check on the pampered chef thing- it is a good deal to sign up and get the kit, my sister did that- she has signed up for many an mlm---but that is another story---
anyway, I think you have to hold a certain # of parties or you lose your consultant-ship, or whatever they call it---not sure the numbers, or it may have changed, that was a couple of years ago---but check that out.

I agree.
With MK, since the company doesn't require you to actually sell anything to be a consultant, yes, you are right, as long as you order $200 wholesale at the very longest every 11 months, you will maintain your consultant number.  I'm technically still a consultant ( in fact, I actually still have 12 team members, believe or not- even though I haven't done anything w/ my mk business in a looooong time-) I did place an order about 4 months ago to get some things I still use, and that my family uses-- so it is easy w/ mk and I'm sure there are some other companies like that---but mk is somewhat unique in that the consultants get an inventory and purchase, instead of the company keeping track of actual sales to customers.
But, with a lot of the company's, you get commission on what you actually sell, and so on, and so it all works different, meaning, there are party quotas, and sales quotas, etc. - whereas in MK, part of the appeal to people is that there is no "quota"---of course, we never considereed having to place $200 every 3 months to maintain your 50% discount/active status, receive commissions only if you're active, etc, a quota did we? (man, that is really a little deceiving, huh???) 

If you want free pampered chef, you might just host a party.
I have been a hostess for other mlm just a few times, but each time I've gotten 100's free in products- because their free product for hostesses actually comes from their company, not from the consultants/rep's  own store of products---very different from mk in that aspect (like party lite, or stampin up, etc)...you can really get a lot free if you have a lot of people at a party, and if the company is something that a lot of women you know would be interested in---

It's amazing how different they all are from one another--

anyway- that's my 2 cents, or 4 cents or whatever. You'll have to just do what you think would benefit you/your family-but maybe hosting a party would give you a better look at what the products are all like and if you would want to be a rep or not- you could casually ask the rep about it, just tell her you're curious, etc, and wondered how it worked for her....

I agree with Beauticontrol4me - most women LOVE pampered chef products!  I usually get invited to PC party about every 12-18 months and I usually go and buy something - it may only be $25 or it may be $75 - but its usually something. 

And I've never worried about the consultant calling me up and trying to get me to join or buy more products! 

But after my MK experience, I think I'm done with direct sales.  Sales are definitely not my thing.

Jen

I agree! Joining the MLM is a waste of money if you just want to buy some of the products - Hooray for Ebay!
 ;D

I always told myself I would never do any of these party selling things.  I only got dragged in because a good friend of mine did it and I thought I could make it worth my while just selling to the girls at work so I jumped in and found out about the $200 wholesale order every 3 months.  who goes through makeup that fast anyway!  I thought I had asked all the right questions but apparently not or I wouldn't have wasted my time!  I should have talked to other friends who had gone before me to find out all the details! so I guess my advice would be to ask people who are doing it or have done it what they think... the people who aren't going to make a buck off of you joining!

I'm with PinkCaddy... go for Ebay

I promise, right here, right now... I will never, ever, ever, ever join another MLM as long as I live..!!!  I don't care how great the opportunity sounds, how sweet the people seem, how wonderful the product supposedly is....never, never, never!! 

And you all can hold my feet to the fire 

I've tried, Home Interiors and gifts, Partylite, and Mary Kay.

I to have vowed, by the Grace of God I will, (Don't want to never say never)

But I will not EVER, EVER,EVER, do another direct selling company again either.  I'm going to get a REAL JOB, WHERE YOU MAKE REAL MONEY TO PAY OFF MY REAL DEBTS, Not get a j-o-b to go into debt to make someone else rich.

I have to say, I made money in Partylite, were not talking alot of money, but I didn't have any inventory to buy or have left laying around, I got my kit free, and I can use that until i don't want it no more.

And I don't have to buy any product if I don't want to, So all the profit that I made was mine, because they pay you from your shows.

Well, That's my 2 cents 
Candlegirl