you can't beat free

I gotta call last week from some guys from "Specialty Brides" (so they said) telling me that I was signed up for something or so and won. Ok, I am really skeptical about this voice message and I don't call back. They call again and this time I answer. This very charismatic (too much so) tells me that I can have a condo for 7nights free if I go to listen to this sh peal (sp?) about some cookware and that if I want to get the free condo I have to bring my husband. I get the time, place, and date. I tell David about it knowing that he will feel as suspicious as I had. But at this point, I think that I could at least try it out. I was told that I didn't have to pay ANYTHING and we would get some free food too. David did feel suspicious and begrudged going (understandably since it seemed we were letting ourselves get duped). We walked into the hotel where the showcase was located telling each other that no matter what, we will not buy a thing. We will take the vacation if they give it as freely as they stated but that we weren't really expecting it to be as straight-forward as all that. We listened to a hyper guy talk about this cookware. It WAS really neat cookware and a very convincing demonstration. If I had not had cookware and was engaged and needed to register for it, I would have chosen this stuff. Nonetheless, that was not in our pact. We got the free condo. We get to choose from a variety of spots as well as get some great discounts for a year--like 50% off a cruise, or all-inclusive resort, or 4 or 5 star hotels. I'm glad David was with me because I would have bought something. I felt so guilty walking away with this vacation and not buying even a knife (which by the way cost over $100). I imagined the salesmen being disgruntled. David didn't feel bad. He was quite ready say, "We are not interested. Give us our vacation now, please."

If you get a call like this from Specialty Brides you should definitely go and acquire a free condo. I can't yet attest to what it will be like but I do have a list of great places to go like Gatlinburg, Lake Tahoe, Colorado Rockies, Orlando, Daytona Beach...etc. I guess I was less suspicious about it overall (not that I didn't have reservations) because growing up we took many free vacations through timeshare companies trying to get us to buy their stuff. We would enjoy a nice place and maybe spend a few hours with a sales rep as he/she shows us their property (with no intention to buy). You just can't beat free.