Has anyone been to a free dinner with financial planning seminar?

[North of Mouse]

Just got a post card in the mail for a financial planning seminar with free meal at Ruths Chris steakhouse. We usually avoid this type of thing like the plague but the dinner venue makes me want to suck it up and go listen to their spiel. Has anyone ever been to a similar event? Are they a hard sell to try and get you to utilize their services?

Yes, we've gone twice in the last 30 years, and neither time did we get pressured. We asked some very honest questions, and had them answered, but weren't interested in 'signing on'.

I get them all the time, and they go directly into the trash.

Now the ones we get go in the trash, although there have been some tempting restaurants to go to!! We just don't feel we should go now that we are totally not interested in 'planning' anymore.

Do you honestly think you're going to get the same Ruth's Chris meal as a paying customer?

I've never been desperate enough for a meal or a vacation to go to any sales presentation.

Yes, actually you do!! Both times we went we had about 3 choices, and they were delicious, and straight from the menu!! They weren't pressured presentations! They were from very prominent companies which we respected.

Wonder if any of you 'nay sayers' have ever gone to a presentation, or really desired financial advice?? We didn't go 'for' the free meal, and would never continue going without real desire for questions answered, but we had no qualms going the two times we went.
To label anyone that has gone to just be looking for a free meal is very short sighted, unless people are making a 'career' of doing so.

 

[Poohforyou]

Yes, we've gone twice in the last 30 years, and neither time did we get pressured. We asked some very honest questions, and had them answered, but weren't interested in 'signing on'.




Now the ones we get go in the trash, although there have been some tempting restaurants to go to!! We just don't feel we should go now that we are totally not interested in 'planning' anymore.



Yes, actually you do!! Both times we went we had about 3 choices, and they were delicious, and straight from the menu!! They weren't pressured presentations! They were from very prominent companies which we respected.

Wonder if any of you 'nay sayers' have ever gone to a presentation, or really desired financial advice?? We didn't go 'for' the free meal, and would never continue going without real desire for questions answered, but we had no qualms going the two times we went.
To label anyone that has gone to just be looking for a free meal is very short sighted, unless people are making a 'career' of doing so.

I get financial advice from a financial advisor that I know and trust. I wouldn't take financial advice from someone I met once and didn't know anything about.

 

[North of Mouse]

I get financial advice from a financial advisor that I know and trust. I wouldn't take financial advice from someone I met once and didn't know anything about.

That's great! Neither do we! Dh & I are both pretty savvy, so the questions we were asking were not anything we had to take action on, just 'general'!!!

 

[Sanchez]

Wonder if any of you 'nay sayers' have ever gone to a presentation, or really desired financial advice?? We didn't go 'for' the free meal, and would never continue going without real desire for questions answered, but we had no qualms going the two times we went. To label anyone that has gone to just be looking for a free meal is very short sighted, unless people are making a 'career' of doing so.

That's all good and well, but the OP indicated that the sole reason for attending is a free meal. If specific sound financial advice is sought, I hardly think a group environment centered around people seeking a free meal is preferred. It isn't as if financial advisors are hard to find or charge fees for consultation.

 

[Kimberle]

I went to one by accident many, many years ago. A co-worker told a bunch of us she "won" a free lunch for 12. We were all so mad at her. I almost felt sorry for the guy as he looked a little shell shocked. It was at a nice Chinese restaurant.

 

[amcnj]

I get them fairly frequently, but have never gone. But a friend goes to every one he gets, and for many years now, and has not run into any high pressure. I think at worst he has gotten a follow-up call from some and when told he was not interested, that was the end of any contact.

 

[NFLDERS]

I didn't think Financial Planning anything, is EVER FREE!

 

[DisneyHardin]

I went to a cocktail type party at a financial planners office. It was very nice and low pressure. The one I went to was all for women and we milled around and had appetizers and drinks and we each had a short sit down with the financial planner through the course of the night. I went with my mother. She ended up using his services, but she was in the market for a financial planner. He told me that the company I was using for my little bit of money I had to invest seemed to be a doing a great job for me and didn't pressure me to switch to him at all.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Probably some seminar where they sell you those tapes. Leverage yourself to the hilt and make big bucks in real estate investing!!! Or they want you to invest in the commodities market. Now that is a way to lose your shirt fast. Casinos have nothing on the commodities market.

 

[arminnie]

I've gotten several invitations - some actually from very reputable firms. I don't ever go to any of them because I manage my own funds. It would not be fair for me to go for a free dinner when I know that I would never use the services.

 

[anniemae]

If you want to check it out, go. Look at is as a learning experience. Personally, I would not go just for the meal, but if I was interested in gaining some knowledge and expand my horizons, I would go. You have nothing to lose, except a few hours of your time!

 

[georgina]

Probably some seminar where they sell you those tapes. Leverage yourself to the hilt and make big bucks in real estate investing!!! Or they want you to invest in the commodities market. Now that is a way to lose your shirt fast. Casinos have nothing on the commodities market.

I've gone to a couple of these free dinner seminars, no tapes or real estate investing, the gist of it was pushing annuities for retirement income. The food was good and the presentation not high pressure at all. We declined to take the next step of a private meeting.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I've gone to a couple of these free dinner seminars, no tapes or real estate investing, the gist of it was pushing annuities for retirement income. The food was good and the presentation not high pressure at all. We declined to take the next step of a private meeting.

The annuities they were selling were likely nearly as bad as what I listed.