Take the cash or the free dinner?

[CyclingDuo]

My wife won't let me go to the "free steak dinners", but someday I may sneak one in just to say I've done it.

Personal Capital just sent me a mailing a few weeks ago that says they will pay me $100 to sit through a phone call with them. I might do that one to say I've done it as well.

CyclingDuo

[MisterBill]

My wife won't let me go to the "free steak dinners", but someday I may sneak one in just to say I've done it.

Because she doesn't want you eating steak or because you might sign up for something? The ones I've done have been at Italian restaurants. No fancy steak meals for me.

Personal Capital just sent me a mailing a few weeks ago that says they will pay me $100 to sit through a phone call with them. I might do that one to say I've done it as well.

CyclingDuo

I'm actually a paying customer of PC and a couple of years ago they had a referral deal where both I and the referred got $100 Amazon gift cards. Enough people clicked on my link that I ended up getting a 1099 for the value of the gift cards! I've only seen $50 referral offers since then. They have done local dinners for clients in the past, but not this year .

[Isabelle77]

My parents were the King and Queen of the free dinner for the timeshare presentation back when that was a thing. They even brought my siblings and me when we were kids once or twice. Can you imagine trying to pitch timeshares and these people show up with their three kids My mom also (precovid) plans at least one meal a week around Costco samples.

They retired at 50

[TeacherInCa]

I want to be entertained and get in on the action. How do I receive these offers?

[CyclingDuo]

My wife won't let me go to the "free steak dinners", but someday I may sneak one in just to say I've done it.

Because she doesn't want you eating steak or because you might sign up for something?

No to both.

The real answer is that all the invites include me being able to bring along my spouse, but she refuses to go and waste her time.

CyclingDuo

[MisterBill]

The real answer is that all the invites include me being able to bring along my spouse, but she refuses to go and waste her time.

Wow. My wife is happy to go to these since we get a free dinner, and she doesn't have to cook (not that she cooks most nights, but that's a different story).

[MisterBill]

So the Prudential thing ended up being a talk by Tom Henga (https://tomhegna.com/). The talk was interesting until he started pushing life insurance and annuities (hence their sponsoring his talk). He claims to be on PBS but I have not seen him.

They sent me a $25 Grubhub credit after the meeting, but it's only valid for two weeks.

[TanisG]

This ain't work. It's being entertained. Most of us pay to be entertained. If somebody wants to pay me to entertain me, then be my guest!

Caveat emptor.

If it sounds too good to be true...

Whatever floats your boat, but I wouldn't waste my time on this type of "entertainment", and twice the time if spouse is required to attend like those timeshare presentations.

OP, if you do attend, appreciate your entertaining and informing us as to the specifics of this sales scheme, both the "offer" as well as the racket. In any case, even if you don't bite, you help add to the atmosphere that helps them to play up to the mark customer.

Exactly, if it's too good to be true..... than yes, it isnt!!!!

Anything offered for free it's likely to be part of a scam or in exchange of something. These "free" offerings are most likely to be given when being on vacation, at the airport, hotel, etc. and they all recall on pushing you to assist a "short presentation" which turns to be a timeshare.

https://www.timesharescam.com/blog/84-t ... breakfast/

[FIREchief]

Caveat emptor.

If it sounds too good to be true...

Exactly, if it's too good to be true..... than yes, it isnt!!!!

It has been true for me, EVERY SINGLE TIME!

They've given me juicy steaks, cash, show tickets, match play money (easily converted into real cash at the Blackjack table), and I've never paid a dime. As a bonus, they've provided a unique form of entertainment along with a little education for DW. Have we heard a single report here on the forum of a seasoned Boglehead being offered a free Filet Mignon but winding up with a happy meal instead? NO!

[MadHungarian]

I got cash once from the Nielsen Ratings folks, i think it was. Over the course of a few months they kept mailing me requests to take part, with actual cash in the envelope. $1, then $2, then $5, then $10, then $20 i think. Might've come out to $50 all told. I took the cash of course, but never responded. They seemed to think if they sent me free cash i'd then feel obligated to take part. Nope. Sure if someone mails me unsolicited cash, i'll take it & spend it (what else would i do, throw it away?), but since i had never offered or agreed to do anything, i felt no obligation.
Besides, i don't watch TV anyway. So they'd find me very boring!

[hicabob]

I want to be entertained and get in on the action. How do I receive these offers?

Find an investment advisor that sells indexed annuities and ask if they give seminars and if so get on the list. Perhaps it's rude to ask what the menu is but I had a friend that used to do that. He used to just go to those that served prime rib ... up until his bypass operation.

[MadHungarian]

. . . My mom also (precovid) plans at least one meal a week around Costco samples. . . .

Oh now you're making me sad! The late & lamented Costco samples. Now all they have is the little old ladies standing behind glass screens offering NOTHING. Wasn't the whole point of it to get free food, not to actually have to buy something?

[MisterBill]

Oh now you're making me sad! The late & lamented Costco samples. Now all they have is the little old ladies standing behind glass screens offering NOTHING. Wasn't the whole point of it to get free food, not to actually have to buy something?

And giving you dirty looks if you came back for a second.

[PhrugalPhan]

This ain't work. It's being entertained. Most of us pay to be entertained. If somebody wants to pay me to entertain me, then be my guest!

Caveat emptor.

If it sounds too good to be true...

Whatever floats your boat, but I wouldn't waste my time on this type of "entertainment", and twice the time if spouse is required to attend like those timeshare presentations.

OP, if you do attend, appreciate your entertaining and informing us as to the specifics of this sales scheme, both the "offer" as well as the racket. In any case, even if you don't bite, you help add to the atmosphere that helps them to play up to the mark customer.

Exactly, if it's too good to be true..... than yes, it isnt!!!!

Anything offered for free it's likely to be part of a scam or in exchange of something. These "free" offerings are most likely to be given when being on vacation, at the airport, hotel, etc. and they all recall on pushing you to assist a "short presentation" which turns to be a timeshare.

https://www.timesharescam.com/blog/84-t ... breakfast/

I was in Orlando the last two weeks and spent a total of 4 hours at two timeshare presentations. No way would I do that for a free breakfast. Instead I got two free timeshare weeks to use in the next year. Now that was worth my time.

[MisterBill]

If it sounds too good to be true...

Exactly, if it's too good to be true..... than yes, it isnt!!!!

It has been true for me, EVERY SINGLE TIME!

They've given me juicy steaks, cash, show tickets, match play money (easily converted into real cash at the Blackjack table), and I've never paid a dime. As a bonus, they've provided a unique form of entertainment along with a little education for DW. Have we heard a single report here on the forum of a seasoned Boglehead being offered a free Filet Mignon but winding up with a happy meal instead? NO!

I think it's clear from this thread that there are a few people here who are convinced that they know that any of these free dinner things must be a scam, and nothing you or I say about our actual experience at them is going to convince them otherwise.

[FIREchief]

If it sounds too good to be true...

It has been true for me, EVERY SINGLE TIME!

They've given me juicy steaks, cash, show tickets, match play money (easily converted into real cash at the Blackjack table), and I've never paid a dime. As a bonus, they've provided a unique form of entertainment along with a little education for DW. Have we heard a single report here on the forum of a seasoned Boglehead being offered a free Filet Mignon but winding up with a happy meal instead? NO!

I think it's clear from this thread that there are a few people here who are convinced that they know that any of these free dinner things must be a scam, and nothing you or I say about our actual experience at them is going to convince them otherwise.

Yep. BTW MisterBill, you butchered my quote there and made it sound like I was the negative nilly. I stuck a bandaid on it.

It's always fun when somebody who refuses to experience something tells me how I couldn't have possibly experienced what I actually did (and will continue to do).

[MathIsMyWayr]

The real answer is that all the invites include me being able to bring along my spouse, but she refuses to go and waste her time.

You married up.

[MisterBill]

Yep. BTW MisterBill, you butchered my quote there and made it sound like I was the negative nilly. I stuck a bandaid on it.

It's always fun when somebody who refuses to experience something tells me how I couldn't have possibly experienced what I actually did (and will continue to do).

Sorry, I tried to trim some of the quoted post and obviously messed up. I fixed it.

The important distinction here, and I know I am repeating what I said earlier, is that the financial seminar dinners are nothing like timeshare presentations. I've done timeshare presentations, and will not do another unless it's a REALLY good deal. I have no problem with the financial/estate attorney dinners.

It's like people who come into a deal thread on other boards and explain why the deal could not possibly work, after dozens of people have reported success with the deal.