Poll: Should I Go???

[chinaco]

Based on the letter, I am almost positive it is an Insurance Agency. What do you think Is an hour "No Obligation" presentation worth the free dinner?

 

[OAG]

I did not vote. Most of these things are just informational in nature -- In my experience, and I have been at a few, there is no "hard sell" just information and then a handout that you can follow-up on if you are interested. Most are not worth the effort but some have some good information. I have never followed-up on the ideas -- if it was new to me, I just did my own research.

BTW do not expect a big time meal even if it is a 3 or 4 star place. You may get a choice of two boiler plate meals. Special meals; NOT off of the menu.

I would go if you are interested in learning what they have to offer -- but I would not sign ANYTHING they had to offer, at least on the first visit.

 

[2B]

I would go if you are interested in learning what they have to offer -- but I would not sign ANYTHING they had to offer, at least on the first visit.

I wouldn't sign anything ever with these folks but I am against insurance agents pretending to be "financial advisors" and big brokerage house registered reps after your money. They are the only choices of who is putting on your show.

I wouldn't waste my time. You can't be that hard up for a meal.

 

[tryan]

While in mega corp a co-worker "won" free lunches for 10 friends.

Turned out to be a low pressure sales pitch by a FA. Needed to complete a one page sheet with contact info. Many moaned about frequent phone calls shortly after.

If you go, have a fake/junk: EMAIL, address, and phone numbers.

 

[2B]

While in mega corp a co-worker "won" free lunches for 10 friends.

Turned out to be a low pressure sales pitch by a FA. Needed to complete a one page sheet with contact info. Many moaned about frequent phone calls shortly after.

If you go, have a fake/junk: EMAIL, address, and phone numbers.

Excellent advice for all of us.

While in college, my sister (a real "looker") asked for my advice on how to get rid of guys that would hit her up for her phone number. She said that even when she said she had a boyfriend and wasn't interested it didn't get rid of them. They would follow and pester her for blocks.

I suggested she memorize the number for "dial a prayer." She could say how she was running late to meet her mother and even write the number down for them. They'd go away thinking they'd made contact and she'd never hear from them again. It's one of the few times my sister admitted to taking my advice and saying it worked.

 

[kcowan]

What is your time worth? You can get more out of seniors specials if you want to save money. And how about the other three poor people you will drag along to waste their time.

If you want free information, there are paid programming pitches you can watch from the comfort of your home.

 

[chinaco]

Interesting. Most of the votes so far [3 out of 5] say skip it.

This is my inclination also. I have never been to this type of pitch, but I did get sucked into a time share presentation once about 15 years ago. Talk about pressure.

I tend to agree... The meal is probably not worth the time and aggrevation. I doubt that I will learn much (other than the magic answer is ding annuity or life insurance).

They were kind enough to send me 4 tickets so I could bring along another couple. Wasn't that nice of them.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Check the doors for closing metal gates before you go in.

It'll be a long night, gates or not...

 

[d]

no such thing as a free lunch (or dinner)

 

[Achiever51]

I wouldn't bother. First you have to listen to the pitch, which even if you're not interested, will have you questionning your own direction. That's part of the design of the presentation -- a soft ball approach to have you wondering what you're missing out on.

Then you'll get to the Q & A where you'll hear a bunch of questions that will have you wondering even more about your own situation.

Finally, after 60 to 90 minutes of this, only then do you get to eat! And as another poster said, it's generally not from the full menu, but a choice of chicken or ??

And as for the follow up calls, here's the perfect opportunity for that Phone a Prayer number!

 

[bssc]

I would do a car test drive where you got cash instead. I don't think that listening to a speech for a cheap meal is worth it but YMMV.

 

[Achiever51]

I would do a car test drive where you got cash instead. I don't think that listening to a speech for a cheap meal is worth it but YMMV.

Speaking of car test drives, I recently got an invitation to test drive the 2007 Maserati Quattroporte, after which I'll receive a $100 gift certificate to Fleming's Steakhouse. Haven't a clue how I got on THIS invitation list -- I had to Google Maserati to even identify the car! However, DH and I are putting on our best duds and going driving!

 

[chinaco]

Speaking of car test drives, I recently got an invitation to test drive the 2007 Maserati Quattroporte, after which I'll receive a $100 gift certificate to Fleming's Steakhouse. Haven't a clue how I got on THIS invitation list -- I had to Google Maserati to even identify the car! However, DH and I are putting on our best duds and going driving!

Marketers purchase Sales Leads lists. I know that the credit Bureaus allow marketers and data aggregators to check leads against their data to target people with certain credit profiles. You would be suprised at the amount of information that is available about you that has been aggregated and is sold regularly.

My guess is that some dealer either knows you have assets and/or high credit rating. They are hoping you are a boomer that wants a status symbol.

As a side note: I am not so sure about the relaibility of a Maserati... But the Italians sure make a sweet looking car.

 

[clifp]

Ask them if you can take Maserati on a race track, or better yet for a weekend test drive. Actually if you plan it right you could parley the test drive into some even better high status opportunity, like a Lear Jet test drive !!

 

[saluki9]

no such thing as a free lunch (or dinner)

Not always true.

I won't rehash it too much because I have mentioned it several times. I have been to several of these at Ruth Chris and Morton's Steakhouse here in Chicago. I've enjoyed several nice steaks, met other nice people, hung our with my friends, and did it on somebody else's dime.

How is that not free? If it's at a nice place, the sell is almost never a hard one.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

a Lear Jet test drive

Those handle like crap on the highway. Gas mileage stinks too!

 

[bssc]

Speaking of car test drives, I recently got an invitation to test drive the 2007 Maserati Quattroporte, after which I'll receive a $100 gift certificate to Fleming's Steakhouse. Haven't a clue how I got on THIS invitation list -- I had to Google Maserati to even identify the car! However, DH and I are putting on our best duds and going driving!

You probably fit the definition of a high spender. You could subscribe to a certain magazine, belong to a frequent flier club or even live in a specific rich zip code. And there are more ways that they can target you.

 

[FinanceDude]

I wouldn't sign anything ever with these folks but I am against insurance agents pretending to be "financial advisors"

I think it's the "new scam" for the 21st Century............

 

[Achiever51]

You probably fit the definition of a high spender. You could subscribe to a certain magazine, belong to a frequent flier club or even live in a specific rich zip code. And there are more ways that they can target you.

Oh, little do they know! Actually, I suspect it's the frequent flier club (courtesy of my previous employment that had me flying all over the place) and/or that zip code thing. Recently several developers have been building $million plus houses in my zip code (not that they are actually selling many, but they are building 'em). Ever since, we've been getting a higher level of junk mail. Heh, heh!

 

[SteveR]

Just for fun (and the free dinner) I went to one of those dinner and a free retirement planning seminar. The dinner was at a nice place but the meal was on the cheap end of the menu. The after dinner presentation was pure financial planner advertizing. The tid bits provided in the presentation were all common knowledge items you could pick up anywhere. But, for a small fee you could get a full analysis and assistance with your retirement planning.

A lot of people signed up for the "personal" evaluation. It was touted as free but I talked with the presenter and found out quickly that the offer was for a "general" outlook on your financial status. The full blown plan would be a bit more than free. How much more? It depends was the answer. Depends on what? I asked. The answer was, "it depends on how long it takes to do it and what level you want to go and your assets."

So, the answer really was, the more assets you have the more $$$ it will cost for the analysis and of course you will need him to "help" make sure your assets will grow and be "directed" so you will have enough to retire when you are 65.

It was a total pitch for financial planner services. I can see why folks sign up for this...it is easier to hand it all over to some "expert" than try to learn how to do it for yourself. The problem is that you lose a lot to fees and "services" that are frequently hidden from view in the figures. They don't know they are getting robbed for very little real work. How hard is it to set up some high expense funds, bond ladders, CDs, money market funds, and some index funds while charging a very nice commission for the "work"?

Sorry about the rant but I just had this conversation with a family member recently who was clueless of the hidden costs of ignorance and trust.

 

[humandraydel]

While in college, my sister (a real "looker") asked for my advice on how to get rid of guys that would hit her up for her phone number. She said that even when she said she had a boyfriend and wasn't interested it didn't get rid of them. They would follow and pester her for blocks.

I suggested she memorize the number for "dial a prayer."

There are actually phone numbers out there that you can give away that have a recorded message about getting rejected. It's pretty funny!

www.rejectionhotline.com

 

[W2R]

There are actually phone numbers out there that you can give away that have a recorded message about getting rejected. It's pretty funny!

www.rejectionhotline.com

LOL!!! When I was a young college student, I used to give persistent guys the phone number for the local police station. That seemed to work pretty well, too.

 

[smileydog]

Personally - I would skip it unless you want to see what you can learn. You could go for the purpose of reporting back your findings?... or not.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

LOL!!! When I was a young college student, I used to give persistent guys the phone number for the local police station. That seemed to work pretty well, too.

I think I read an article once about a town in which the local police number was almost always busy. Must have been where you went to college.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

By the way, there are a number of free phone services that give you a local number in your area with voicemail. You get the messages delivered via email or go to their web site to pick them up. AIM's service has lots of local numbers.

GREAT for when you have to give out a number but dont really want to, for stuff like car rentals, sweepstakes entries, or persistent pickup artists...