Just Say “No” and Get a Free Vacation
There are numerous timeshare places which offer free or considerably reduced hotel rates, cruises, free merchandise, etc., just for listening to a sales pitch. As I originally wrote this, in fact, I was staying for two nights at a luxury hotel right on San Antonio’s beautiful Riverwalk courtesy of just such a deal. I could look out the window and see the Alamo.
The secret is to remember that, no matter how appealing and affordable they make it sound - and believe me, they will make it sound like you’d be an idiot to pass it up - if you sit down and do the math on a spreadsheet, you’ll find you won’t be any better off than if you simply saved your money and went on your vacation the normal way. So don’t believe the hype, stick to your guns, and at the end of the sales pitch tell them the one thing they don’t have a magic answer for: “I don’t like it.” When they ask you why, (and they will, over and over again) repeat these words: “It’s not for me.” Why? “Because it’s not.” Offer no other explanation! Keep repeating the same thing until they give up.
That’s what an old girlfriend of mine and I did, and earned two nights in the hotel I where I originally wrote this article (along with two free dinners, and three free nights in any one of several luxury hotels all across the country). It’s not completely free — I mean, you do have to endure the sales pitch — but it’s a much better deal than what they’re trying to sell you.
