Ohhhh I so hate this - especially when the pressure to join comes from a friend.

If you don't know what I mean by an 'MLM' I am referring to home distribution networks that use a 'pyramid' to sell products. Think Amway, USANA, Monat, and so on. You are recruited by an upper level. You make your money by recruiting your own base and them recruiting their own, and so on and so on.

So why do I loathe this? Because I am sick of feeling harassed by friends and acquaintances trying to pressure me to join their down line. I feel as though they are using guilt as a tactic to reel me in. I am sick of being unable to hold any conversation without having to listen to how great their product is being inserted into the dialogue. I cringe when I see their social media inundated by testimonials to their products and invitations to sign up. I also feel insulted by the fact that they are trying to use me to their own end. This has definitely affected friendships as the pressure becomes so strong that I just have to start ignoring them. I just wish that people who are involved with MLMs would consider what an unwelcome invasion and annoying downer this is.

I feel pretty strongly about this. Twice now I have been signed up to a 'business' without my consultation and permission.

Totally agree with you! I've deleted people off FB for this reason. They have nothing to say to me and then it's "Hey girl friend, I noticed you're trying to lose weight....." or whatever. Bugger off I say.

[Carmina]

Never come across this before

[LiteraryLark]

My parents were in Amway at the start of their marriage. It ended in crippling debt, multiple maxxed out credit cards, and they said it was near impossible to get out of once they were signed up.

[Moreta]

I'm a member of herbalife. No longer a distributor so I don't have a yearly fee anymore. Glad they changed how that worked. I've actually been a member since feb 2015 and have used it off and on since then. This time have been using it 2 solid months so actually seeing results. In general I don't like pyramid schemes, though when I get some money I want to buy into mary kay just for the discount. lmao. I use a lot of their products. Lularoe is crazy though with upfront costs around $5k. yes i do buy lularoe but it's comfy and it fits and i enjoy living in leggings. Scentsy is pretty cool too. Have some of their stuff. Haven't really gotten anything from any of the other ones. Nobody bothers me about signing up for anything and I don't bother anyone else about signing up for herbalife. I talk about herbalife sometimes but not over the top "OMG YOU NEED TO SIGN UP." Hell I'd prob let my friends just buy stuff on my account to get my discount. The new discount levels on herbalife kinda suck, so I'm glad I signed up when I did. I get a 25% discount and I'm close to getting a 35% discount. Now it starts off at a 15% discount. After you add on shipping and taxes you're paying full price and the stuff isn't cheap.

[*Laurie*]

In my experience, MLMs are bad news. A great, big NO.

[Deejay14]

Honestly I can't believe people are stupid enough to get into MLMs.