Mark and Lisa’s Dilemma: The Timeshare Pitch
Mark and Lisa, just checked into their hotel on what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. Right as they were walking to their room a cheerful rep stopped them.
“Hi there! How would you like two free tickets to Disney?” she asks, handing them a brochure. Mark’s eyes light up at the mention of Disney, while Lisa looks suspicious, sensing a catch. Sure enough, Linda adds, “All you have to do is attend a quick, 90-minute presentation on timeshares—no strings attached!”
“Free tickets and just 90 minutes?” Mark says, already calculating how much they'd save on admission. Lisa, more skeptical but still curious, shrugs, “It’s Disney, why not?”
The next morning, they find themselves in a plush conference room with Samantha and a guy named Chad, whose sales-pitch energy is off the charts. Chad paints a vivid picture of endless vacations, beach resorts, ski lodges, and luxurious condos. “With just a small investment today,” Chad says, “you can have access to all of this forever.”
Lisa leans over to Mark and whispers, “Small investment? He hasn’t mentioned a price yet.” But Mark’s already imagining himself at a Hawaiian beach resort, drink in hand, telling their friends back home about his “vacation empire.”
As Chad finally starts talking numbers, they realize it’s not exactly a small investment—at least not for their budget. A hefty down payment, plus annual fees, and “maintenance costs” that seem to grow yearly. When Mark asks about selling the timeshare down the road, Chad’s smile slips just a little. “Well, there’s a...market for it, though we do advise against looking at it as a short-term investment.”
Lisa, now fully in “protect the bank account” mode, jumps in. “So if we have to pay these fees forever, and we can’t always sell, it sounds like we’re locked in?”
Chad does his best to reassure them, but Lisa isn’t buying it. “Mark, we’re saving for a house. If we’re putting money into a timeshare, that’s less we have for our down payment. And remember how our lender said big purchases could hurt our mortgage approval?”
Mark nods, coming back down to reality as he calculates how long they’d be paying for something they’d only use a week or two each year. By the time they leave, he realizes that “forever vacations” are nice in theory, but they’d rather put their money toward a place they can call their own, all year round.
So, when they finally return to Linda to claim their “free” Disney tickets, they’re not nearly as excited as they were. The tickets might have been free, but the price of the timeshare was a lot higher than they were willing to pay.
In the car ride back, Mark sighs, “Guess we’ll save those luxury resort dreams for later, huh?”
Lisa grins, “And next time someone says ‘no strings attached,’ I ain’t listening!”
Final Thoughts
Be aware of the allure of timeshares and the “no-strings-attached” freebies. They can seem tempting, especially when a dream vacation is dangled in front of you. But as Mark and Lisa learned, these deals often come with ongoing costs and commitments that can drain resources you need for bigger goals—like buying a home. Before you say yes to “forever vacations,” think about the long-term impact on your finances and future plans. Free tickets are fun, but keeping your financial goals on track is priceless!