Well, it's now official. I'm a financial seminar whore.

[mickeyd]

I have attended dozens of those seminar deals that many of us receive in the mail on a semi-regular basis. I generally select the seminar based on what restaurant the shindig is being offered . I prefer Outback or Longhorn steakhouse, but Olive Garden will also do.

Well yesterday I hit bottom. I accepted an offer to listen to 1 hour of illogical clap-trap in order to get a shot at the noon-day offering at the Golden Corral buffet! To make matters even worse, I noticed a big, big red sign outside of the place advising that from 2PM-4PM seniors could eat to their hearts content at a cost of $6.49. As usual DW refused to attend the workshop, as it was billed. Now I know what a slut feels like.

On the positive side, I received a piece of paper that reminded me that the RMD at age 70 was 3.65% with a life expectancy of 27.4 years.

 

[Orchidflower]

.........................................!!!

 

[W2R]

Oh Mickeyd!! I am SO disgusted. You slut!

I have never been to any of them, because I think I would get terrible indigestion from having to listen to a crooked conman trying to fleece me and take my money. At least, that is how I envision such financial seminars.

 

[freebird5825]

I feel left out. I NEVER get those kinds of offers.
Please clue me in on the names of companies that offer them and I'm there for the sheer entertainment value. I promise not to ask ANY questions.

 

[mickeyd]

I think I would get terrible indigestion from having to listen to a crooked conman trying to fleece me and take my money.

Actually that's generally the entertaining part of the process. You get to see a lot of really good lying and truth-adjustments.

I kinda like that.

 

[Moemg]

I have to fess up. I went to one when I was newly widowed . I should have had a blinking light that said " Newly Widowed take advantage " . but I did not and I escaped with nothing more than lunch ! I did go to a seminar a year ago on wills and trusts which served lunch and was very educational . In fact I used her to update my will recently and I was very pleased .

 

[dex]

The word 'crack' should be added somewhere in your description if you going to save the $6.49

 

[73ss454]

I get those offers all the time. Never went to one because I know I'll just get stomach pains listening to the lies/information. Most likely ending up in an argument with the speaker.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Once you get "of age", and if you live in Florida, you'll get tons of invitations relative to health care. Many, many seminars on health care (with lunch). Very informative if you use it for that purpose only. Great method for you to compare plans. Most lunches are great. Same for financial seminars. Just promise yourself you won't buy anything.

 

[Dreamer]

My DH just received an invitation for him and 3 guests and is at a restaurant that I would like to try. There is no way that he will go. These invitations are always sent in his name. It is funny, because he does not pay the bills, or do taxes or have anything to do with investments. He makes the comment every once in a while that he doesn't have a clue where I have our money, if anything should happen to me. Yet, they always send the invitations to him.

 

[Walt34]

I've received a few of those invites but the last one I went to was 30 years ago. It was something about a time share and the food was lousy.

 

[MichaelB]

We get our share of invites, but I've never given one a second thought 'till yesterday. We got an invite to dine at Mortons Steak House. That place is expensive and I was tempted to accept just to see how they managed to keep the costs down. Closest I've come to accepting one of these, but I know if I went the sales pitch would give me indigestion...

 

[Leonidas]

Okay, that was a funny post.

I prefer Outback or Longhorn steakhouse,

at that level you're just a call-girl.

but Olive Garden will also do.

who will walk the streets during times when business is slow. But when you sink down to

the noon-day offering at the Golden Corral buffet!

you've bottomed out as a crack ho.

 

[target2019]

Fran Tarkenton bought me dinner. LOL! See Tarkenton Financial.
I think as many intelligent people as possible should go to these freebies.
I can only take about 6 per year, but they are well worth it, if for entertainment value only.

 

[tryan]

A co-worker thought he won a free lunch for 6 friends at a drawing ... turned out to be a low- pressure sales pitch by a gal just out of college.

Peppered with questions her most common answer was "I'll have to get back to you on that".

Haven't been fooled since ... there truly is no "free lunch".

 

[mickeyd]

Fran Tarkenton bought me dinner. LOL! See Tarkenton Financial.
I think as many intelligent people as possible should go to these freebies.
I can only take about 6 per year, but they are well worth it, if for entertainment value only.

As I recall, I attended one of Fran's offerings a few years ago. I don't recall it being any different than any of the others that I have attended. I was looking for some football tips, but all I got was was EIA suggestions.

 

[youbet]

We get our share of invites, but I've never given one a second thought 'till yesterday. We got an invite to dine at Mortons Steak House. That place is expensive and I was tempted to accept just to see how they managed to keep the costs down. Closest I've come to accepting one of these, but I know if I went the sales pitch would give me indigestion...

We went to a dinner presentation at WildFire in Chicago a couple of years ago. It was well worth it. Cocktails, wine and a fab steak dinner followed by an interesting presentation on the state of the economy by a TV financial show talking head. Only at the end was the mention made that the brokerage house offered portfolio management services based on a percentage of your portfolio value.

We ordered after dinner cordials and then slipped out. It was amazingly nice. I think they were trying to impress rather than sell a room full of relatively high value folks into using their services. Have no idea how it worked out for them.

We'd probably go to the presenttion at Mortons if it was convenient. I don't think we'd bother to go to the Golden Corral......

 

[harley]

I feel left out. I NEVER get those kinds of offers.
Please clue me in on the names of companies that offer them and I'm there for the sheer entertainment value. I promise not to ask ANY questions.

I would have said the same thing until recently. Then (after reading the comments in this forum) I started opening the junk mail from the financial companies and realized that this is what a lot of them were. I had just been recycling them unopened. I haven't been to any yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for a good offer. But I'm not going to be as easy as Mickeyd. A guy's got to consider his reputation, after all.

 

[freebird5825]

I'm actually serious about getting the company names. A guy friend is retiring at the end of May and we will need something to do with our free time when we run out of ideas. He is the male equivalent of me as far as bluntness and twisted sense of humor goes. And he's even cheaper than I am, so a free lunch will be a good draw.
All sorts of roles come to mind...good cop/bad cop, pretend to be husband/wife and argue over risk taking, older brother/younger sister, business partners, both dress to the nines or show up in holey jeans...the sky is the limit.
Please feed me the company names by PM if you don't want to post them here in the open.

 

[Dreamer]

Freebird,

The Dinner Seminar that my DH received was entitled Retirement Crisis Facing Americans Today and was through Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. I would love to see you and your friend in action. Sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[simple girl]

This thread is hilarious! Thanks for the chuckles.

My realtor invited me to one of these. I had no idea what I was going to, just joining her for a "free lunch" for some kind of seminar. It was at a local chinese restaurant. Pitiful presentation! They required you to "sign in" and like a fool I gave my real info. Well, then of course the follow-up phone calls started, which I promptly sent off to voice mail. Eventually the guy gave up.

Never again...well, maybe...but I'll not be stupidly leaving my real contact info!

Freebird, I look forward to some future entertaining stories from you on this!

 

[TromboneAl]

I NEVER get those kinds of offers.

Same here. I think that small town folks are not considered worth the effort.

 

[Moemg]

Same here. I think that small town folks are not considered worth the effort.

Well if you ever visit Florida I can set you up with one a day or two if you'd prefer !

 

[Nords]

I'm actually serious about getting the company names. A guy friend is retiring at the end of May and we will need something to do with our free time when we run out of ideas. He is the male equivalent of me as far as bluntness and twisted sense of humor goes. And he's even cheaper than I am, so a free lunch will be a good draw.

Call the local Schwab brokerage and ask them when their next dinner is being offered. You may get a couple complementary tickets.

Fidelity comes out here every few years. If you live near one of their investor centers (especially if you own any of their funds) then you can get put on their invitation list too...

 

[freebird5825]

Freebird,

The Dinner Seminar that my DH received was entitled Retirement Crisis Facing Americans Today and was through Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. I would love to see you and your friend in action. Sounds like a lot of fun!

Call the local Schwab brokerage and ask them when their next dinner is being offered. You may get a couple complementary tickets.

Fidelity comes out here every few years. If you live near one of their investor centers (especially if you own any of their funds) then you can get put on their invitation list too...

Heeheeeheee...
Sauce for the goose...he's originally from Bahston and I hail from close to Noo Yawk City. If nothing else, we can mimic and switch on/off each others' accents to add an element of confusion.
When I return in early May, I can see that I have some homew*rk to do.
A Calendar reminder has been duly set.