I’m a sucker for free stuff. I’m the guy at the various events where they have freebies that doesn’t hesitate to walk up and ask if they don’t offer.

Which, by the way, why do I have to ask?

The web is a gold mine of freebies – but it’s loaded with land mines! Never, ever, click on a pop up that offers you a freebie. NEVER.

So we get free Fire Fighters Magazine, TV Guide, Road and Track, Forbes, Latina, Maxim, Redbook, and more.

I just sold 25 coupons on eBay for a candy bar that isn’t available in this area. I much rather would have had the candy.

We love to travel.

Our first trip to Cancun was on Eastern Airlines because it was “buy a car and fly free.”

So you put “free” with “travel “and you got our attention.

Way back when we were young a stupid, we took a timeshare sales vacation to Puerto Vallarta. It worked out OK. We got there and back safely and had a nice time. I had Montezuma’s Revenge from eating Chihuahua cheese and thought I was going to die, but I didn’t. I just slept on the beach only moving when the sun got in my eyes.  (Everytime I opened my eyes, Best Half was negotiating with a beach vendor for more silver, so I just kept my eyes closed.) The 90 minute presentation was high pressure, but we were tough (and broke.)

When those offers come in the mail, we always, hesitate but remain strong and resist.

Until Friday. Best Half got a call, would we come to a presentation in our town and get a free vacation and $30 cash for gas?

Now that we are old and don’t give a shit, what the hell!

This was particularly interesting because we have vouchers for two free airplane tickets that I got from buying six pairs of Dockers.

It wasn’t timeshare, it was “be a travel agent.” For $10,000 plus $225 annual fee, we would have the right to discounts, travel agent familiarization trips (bigger discounts) plus a commission if anybody else bought a vacation on our referral.

Way back when, these companies apparently thought that high pressure worked.  I don’t know when they learned that it’s a numbers game, but now there is no pressure.  I guess they have enough experience to know that for every X number of presentations, they will make Y number of sales.

We had a pleasant woman, who when the presentation was over, asked if we had any interest. We said “no” she asked again in a different way, “no” she asked if we want a three year trial for $1500, “no” here are couple of trips you might like, “no.”

That was it. She gave us a certificate that we could exchange for a condo for a week, or air/hotel either Vegas or Orlando.

This should be interesting.  But so far, all we are out is two hours of our time.

I guess it was a timeshare after all!