Google search and immediately decided that the 90-minute presentation will be a waste of time, but DH is still very in to the free tickets & accommodations that many people seemed to walk away with, despite the limitations stated in the fine prints.
So, is anybody happy with the free tickets & lodging?
I did a Google search and immediately decided that the 90-minute presentation will be a waste of time, but DH is still very in to the free tickets & accommodations that many people seemed to walk away with, despite the limitations stated in the fine prints.
So, is anybody happy with the free tickets & lodging?
Posted on: 2/20/11 10:27 AM ET
In reply to appleC
Many years ago, before we had kids, my husband and I would go on the "land deals". We enjoyed them and found it was worth our time to sit through the sales pitch, if we were given free time and the gifts promised. A lot of ours was local, over nighter stuff. We did go to the Orlando area. Had tickets to Disney World, stayed in a very nice motel. We had thought we would have to sit through a sales speech, but were told that we had to get on a bus at a certain time. We found the bus almost full of others who had come for the "freebies". They took us all the way across the state to the West Coast. No A/C on the bus and it was not a pleasant trip. We were never told where we were going. Seems the land/houses they were selling were in a little community on the Western side of the state. Once we got there and were shown the houses/land, we were told we could go to the club house and wait for everyone to meet there. Well there were about a dozen of us who finished up the "tour" early, so we made use of the bartender that was in the club house. Had some drinks, had some laughs and had a more enjoyable trip back. We have gotten free T.V.s, jewelry, coolers, tickets to events. It's fun if you don't mind the sales pitch. As a matter of fact, after driving around for about 20 minutes with one of the sales guys, he pulled off the side of the road and asked if we were there to buy or just for the free stuff. We were straight with him and told him we weren't interested in buying. He took us back to the sales office, gave us our freebies and we enjoyed the rest of our time there.
I've never heard of getting use of a vehicle or $100,000.00. You need to check that out...
I've never heard of getting use of a vehicle or $100,000.00. You need to check that out...Posted on: 2/20/11 10:38 AM ET
In reply to appleC
Quote:
free prizes that include a vehicle, $100k, and free tickets to Las Vegas, Cancun, etc.
free prizes that include a vehicle, $100k, and free tickets to Las Vegas, Cancun, etc.
In this economy? Doesn't that sound a bit over-the-top? I would be EXTREMELY suspicious.
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I don't really make mistakes ... I create "learning opportunities"! Murphy says: The better you match the thread to the fabric, the more likely you will need to rip some stitches out! I spend more quality time with my seamripper than I like ...
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Yes, I DO love fabric!!
Happy owner of a band of Brothers: LX-3125, CS-770, CE5500 PRW, a PE-770 emb ... and now Kenmore 158.18032 and 148.12190
Blogging my "learning opportunites" at http://sewingmissadventure.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 2/20/11 3:28 PM ET
In reply to appleC
Quote: appleC
So, is anybody happy with the free tickets & lodging?
So, is anybody happy with the free tickets & lodging?
Our FREE pair of tickets to a theme park cost us $6,000. The 90-minute presentation was fine, it was the one-on-one afterwards. It was extremely high-pressure and ate up 1/2 a day. They make it sound really good.
We bought. We never used our timeshare. We were unable to sell it, after trying for 2 years. The annual fees increased annually. We ended up giving the time share away, as a donation.
I'm sure others have different experiences and love getting the freebies. For us, it is something we will NEVER do again. We should have forked out the $80 for the theme park tickets.

Alathia
Posted on: 2/27/11 10:18 PM ET
BTDT and all I can say is HIGH PRESSURE! You couldn't pay me to do this again.
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http://lasewist.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 2/28/11 7:59 PM ET
In reply to solosmocker
We did a few, and did enjoy the goodies, but omg, it is hard to get away, and I would support the "don't go there" crowd..... If you do go, go firmly resolved that you will walk away without buying
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Viking Lily 545
Viking Ruby
Bernina Activa 210
Brother 1034d
Viking Ruby
Bernina Activa 210
Brother 1034d
Posted on: 2/28/11 8:09 PM ET
If you can't handle high pressure, guilt-ridden (family time?) pitches, then stay away. Also if you are very trusting of others, stay away. Most consumer experts say to avoid...not an investment you'll likely recover or profit.
Posted on: 2/28/11 11:59 PM ET
Did want to pass this on.. Use to be the marketers would run a credit report on you before issuing the invite.. which of course can ding your Fico score. Don't know if they are still doing that.. but if you have had an invitation recently you might want to check your credit report.
I never fill out those silly little 'vacation'' cards they have at home improvement shows and auto shows and so forth.. Those are almost always time share marketers..
Posted on: 3/1/11 0:14 AM ET
Years and years ago we went on one of these for a camping timeshare. We didn't buy anything (after an admittedly high pressure pitch). We got a Las Vegas trip out of it (although I had to be very thorough on follow-through). So I guess it was worth it.
But we are not very gullible and could trust ourselves not to buy anything.
Susan
But we are not very gullible and could trust ourselves not to buy anything.
Susan
Posted on: 3/1/11 11:08 AM ET
We accepted one of those invitations to Branson, MO, one year. Supposedly, it was for 2 nights and 3 days, but check-in on day 1 wasn't until 5 p.m., and check-out on day 3 was at 11 a.m. On day 2, we sat through a sales presentation that took up the entire morning, not just 90 minutes as advertised. So the three days shrank to one afternoon. We paid a discounted rate for the hotel accommodations, but were given a small, dingy room, and the free breakfast consisted of a stale Danish and weak coffee. When we kept resisting the sales pressure, the sales rep started berating us for not taking decent family vacations and wasting his time.
We've declined subsequent offers. While it was a relatively inexpensive get-away, the savings weren't worth the hassle. As others pointed out, timeshares are a lousy investment. Only buy if you vacation this way anyway or are seriously considering doing so.
Claudia
We've declined subsequent offers. While it was a relatively inexpensive get-away, the savings weren't worth the hassle. As others pointed out, timeshares are a lousy investment. Only buy if you vacation this way anyway or are seriously considering doing so.
Claudia
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