Resisting the timeshare sales pitch: Don't let freebies end up costing thousands

Timeshare sales desks exist at pretty much every major vacation destination, from Orlando to Las Vegas to Wisconsin Dells to Hawaii to Mexico and everywhere else you can name. "The essential to budget travel is to approach ahead. When it happens to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved vacations and/or going to see new destinations we have never been before, the truth of expense and budgeting is often in the back of our minds. Preparation and expending our travel budget carefully is a concern for most families. Minimizing spending and costs, while still delighting your vacation to its fullest, is the key to assured accomplishment and fiscal liability. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thought regarding economizing money while vacationing is simple: Even if your personal funds is highly small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also remembering that while traveling, no matter whether on a price range or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a big vacation or travel costs!..". The pitch often starts with, "How would you like free tickets to (a theme park, show, or other attraction)?" Sometimes the offer might even be for cash.

If you show any interest, the person making the offer shares the catch: all you have to do is attend a "short resort tour." Translated, that means a long, arduous timeshare sales pitch.

Most companies do give you the promised gifts if you go through the pitch. However, you might not think it was worth the hassle after being browbeat by a high pressure sales team for two, three, or even four hours or more. Some people wind up buying a timeshare they don't want because they're so worn down.

How do you avoid trying to save money and ending up with a whopping payment on an unwanted timeshare unit? Obviously, the best way is not to go on timeshare tours in the first place. If the offer is just too good to pass up, here are some tips:

• At the start of the tour, set your watch or cell phone alarm for the tour length that you were promised. Let the salesperson know up front that you were told the tour takes no more than 90 (or whatever minutes), and that you expect to leave and get your gifts at the end of that time.

• Watch out for manipulation. Some salespeople try to make you feel bad or guilty for turning down their offers. They'll say, "You're really so poor that you can't even afford to give your family nice vacations?" or "It's a shame you don't care enough about your kids to guarantee they'll have a vacation every year." Ignore these tactics, or better yet, tell the salesperson you know what he's trying to do and that it won't work on you.

• Mention the resale market. Timeshares are one of the most universally regretted purchases a person can make. You lock yourself into a loan payment, as well as infinite maintenance fees, on something you may or may not use. People are desperate to unload timeshares, so you can buy them for a fraction of the cost on the resale market. If the salesperson won't give up, mention rather loudly, "I said I'm not interested, but even if I were, I'd buy a resale for pennies on the dollar. Resales are the only way to buy a timeshare." Your presentation will probably end rather quickly so others around you don't hear this.

• Threaten to report the company to the appropriate state agency if it refuses to give you the promised gifts. You're entitled to your gifts as long as you fulfilled your end of the bargain by going on the tour for the stated length of time. If the company won't give you what you're entitled to, tell the representative you'll be filing a report with state authorities. Follow through with the threat, if necessary, and complain to the Better Business Bureau as well.

• RCI Timeshare Experience, Grandview Las Vegas Nevada, Timeshare ...

  rcivip.com/my-rci-adventure-grandview-las-vegas

  My personal experience with high pressure timeshare sales tactics at The Grandview at Las Vegas timeshare presentation.

• Criminal investigation against Resort Properties Mind Timeshare ...

  www.mindtimesharetruth.com/2012/04/17/criminal-investigation...

  GREAT NEWS FOR ALL OF US. I have just received formal notification that the State Prosecutor in Tenerife has ordered a FULL BLOWN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

• Surviving a Timeshare Presentation - embitca on HubPages

  embitca.hubpages.com Timeshares

  Timeshares are most frequently sold during timeshare sales presentations at the resort. At most resorts, the average timeshare salesperson will make you feel like you ...

• Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Timeshares, Hustlers, Con Artists ...

  cafewitteveen.wordpress.com/2010/...timeshares-hustlers-con-artists...

  Nov 05, 2010 Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Timeshares, Hustlers, Con Artists, Frauds, Nightmares and YOU!

• Welk Resort - Escondido, CA

  www.yelp.com Event Planning & Services Hotels

  Jan 28, 2013 (760) 749-3000 "I attended a Welk promotional presentation for purchase of a timeshare. I declined to purchase a timeshare, yet ended up purchasing a $ ...

• eNidhi India: Product Reveiw-Club Mahindra Holidays Timeshare ...

  www.enidhi.net/2007/02/never-go-for-club-mahindra-membership.html

  Post Revised on Jan 1, 2011: This article tells you why this writer feels investing in timeshare holiday memberships may not be a wise decision (with all necessary ...

• Tips for Surviving a Timeshare Presentation

  rcivip.com/tips-for-surviving-a-timeshare-presentation

  How to survive a timeshare presentation and leave without buying a time share or vacation ownership.

• whocalled.us / 413-499-6605

  whocalled.us/lookup/4134996605

  I worked for wjd aka summit corp., the thing that people who are not in "the industry" don't understand, is that those ads in a mall or other setting DON'T understand ...

• Timeshare tour for $100 -- our experience

  www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/836647

  If you guys are interested, my gf and I took a timeshare tour from Bluegreen this weekend at Myrtle Beach in exchange for a $100 visa. I've written about the ...

• Timeshare The Proverbial Scam feat. Club La Costa Mike

  www.mikesouthby.co.uk/2009/10/timeshare--the-proverbial-scam...

  Weve been getting a whole heap of sales calls recently. Its been an annoyance that has been getting progressively worse as the weeks have passed and they have ...