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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: oldbuddy on October 12, 2018, 07:13:50 am

Title: Free Dinners
Post by: oldbuddy on October 12, 2018, 07:13:50 am
Do you get invitations to a free upscale dinner to get you to listen to some pitch? Do you go?

Being retired I get them a lot and usually take them up on it, since it's good entertainment and I don't have much else to do.

Last night I regretted it (which is rare) since it was a two hour pitch for training on how to flip real estate and the meal was a box lunch with a ham sandwich and a bag of popcorn. Then they started in to an hour long pitch for a Stock selecting course and I left half way through.

I have had some delicious Steaks and Salmon dinners though and some of the presentations were actually interesting.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: jkhanson on October 12, 2018, 09:07:06 am
I haven't had any invitations to free upscale dinners - yet -  I am not retired yet. 

I have however been to a presentation that included free lodging at a nice resort.  This was to listen to pitch for a time share.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: dsosnowski06 on October 12, 2018, 09:15:31 am
We have received them and usually pitch them especially when they about retirement.  I prefer to rely on my financial adviser as I consider him more trustworthy. 
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: madeara on October 12, 2018, 09:28:59 am
Yes, I have received them.  I have never been to one of these dinners.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: ghunter on October 12, 2018, 09:56:30 am
Never a free Dinner, but lots of talk
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: oldbuddy on October 12, 2018, 01:08:17 pm
I haven't had any invitations to free upscale dinners - yet -  I am not retired yet. 

I have however been to a presentation that included free lodging at a nice resort.  This was to listen to pitch for a time share.
I own a Worldmark The Club timeshare and have received hundreds of dollars in Prepaid Credit Cards for attending upgrade pitches.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: articx on October 12, 2018, 01:14:58 pm
No, I've never been invited to an upscale dinner. If it does happen, I probably won't go.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: cathy37 on October 12, 2018, 01:46:49 pm
I have received several of these offers, but have never taken them up on it.  Most of the time it is a waste of your time to sit and listen to the pitch.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: brian8713 on October 12, 2018, 02:25:48 pm
I've never been invited. How do I get an invitation like this? I would be interested in attending.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: michele2042 on October 12, 2018, 02:58:07 pm
We've started receiving them, mostly on health issue topics.  We haven't attended one yet but my husband, who is always up for a free dinner, wants to start going since we're both retired.   We'll see, I don't mind going but I don't want to be somewhere for 2 or more hours.   
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: jenniferhoder on October 12, 2018, 03:03:39 pm
I typically wouldn't have time for that sort of thing, and I am not even close to retirement, but I know that some of them can be informative.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: vickysue on October 12, 2018, 03:09:56 pm
I have found they are not  for me. If I want to sit for 2 hours  and listen to a pitch for some get rich scheme , I would just  listen to some pitch on TV. That way I can  just turn it off. I just cannot sit for 2 hours without  out  moving around anyway. Hubby is lucky when I don't have to get out of the car and move after just sitting for an hour to  hour and a half. My dad nicked named when I was little Jitterbug. Because of it.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: teenangel on October 12, 2018, 09:10:22 pm
I haven't been invited to any upscale dinners. But if I was invited I would probably go
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: mcornwell on October 12, 2018, 10:18:53 pm
I get invitations like that several times a year.I have never gone to one.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: dreamyxo on October 12, 2018, 10:53:17 pm
Yes I have gone to those.  My bf called them money scams but he'd go with me for the free lunch and gift.  I went to some that featured real estate, setting up a websites.  I only got carried away once and bought a "system" for training etc that was almost $3k ( I was desperate to make money).  Luckily I came to my senses a few hours later and was about to cancel everything.  Haven't been to one of those in years.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: oldbuddy on October 13, 2018, 07:08:41 am
Looking back, I went to several as a homeowner and even bought what the offered a few times (like a new roof).
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: sak4kat on October 13, 2018, 07:56:45 am
Never been to any of those.  I know people who have though.  And they got sucked into making a purchase.  They came home from those events all excited.  Trying to convince others to also join.  It was kinda weird.  Just a few months later they're talking about how they regretted signing the dotted line since they now realize the deal could only be worth it if they traveled all the time.  I think they think the deals will enable them to travel more but that's just now how life really works ya know.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: bshee58 on October 13, 2018, 08:07:36 am
Yeah, i got two of them recently, couldn't make either one of them, maybe one day if they send them again we'll go.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: mapiklfish on October 13, 2018, 08:10:13 am
We got an invitation to a local restaurant for a free dinner.  It was a couple of hours and they were selling windows and insulation. 
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: oldbuddy on October 13, 2018, 09:02:00 am
Never been to any of those.  I know people who have though.  And they got sucked into making a purchase.  They came home from those events all excited.  Trying to convince others to also join.  It was kinda weird.  Just a few months later they're talking about how they regretted signing the dotted line since they now realize the deal could only be worth it if they traveled all the time.  I think they think the deals will enable them to travel more but that's just now how life really works ya know.
I have come to the conclusion that life works the way you work it.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: makeblessed on October 13, 2018, 09:17:12 am
Yes, like you I am retired so there is always something coming in the mail; however I  have never attended any of them; I just trash when I get them; but I may re-think a free meal once in awhile sounds nice!
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: aflyingmonkey on October 13, 2018, 09:54:27 am
I just recently got one of these offers in the mail, dinner for two & a spiel of some sort... I was considering going, it was in my town so it would have been convenient; but I didn't end up going.   I go to lectures frequently with my job, so I figure it would probably be something like that.... how bad could it be.   Next time I get one, I'll make a point to go if I am free.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: snuggleycutejc on October 13, 2018, 01:01:05 pm
I have done that, I like to keep communication open because it is a good way of getting information if item is $$$
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: timvolley on October 13, 2018, 04:26:29 pm
i do receive these all the time but i have no interest in going
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: oldbuddy on October 14, 2018, 07:47:07 am
i do receive these all the time but i have no interest in going
Do you have any interest in eating good food for free?
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: 1imaginarygirl on October 14, 2018, 09:32:29 am
I've gone to one of those timeshare spiels before. The free food or discounts or whatever they gave us was not worth the time wasted.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: countrygirl12 on October 14, 2018, 01:07:05 pm
Do you get invitations to a free upscale dinner to get you to listen to some pitch? Do you go?

Being retired I get them a lot and usually take them up on it, since it's good entertainment and I don't have much else to do.

Last night I regretted it (which is rare) since it was a two hour pitch for training on how to flip real estate and the meal was a box lunch with a ham sandwich and a bag of popcorn. Then they started in to an hour long pitch for a Stock selecting course and I left half way through.

I have had some delicious Steaks and Salmon dinners though and some of the presentations were actually interesting.

I have gotten invites to some thing like that. You, I think, got a meal at Shoney's (big whoop) and had to listen to some pitch for a few hours.  I am thinking 3-4.  And you have to provide info to them such as name, address, and phone number so they are going to aggravate you from now on trying to get you to make a purchase.

It is like the thing that use to be on here PAID TO CALL where it clearly says you will not get a call back.  Yes, I did.  I called one and just for talking for 2 minutes I got $2.  It was for some weight loss program. lol.  They called me a hundred times after that.  Back when that was still available I fixed that though, any time after that when I done this I called from a FAX line.  Call me after I say at the end of the call I am not interested and you get a beep in your ear.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: countrygirl12 on October 14, 2018, 01:12:57 pm
Yes I have gone to those.  My bf called them money scams but he'd go with me for the free lunch and gift.  I went to some that featured real estate, setting up a websites.  I only got carried away once and bought a "system" for training etc that was almost $3k ( I was desperate to make money).  Luckily I came to my senses a few hours later and was about to cancel everything.  Haven't been to one of those in years.

I am leery of things like this.  Afraid I will accidentally get signed up for something and have to try to get out of it.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.  Nothing is free.  Like this site.  It is not free money.  You give a lot of your time to get the little bit you make on here.  You may spend 3 or more hours trying surveys and get DQ from all of them so you end up with like 15 cents.

I am also leery of giving them my personal info.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: countrygirl12 on October 14, 2018, 01:15:45 pm
Never been to any of those.  I know people who have though.  And they got sucked into making a purchase.  They came home from those events all excited.  Trying to convince others to also join.  It was kinda weird.  Just a few months later they're talking about how they regretted signing the dotted line since they now realize the deal could only be worth it if they traveled all the time.  I think they think the deals will enable them to travel more but that's just now how life really works ya know.

I had a friend who got suckered in to buying in to that online lawyer where you pay $10 a month and any time you need a lawyer you get them for free. It is like insurance. Then you try to get other people to sign up under you (kind of like referrals on this site) and you get so much per referral.  I didn't do it because I see it as a waste. I have never needed a lawyer and if I do I will pay for it then.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: plennis on October 14, 2018, 01:28:21 pm
I have received several, but usually not at a convenient time.  I have a friend who goes to a lot of them and does usually have a good time.  BUT he does not sign up for or buy anything on the spot.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: sdenimandlace1 on October 15, 2018, 03:20:59 am
I just recently retired and have not been offered any free dinners. I will have to watch for them.
Title: Re: Free Dinners
Post by: dogsleash on October 15, 2018, 08:03:23 am
i have gone