Do you question the free?

The free rentals thing has been going on around here for a while. Something about Netflix and Blockbuster's Netflix-like program (sorry, forgot the name) being the iceberg while all the other rental places are the Titanic?

Me, I wouldn't question it. They're just trying to continue to receive income.

free rental sure, but I wonder if you'd still pay a fee for late returns.

p.h., suddenly cynical

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet--
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
"My fragile leaves," it said, "his heart enclose."
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

-- Dorothy Parker

Yes, I question 'free'. There is no such thing as free; somebody pays.
It may not be you, (this time) but somebody always pays.

Yes. I always question free. I never expect anything for free and when I get it, I'm suspicious.

I question it, too. There's always a catch...

Free=scam of some sort. Usually.
I'm old and I've consumed, so take that to the bank.

I recently got a call from my local video store... seems they are in dire straits monetarily wise since I stopped coming in because of the winter slump and I got on here at AW (I used to watch a lot of movies from that place). She said they missed me terribly (not exactly 'terribly' but it was implied.. ) and that I had a free movie coming and half-off rentals for a week. So, I imagine your video store just wants you to come back in the hopes you'll realize how important it is to you to start watching their movies again.

Free=scam of some sort. Usually.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my take on 'free stuff'.

In a bit of an aside, I keep getting these calls from 'Travel Agencies', which I strongly suspect are time-share sellers, offering me a free trip to Vegas.

Don't they even bother to look at the area code?

What, are they gonna send me $2 for busfare?

Joe270 said:

In a bit of an aside, I keep getting these calls from 'Travel Agencies', which I strongly suspect are time-share sellers, offering me a free trip to Vegas.

Don't they even bother to look at the area code?

What, are they gonna send me $2 for busfare?

Click to expand...

Probably not. A place I used to work had a "call center" called that did nothing but those kind of timeshare thingies. They always used to email me URGENT PLEASE TO FAX TO CUSTOMER emails that inevitably ended with me trying to fax something to some poor sucker's phone at 4 AM. I learned a few new swear words when people answered the phone and heard the fax.

For you, I sure hope that they are totally free. You deserve to enjoy! ((((((HUGS)))))).

Yeah, especially since a woman at work responded to an offer for a "free" gift card to Applebee's and wound up installing malware that racked up a couple hundred dollars in charges before it was discovered.

Did I mention this malware was installed on her computer at work?

It's interesting seeing people's responses to the so-called "free" things. I've heard in several jobs that people don't respect "free" and it's always better to put a price on something than to give it away. People relate "free" to "worthless" or "junk" and misuse almost anything that is given to them at no cost. I must say I'm guilty of that myself, on many occasions.

I'm of the school of thought that nothing is truly free, and even if the payment is not monetary, it's there somehow.

Free can be a scam, but it isn't always. I mean, they're always hoping to get money from you but they're not always cheating you in order to do it. Sometimes businesses offer things for free in order to try to get you started doing business with them in the hopes that you will continue to do so. When I signed up for a card at my local video store I received a free rental and a month of half off movies (get it? The free rental really was free. Then the half off, if you take advantage of it, and they're only hoping you will, ensures they get something from you. Then they figure you'll be used to going there and continue to do so). The idea of free samples (whether of goods or services) is often a very legitimate business model. That said, when it's more than a sample or it's something that seems like it would cost the business a lot of money, then I question it (which is why I fully expect things like free cruises and such to be scams).

I disagree on the free meds, but then I have glaucoma.

There is free software, but there is no free lunch.

I just got an email for 10 free wings from Hooter's for my birthday. Mr. Susie was disappointed it said the girls weren't included. The wings should be free, huh.

free Hooter's wings are good...free Hooter's???...

*and I meant that in the nicest way possible*

Nothing is free if you have to buy something else to get it. Strings is strings. I like wings, but all I have is hooters.

I've never been impressed by the food at Hooters...but then, maybe I'm not supposed to be going for the food, huh?

So many posts in this thread explain the lack of a response when I put out contests for free books every so often.