Timeshare Presentations: Does anyone go for the free stuff?

[2moretrees]

I just came back from my friend's place and I was amazed at all she got from timeshare presentations. She started attending them about 2 years ago and has turned it into an art. I was looking at all the free gifts she has received and was just amazed. Discount and free tickets to all kinds of local attractions in the area where the timeshare presentation was, trips, dinners, electronics and much more.

She says that all presentations are not the same in the gifts they give and she actually researches which ones are worth attending for the free gifts.

I'm wondering if there are a lot of people that do this and if it is worth investigating?

[terry1156]

I think I'd rather go to the dentist and have my teeth drilled with no pain killer than sit through one of those!

[baselle]

It depends on how impervious you are to the hard sell. And believe you me, for the free stuff they will try to sell you hard.

[elcheapo]

be careful when dealing with these folk it could spell disaster. Me personally I do not have the time to listen to them try to con me

[cicy33]

We did one in gatlinburg tennessee last year. We got $80 free plus a free 2 night stay certificate. It cost us about 2 hours of time. I would probably do it again but not with the kids with us. It would also be interesting if it was something I was actually interested in. Fortunately we NEVER make large money decisions in 5 minutes so that was never an issue. We even explained that to them several times. We must think over decisions like that for at least 2 weeks if not longer. I mean they are talking about thousands of dollars!

[sweeps]

A good way to tell whether you're being ripped off is whether the salesperson lets you walk away and think about the deal. I've never been to a timeshare presentation, but I've been to other presentations.

One in particular that sticks in my head is when my wife and I went to a bridal fair before we got married. One of the booths was offering free china and crystal glasses if you would come see a "free" presentation about their dinnerware. Well, turns out it wasn't about the china and the glasses, it was about a cookware set they were trying to sell. They were selling an 18-piece set for over $2000. (!!) Admittedly, they were pretty convincing. And I assume they get some people to buy since they target young, naive couples.

Anyway, their sales pitch mentioned that this awesome deal was only good if we signed on the spot. If we left the room, the deal would "never be available again". That's about the time we hit the road.

[34saving]

We do them when the "good ones" (IE cash or cash equilvalents) are local. I'm now immune to the hard sell Dh and I have even considered making a game of it and playing good cop bad cop with them BTW, did you know it's un-American to not go into debt for a timeshare? That was one of the pitches once . . .Yikes!

[frugalfarmwife]

Won't go near those things, sales pitches drive me nuts!

That said a friend got suckered into a camping package that I had to laugh hysterically after we got off the phone! For "only" $7 a night they can stay at cabins across the country owned by this company, umm, nearest one is only 2 states away and friend is a farmer, they NEVER leave the farm! I didn't have the heart to ask her what they got taken for but know that just recently they tried to her her up for a $2,000 maintenance fee!

KJ