How Strong is Your Willpower?

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You might need an extra dose for today’s money making tip.  If you’re taking a trip to a popular tourist area, consider attending some timeshare presentations for pay.  Call around to resorts, especially new ones in the area that you’ll be visiting, and see what gifts they are offering if you attend a presentation.  BTW, most places have a kids room where you can drop your kids off to play while you’re there.  Resorts will pay you anywhere from $25- $100 for a couple hours of your time.  If you like resorts, you may actually enjoy the first part of the presentation where you get to see some nice properties. 

Here’s where your willpower will come in though- you know what comes at the end of your “presentation”- the pitch.  Some sales reps are pushier than others, but either way you need to decide if you want to buy before you attend the presentation, not during.  How much is it worth to you for a share of vacation time at that resort if it’s a set week or if it’s a points system where any owner can book any time?  If you’re not interested, don’t be swayed.  I am personally good at being a broken record “it’s a really nice property, but we just don’t have the money for that right now”  If you are interested but their price is too high- let them know what purchase price you are willing to pay.  If they can’t get anywhere near it, walk away with no guilt.  You committed to attend-not buy.  This is a marketing attempt just like ECBs and RR’s that give us free products.  We may or may not purchase that product in the future, but we’ve seen what it has to offer and we’ll tell our friends that we think will like it.  It’s a win-win for everyone.  Their job is to market the resort.  If they make a sale it’s icing on the cake. 

Another great way to save money is by getting your hotel accommodations through a timeshare package.  I frequently see packages for between  $30 and $70 that include 2 or 3 nights hotel, dinner out, and 2 tickets to a show or theme park. Additional nights are usually just $25 more.  Of course, in exchange for such a great deal you are required to attend a timeshare sales pitch.  Yes, it can be a nuisance, but typically it’s worth the savings in exchange for a couple of hours. 

We own a timeshare, outright, at Big Cedar near Branson, MO.  We absolutely love going there and for our family purchasing timeshare points so that we could book a vacation any time of year made the most sense for us.  In addition to our vacation(s) there each year, we are able to rent out enough vacations to others to completely cover our yearly fees and then put money back in our pockets.  Every time we go stay, they ask us if we want to come in for an update a.k.a. sales pitch in exchange for 75$ to spend on the Big Cedar property.  Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t.  When we do though, we sure enjoy eating at the restaurants and activities during our stay for free!  Who wouldn’t love these views?

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