I'm off to check out time shares in Tahoe!

[Shine]

NOT.

Actually, yes.....sadly.

Last spring, MrShine and I attended a fundraiser dinner auction for ShineGirl's school and we bid on and won a 2-night package to a bunch of different choices we could select from.

It was a many-stepped, tedious process of first sending away for the info, then choosing the top three places and times we wanted (we had a 1 yr deadline to use it up), paying the refundable $50 to reserve the room and then..

....when we finally receive confirmation of our #1 choice, Lake Tahoe, it says that when we check in, we'll receive our appt time for the 90 min timeshare presentation we're expected to sit through, in order to make this package valid. If we fail to make the appt, the whole thing is null and void. :wtf: :grr:

Needlesstosay, (but I'll say it anyway): we were pretty damn pissed. We would have NEVER bid on this deal had we known this was a required part of it. What a scam!!! There was absolutely NO mention of this timeshare presentation in any of the previous literature, so we felt pretty mislead.

Sigh....oh well. Plus, there's really no one we can go back and complain to at the school, b/c the auction isn't being held this year and this is our last year at the elementary school, anyway.

I'm definitely planning on saying something at the place we're staying, though. :rant:

The good news is: MrShine and I get some alone time away together.

The annoying news is: we have to take 90 min of our time to listen to a high-pressure timeshare sales presentation.

Do you think it would be rude of us to bring books to read during their presentation? :evilgrin:

[Schema Thing]

1. I don't think elementary school kids should be allowed to marry

...no-less make life altering financial decisions together.


But yeah, definitely bring a book to read. believe me, they won't be concerned about your feelings, so don't be concerned about theirs.

[Crabby Appleton]

2. Sounds like torture to me. nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear Shine...

Oh, that's unfortunate that you found about it this way...

It's sadly typical of these deals that you are stuck listening to a 90 minute high-pressure sales pitch...

Timeshares are one of the biggest scams evah!

DO NOT BUY ONE!

I know you won't...

But after you get through that distasteful part, have a great time!

:hug:

[Shine]

4. WE WON'T BUY ONE.

don't worry. :D

Thanks, Peggy. :hug: Hope you have a nice weekend, too. :hi:

[terryg11]

5. could I ask which timeshare company it's with?

we did one of those once and it lasted nearly three hours!!
Part of that was our fault, we thought it was the usual time share speal; pick a place, time of year and here's what you pay. It wasn't quite like that and we asked a ton of questions that kept us there too long.

[Shine]

8. Believe me, we won't be askin' no questions!

heh. :rofl:

To answer your question, though:

YourTravelBiz.com teamed up with Integra Marketing to create this "complementary vacation package."

:eyes: whatever.

[rubberducky]

6. Seems to me if you LOVE the Tahoe area, pitch a tent in a state park!

When I was young(er) we wilderness camped in Yosemite. The sun coming up or going down was breathtakingly beautiful. Tahoe is a beautiful area, but getting stuck in a time share not so beautiful. My friend in MI bought a timeshare in Orlando, Florida. After a few years of every vacation being planned around Orlando she lost the thrill. She said the only difference between home and Orlando was different washers, dryers, kitchens, etc..

[5LeavesLeft]

7. I got pitched last year

by Hilton Hotels. I knew it was a time-share going in and that was never a secret. I had a great time (we went to Sea World) and the sales pitch wasn't high pressure (they tried, but knew when to quit). If I had an extra 30K floating around I would have bought. So maybe it won't be too bad for you. Remember, they want your money, so the vacation is going to be fantastic up to the sales pitch part.

[Shine]

9. Yeah, it's interesting.

on the confirmation we rec'd it says the offer is limited to "married or cohabiting couples, both must be legal US residents bet. the ages of 26-65 with a combined household income of at least $50K." :eyes:

They clearly want our money and we have to be "vetted", ahead of time.

[malta blue]

10. That stinks Shine....

take an Ipod and watch some video or something during the presentation.

[Shine]

12. good call, malta blue

As a matter of fact, I just downloaded some new music from iTunes by a great blues musician named Eric Bibb. Have you heard of him? I never had, but he reminds me of 'Keb Mo, whom I also love.

Check him out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-otdZmC4E


:thumbsup:

:hi:Have a great weekend, yourself! :loveya:

[hippywife]

11. I would tell them to go

fuckthemselvesexcusemyfrench. You already paid for the stay and that would be double charging, especially since it was donated to begin with. And if they demure, tell them you'll suetheirfuckingcompany into oblivion if they try it. Marketing people can be so slimy. :eyes:

Hope you have a lovely weekend, tho. :loveya:

[Shine]

13. I'm glad you're on my side, girl

:rofl: kickin' ass and takin' names!

:loveya: my swine sister! :hug:

[hippywife]

14. I just can't get over the nerve of those people.

If that happened to me, I'd refuse to go and just chalk it up as a donation to the school and leave it at that. But they sure would hear about it. I have very little patience for those kinds of marketing practices.

Always on your side, babe! :D