How does a timeshare save me money?

[capital city]

I've been reading on here quit a bit for about the past month or so and am glad to finally see a thread where most everyone really seems to enjoy their timeshares. Almost everything on here has so many warnings and almost all Google searches bring up lawsuits. Really refreshing..... Thanks

 

[geekette]

Isn't that the Bass-O-Matic? :hysterical:

Kurt

LOVE IT!! timeless classic

 

[alexadeparis]

Here's my story . . .

I am relatively new to timesharing, so I can only share my limited experience. I have stayed at timeshares a total of 59 days, and my average cost has been $99.90 (this includes all exchange fees and maintenance fees, but not the initial purchase price of my timeshares, which were low.) For that $99.90, I have stayed in mostly 2 bedroom accomodations, with one being a 3 bedroom and two units being a 1 bedroom. All were gold crown or premier resorts. While I understand the value of saving money with priceline and the like, I appreciate, even when staying at hotels, knowing exactly what quality I am getting and where I am going before hand. I am not comfortable with finding out where I am going after I pay.

Contrast that $99.90/night with a trip I am taking tomorrow to the "Springhill Suites" about 3 hours away for a graduation. I will be paying with tax $122.08 for basically a studio hotel room with a little sitting area separated by a half wall and a mini fridge. A lot tinier and much lesser in quality for more money. This is really pissing me off actually! I was telling my husband last week that this is going to suck because we will be stuck in the same room with our teenage daughter and no kitchen, no separate bedroom or bathroom, or real living room. To top it off, I am paying more for the "privilege"!

Yes, there is the food cost savings. We went to DC for the inauguration in 2008 and there were 8 of us in a 2 bedroom - 4 of which were teenagers - we went out to eat dinner once at a modest place, and it was over $250 with tip. We ate in the rest of the week, I saved at least a grand on that - if not more! I mean, every afternoon, we would stop at the Dunkin' Donuts across the street when heading in to the timeshare for the night and these kids would eat the whole dozen donuts before I came back out of the bedroom, after changing into more comfortable clothes (less than 5 minutes' time). They were like locusts!!! I spent probably $350+ at the grocery store that week and felt lucky to get away with just that!

Plus, there was a lot of family togetherness in cooking meals and hanging out together that created a lot more memories among the cousins (the teens) , then they would have if we had just shuttled them from restaurant to restaurant 3 times a day for a week. They could get up in the morning and goof off togehter while eating cereal or making bacon and eggs, watching TV or surfing the internet together watching youtube videos and laughing hysterically, etc, while the parents were still in bed. Since we live in IL and they live in FL, they rarely see each other. They all still talk about that trip as being the best vacation of their (short) lives, and want to vacation with us again, I doubt that those memories would have been created in "2 adjoining studio hotel rooms".

Also, the washer and dryer totally came in handy. It was not in the unit, but down the hall (usually they are in the unit though). Knowing you will have that does help you pack less. I usually bring only a carry on for the week.

To me there is also a comfort factor of NOT having someone come into my room every day to "pick up" after me. I always feel like I need to clean at least a little for the maid before she comes, I don't have that feeling in a timeshare.

Finally, it does "force" you to use it or lose it with the timeshare vacations. You view it as a missed oppurtunity, since you have the sunk cost regardless. So, you always find a way to make a vacation work somewhere, sometime during the year. Otherwise, it's too easy to say, I'm too busy, maybe next year. Once it becomes, "I will waste this $XXX (or worse $X,XXX) maintenance fee if I don't use this timeshare", believe me, you find a way to use it.

 

[shifty1981]

Thanks for the reply. While not exactly concrete numbers, it's clear the value is there. I wish I had taken a good look at what we've spent on food on vacations the last few years. However all our vacations have been stop and hop vacations where we jump around from place to place, spending little time in the hotel and more time sightseeing.

For us the food was the setup.

Just after New Years of 1999 I took my daughter and two of my sons on a ski trip to eastern British Columbia. I think we were gone three nights. The youngest was 15; the oldest 22.

We stayed in a no-name motel that was at the level of a Motel 6. We brought along an ice chest and had cereal and milk in the mornings. We bought lunch at the ski resorts; dinners were take-home pizza and Chinese take-out. En route we ate at Denny's or equivalent.

The room had two queen size beds. DD, being the only female, got one of the beds. The guys took turns sleeping on the floor.

When we got home I reviewed where we had spent money; the big item - that shocked me - was how much we had spent on food.

About six months after that DW and I were on Kau'ai for our 25th anniversary, staying at the Marriott in Lihu'e. We did the timeshare tour. My mental gears started turning, as I estimated how much less that ski trip would have cost had we had a refrigerator and kitchen available to us.

I quickly realized that the cost savings we could generate from having a kitchen available almost entirely offset the difference in costs. We could spend the same amount of money, while staying in a much larger unit, with at least one private bedroom, with better qualify of furnishings than the Motel 6, and with more facility amenities.

This was a no-brainer decision for us.

*****

Since then we've come to really enjoy having the kitchen. We stick drinks in the refrigerator; they're ready anytime we want them. People can get up whenever they want to in the morning and just mosey into the kitchen for breakfast; we don't have to coordinate eating schedules. We can come back to the unit any time for lunch, or if we're going to be gone all day we can fix whatever we want.

When we travel, we enjoy getting some of the local food specialties and preparing them ourselves. We make great use of the grills that most timeshares have.

*****

The two oldest kids are now married. They vacation with us at times, and when they do each couple gets a room to themselves. It's so wonderful to be in Hawai'i, sitting in a real living room, with real furnishings, relaxing with wine or mai tais, just being together. No way could we have that kind of relaxation trying to socialize and be together in hotel rooms.

******

Our favorite timeshare projects are developments that were originally conceived as whole ownership condos that were later converted to timeshares. We like those properties because they are generally designed more like residences and less like resorts.

We just like the feeling that for the time that we are there we are staying somewhere that feels as if it is our home, not just a room. To us that contributes to the relaxation of the vacation. Home is where you settle in, and that's a feeling that we never have in a hotel room.

 

[shifty1981]

There's that phrase: "force you to vacation". it's a good thing and can be a bad thing. it's great because it helps you value time off from work relaxing and spending time together. but it's scary when you consider how hard it is to get rid of the timeshare if you ever need to.

Confession: haven't seen a lanais at any hotels yet

One big advantage for a timeshare over a hotel room (at least for us) is when the maid at the hotel comes to clean the room every day. We like the privacy of our own little "apartment" for the week. We don't like having to get ready to leave in time for the maid to make up the room.

We usually leave the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. You can hear the maids in the hallways at hotels, so even if you leave that sign on the door, the noise will be disturbing.

I don't like hotels when we stay in places like Orlando or Hawaii, because we have a lot of down time and enjoy the lanais and the living rooms at night.

We feel pretty spoiled, and we aren't rolling in dough at all. I love the timeshare experience, which really has always forced us to vacation. That sounds odd, but the cost of our accommodations isn't all that cheap compared to a hotel room. We pay our fees and get our exchanges, and for the $ per night that we spend, we could stay in a pretty nice hotel in most places. But I wouldn't pay that much for a hotel room. We do pay that much for a timeshare trade into a luxurious resort. That is why paying our fees and just using our weeks is what we must do, so we do it.

Make sense? Maybe not, as I read it back. Basically, we bought our first 2 timeshare weeks because we weren't going on vacations much. The salesmen both said, "This will force you to go somewhere to relax." "Okay," we thought. We weren't paying $100 per night for a hotel room in Orlando (probably would never do it to this day), but we will pay <->$100 per night (our maintenance fees for our home resort + exchange fee) now for a luxurious resort (2 bedrooms mostly), and we stay two weeks. Makes it seem a bit indulgent for the two of us, when I think about it.

Yes, we eat cereal, drink juice and coffee in the unit, and yes we do cook some easy meals at night, like frozen pizzas. That saves real money. We usually eat lunch out, someplace nice. But in my opinion the living rooms and lanais are the key to a great vacation. My question to you is how many hotel rooms have lanais/ balconies with furniture, and a table and chairs for breakfast? NOT MANY!

 

[shifty1981]

Just thought I'd clarify. We do have a 6 month old. So we are already starting to think about going with kids. I do have to say, I am SOOO glad my daughter sleeps in her own nursery. if she still slept in our room I'd be even more of a zombie. However going away with a 6 month old seems scary.

some thing happened to me the other day on the stock market.. go to get a drink and make sandwich and DOW is down almost 1000 points.. almost jumped out the window at my office.. (which is in my house on the ground floor) but you get the point..


I would say just a place to nap and shower hotels are fine. however if you have kids that will not work.. having more space is a good thing they can go to there area and play, watch TV etc while you and mate can do something else, read-watch tv etc..

buying a unit on resale now and learning how to use it will pay dividends in the future. it give you the chance to visit resort now to see what type of place are better with kids and at what ages.

Plus having a week or three (or more like some) of timeshare forces you to take a vacation as you use it or loose it..

hotel on priceline are a deal and great for last min stuff. we use them when heading to the timeshare and i can tell you my kids like the hotels but LOVE the better timeshares.. Cypress Pointes,, Hiltons, Orange Lake etc..

 

[shifty1981]

Why do you say it trades so poorly? If I deposit it for points on day 1 and almost all timeshares are red weeks, my points will be good wherever I go. Am I missing something?

Generally speaking, a Vegas timeshare (...basically a dime a dozen) has limited trading power --- at best. Poor would perhaps be more accurate.

The "exchange game" is one in which the landscape and rules continually change. The one consistent limitation is always (and will always be) availability. Think of it this way ---an owner has to "deposit" a desirable week before it ever becomes available to exchange into in the first place. If the unit week is in a desirable location / season, the owner (or the exchange company) is likely far better off renting it out for top dollar, rather than playing the "maybe" game with an exchange company.

In summary, my $0.02 worth is don't even consider "buying just to trade" until and unless you fully understand that what you might want in a trade is likely to be quite different from what is actually available to you to trade into in the first place. Continual disappointment likely awaits you in "buying just to trade".

Just my opinion, for what it's worth...

 

[shifty1981]

I think this is why we'd like to find a way to exchange to somewhere within driving distance every other year. This way we save up for the times where we're spending money on plane tickets etc.

It hasn't saved me any money at all. It has cost me money. I'm taking more vacations than I did pre-timeshare. The lodging is affordable, but we're still buying theme park tickets, lift tickets, and meals, and we are paying to get there, etc. etc.

But, it sure is fun.

 

[shifty1981]

Please explain what you're talking about here? When we purchased in Vegas we were given 3 extra weeks to use. I can't quite remember how they worked but that sounds like your experience.

Exactly - quality of life is improved. Quite a few people list "it makes me take vacations" as a reason to enjoy being a TS owner.

We own an every year and an every other year. In addition to the weeks that I own, I get additional opportunities to get bonus weeks or "sell-off" weeks from my exchange company. We used one exchange this year and will be using weeks booked with two bonus weeks late this year. No complaints!

Sue

 

[shifty1981]

I realize this is a whole other discussion, but at some point I'll need to find a good discussion on how to pick your TS based on exchange capabilities. For example using II or something else. Points, etc. Don't want to hijack my own thread but if you know a good discussion to the merits of each, please feel free to post the link.

The priceline thing worked great for us for many years until the kids needed more than a portable crib. We had stopped traveling altogether for a couple of years because it was so unpleasant to be cramped in a hotel room (space). I often recommend the websites Denise mentioned for friends that don't travel often enough or want enough to justify the cost of a timeshare. I also recommend renting timeshares. Both timeshares and priceline require flexibility for the cheapest deals. For all the wonderful amenities already mentioned about timeshares, you will be committed to paying more money every year for your vacations. For priceline, you can choose at any point to stay home, forget traveling for awhile and save a bundle.

I am a former priceline junkie who knew how to work the system for the best deals and secret tricks, including how to get the nonrefundable elusive 'refund guarantee'. Now, I am hooked on timeshare exchanging with II. We travel longer (weeks versus days), much more often (8+ last year) and spend more overall. We love the extra luxury and savings when compared with like-for-like rents. Sometimes our vacations are far cheaper than anything you could get via Priceline, sometimes not. When it costs more, the accommodations are always far superior and worth it to me for the added expense. When I split units, stay in Hawaii, use getaway deals & bonus weeks, it brings my average per night per geography cost comparison with priceline down significantly. I've stayed in a Marriott 2 bedroom more than once for only the $139 exchange fee. I aim for $100/night or less for each two bedroom exchange (trade) week I book. When I used priceline, my goal was always under $50/night.

As you can see on this thread, we all use our timeshares differently. It reflects our differing circumstances, likes and personalities. For me, cost is the most important factor and extra space is a requirement. What one owns will significantly impact the overall price/night equation. I own more units than I should (newbie mistake), all of which I bought resale and are cheap traders (low MF / high trade value). If I had it to do again, I would buy just one and use getaways & bonus week deals even more often. I prefer owning & belonging to II because I didn't want to be dependent on a friend or rent from a private party for my weeks - although renting would certainly eliminate the long term commitment.

 

[shifty1981]

What kind of upgrades and loopholes are you talking about? Examples?

Also I'd like to figure out how to pick a TS I can rent and exchange for great places consistently. This way if something comes up with tight budget, etc I can rent or exchange to somewhere and sometime that will work.

I haven't read any of the responses, but I'll give you my answer. When you get into timesharing, you learn the various loopholes that get trade ups, discounts, and great opportunities of all kinds.

The bottom line is that if you are an owner, you can rent and you can get stuff you can't rent. As a non-owner, all you can do it rent. As long as you know how to do the correct financial analysis, you can leverage that knowledge to the cheapest vacations ever.

I basically travel for free. You can't do that with priceline.

 

[shifty1981]

First post that had me seriously considering inviting family or friends. I recall going to a vacation for a wedding two years ago. 6 of us ended up sitting on one bed or the floor trying to see each other and talk which was totally lame in the small hotel room. Wish I had a "condo" like unit at a TS!

still wondering what people's experiences with valuables are at TS's. Do you feel safe at them since there's no daily maid service? Or do you still bring everythign valuable with you or lock into a safe? I hate that scary feeling at hotels.

I am relatively new to timesharing, so I can only share my limited experience. I have stayed at timeshares a total of 59 days, and my average cost has been $99.90 (this includes all exchange fees and maintenance fees, but not the initial purchase price of my timeshares, which were low.) For that $99.90, I have stayed in mostly 2 bedroom accomodations, with one being a 3 bedroom and two units being a 1 bedroom. All were gold crown or premier resorts. While I understand the value of saving money with priceline and the like, I appreciate, even when staying at hotels, knowing exactly what quality I am getting and where I am going before hand. I am not comfortable with finding out where I am going after I pay.

Contrast that $99.90/night with a trip I am taking tomorrow to the "Springhill Suites" about 3 hours away for a graduation. I will be paying with tax $122.08 for basically a studio hotel room with a little sitting area separated by a half wall and a mini fridge. A lot tinier and much lesser in quality for more money. This is really pissing me off actually! I was telling my husband last week that this is going to suck because we will be stuck in the same room with our teenage daughter and no kitchen, no separate bedroom or bathroom, or real living room. To top it off, I am paying more for the "privilege"!

Yes, there is the food cost savings. We went to DC for the inauguration in 2008 and there were 8 of us in a 2 bedroom - 4 of which were teenagers - we went out to eat dinner once at a modest place, and it was over $250 with tip. We ate in the rest of the week, I saved at least a grand on that - if not more! I mean, every afternoon, we would stop at the Dunkin' Donuts across the street when heading in to the timeshare for the night and these kids would eat the whole dozen donuts before I came back out of the bedroom, after changing into more comfortable clothes (less than 5 minutes' time). They were like locusts!!! I spent probably $350+ at the grocery store that week and felt lucky to get away with just that!

Plus, there was a lot of family togetherness in cooking meals and hanging out together that created a lot more memories among the cousins (the teens) , then they would have if we had just shuttled them from restaurant to restaurant 3 times a day for a week. They could get up in the morning and goof off togehter while eating cereal or making bacon and eggs, watching TV or surfing the internet together watching youtube videos and laughing hysterically, etc, while the parents were still in bed. Since we live in IL and they live in FL, they rarely see each other. They all still talk about that trip as being the best vacation of their (short) lives, and want to vacation with us again, I doubt that those memories would have been created in "2 adjoining studio hotel rooms".

Also, the washer and dryer totally came in handy. It was not in the unit, but down the hall (usually they are in the unit though). Knowing you will have that does help you pack less. I usually bring only a carry on for the week.

To me there is also a comfort factor of NOT having someone come into my room every day to "pick up" after me. I always feel like I need to clean at least a little for the maid before she comes, I don't have that feeling in a timeshare.

Finally, it does "force" you to use it or lose it with the timeshare vacations. You view it as a missed oppurtunity, since you have the sunk cost regardless. So, you always find a way to make a vacation work somewhere, sometime during the year. Otherwise, it's too easy to say, I'm too busy, maybe next year. Once it becomes, "I will waste this $XXX (or worse $X,XXX) maintenance fee if I don't use this timeshare", believe me, you find a way to use it.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Plus, there was a lot of family togetherness in cooking meals and hanging out together that created a lot more memories among the cousins (the teens) , then they would have if we had just shuttled them from restaurant to restaurant 3 times a day for a week. They could get up in the morning and goof off togehter while eating cereal or making bacon and eggs, watching TV or surfing the internet together watching youtube videos and laughing hysterically, etc, while the parents were still in bed. Since we live in IL and they live in FL, they rarely see each other. They all still talk about that trip as being the best vacation of their (short) lives, and want to vacation with us again, I doubt that those memories would have been created in "2 adjoining studio hotel rooms".

Oh, that's a great point that I mentioned but didn't really do justice.

When we got into timesharing that wasn't something that we were considering. But as we've traveled and had others with us, we've found that the whole process of planning and preparing meals together creates some wonderful social interactions that would have never occurred in hotel rooms or restaurants.

To me it comes back to that feeling of "home", that I don't get in a hotel room. When I feel as if I'm home, I'm simply more relaxed.

Also, the washer and dryer totally came in handy. It was not in the unit, but down the hall (usually they are in the unit though). Knowing you will have that does help you pack less. I usually bring only a carry on for the week.

Another amen here. I think that when we check-in, the W/D is one of the first things that DW looks for!!

 

[l2trade]

I realize this is a whole other discussion, but at some point I'll need to find a good discussion on how to pick your TS based on exchange capabilities. For example using II or something else. Points, etc. Don't want to hijack my own thread but if you know a good discussion to the merits of each, please feel free to post the link.

You are my kind of OP! I appreciate you taking the time to read all our responses and keep things on track.

I would like to engage in a good discussion as you describe. Yes, I'm sure there are plenty of old threads on similar topics. It would be great to have something more current and focused, which identifies, debates and rates the best overall cost/values per brand and best strategies for making this work. I know which strategies work best for me right now. It would be great to learn some new ones too, especially from the perspective of trying to minimize cost and maximize value while playing the timeshare trading game.

It is difficult to show how owning a timeshare in Vegas or Orlando saves you money as these locations are overbuilt and easy to trade into. Getting a bonus week or cheap getaway in either location is relatively easy many weeks of the year. So too is finding an even cheaper hotel room in Vegas. It is also difficult to show extreme savings owning in Hawaii as this location is expensive to purchase and maintain. For me, the key to savings is how you balance what you own with what you end up exchanging into. It also varies greatly based on where you live, assuming cost of airfare is a major factor limiting where & when you want to go. You do not want to own & stay on either extreme IMHO for achieving the kind of cost savings I assume the OP is looking for. Please no offense to other Tuggers, I am saying savings when compared to a Priceline bid on a cheap hotel room. I love the luxury and space of timeshares, but in this thread location for the stay and overall cost are what matters most. To achieve this level of savings, I cannot even think of actually staying once where I own, ah-hah! It violates the common sense TUG recommendation of buy where you want to stay. As far as I know, most timeshares I would choose with this time tested TUG rule have MFs that exceed the best Priceline hotel room bid. So, to compete against that price, I must play the lockoff splitting, cheap trading, instant upgrading, deal timing, promotion snagging, flexible search lollygagging and patient waiting game.

 

[scrapngen]

What kind of upgrades and loopholes are you talking about? Examples?

Also I'd like to figure out how to pick a TS I can rent and exchange for great places consistently. This way if something comes up with tight budget, etc I can rent or exchange to somewhere and sometime that will work.

Wouldn't we all??:hysterical:

(not trying to be sarcastic here, so please don't take offense, just a gut reaction )

If someone has a "magic" post to answer this question, they'd be everyone's hero!! You probably need to read multiple threads to try and ascertain the answers for yourself as well as continue to do research. People give great advice here, but I doubt anyone has that perfect knowledge of a specific awesome TS that would accomplish these goals, or is willing to give the info. away...(If they do, please PM me, as I'd love to know and be able to purchase the perfect renter/trader as well!! ) There are even threads that allude to people finding awesome traders with low MF's, but that they keep it quiet so that it doesn't become well known and lose it's "magic power."

Just remember, trade power fluctuates and changes over time, as do MF's, so what is good today may become a noose around one's neck tomorrow. Therein lies the constant and consistent advice to "buy where you are happy to go"

So take some time, investigate the things that look promising to you and your lifestyle, ask more questions about those specific things to get more detailed advice, and check out sites for rentals, resales, etc. I do think the advice about trying out a couple places via renting is a good way to see if you like the general idea of TS'ing, and then can make more informed decisions.

Actually, starting this thread has made for very interesting reading! But why the moniker "shifty??" Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[DeniseM]

Also I'd like to figure out how to pick a TS I can rent and exchange for great places consistently. This way if something comes up with tight budget, etc I can rent or exchange to somewhere and sometime that will work.

I am not sure that TS exists, and certainly not for $300 a year in maintenance fees. I don't mean to discourage you, but a TS is a long-term financial commitment, and if you feel like it may be a financial burden, you shouldn't buy right now. The rental market is really soft because of the economy, and I would not buy with the idea that I could always fall back on a rental. If you aren't 100% sure you can cover the MF every year, then I wouldn't buy.

Also - exchanging doesn't really help you if the budget is tight, because it adds extra costs to your ownership. For instance an Interval International membership is $89 a year and an exchange costs about $150, so you have just added $239 to your cost for one year! That's why we recommend buying a resort that you would enjoy using, within driving distance of your home.

 

[John Cummings]

There are even threads that allude to people finding awesome traders with low MF's, but that they keep it quiet so that it doesn't become well known and lose it's "magic power."

Depends what you mean by low M/F's. Both of the timeshares we have owned are tiger traders and the M/F's are less than $550 /year. They are both independent resorts that we have owned for several years. The M/F's have been very stable. One of them we sold a couple years ago as we are phasing out of timesharing and we had far more banked weeks than we could ever use. They are both coastal California floating week resorts. I always reserve prime summer weeks, typically the July 4th week for maximum trading power. They both have retained their great trading power over the past several years.

I have never kept it quiet.

 

[DeniseM]

I have never kept it quiet.

Hi John - which resorts/size/season? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[DeniseM]

Both of the timeshares we have owned are tiger traders and the M/F's are less than $550 /year.

Hi John - which resorts/size/sesaon? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[John Cummings]

Hi John - which resorts/size/seaon? Inquiring minds want to know!

1. San Luis Bay Inn, Avila Beach, California - IBR, 2BA Imperial unit - red all year. Can reserve any week.

2. Gaslamp Plaza Suites, Downtown San Diego, California - Mini Upper Suite ( studio but trades as 1 BR ), occupancy 4 - red all year. Can reserve any week.

Both resorts are Gold Crown and are dual affiliated with RCI/II

 

[timeos2]

Buy weeks or points for use then usually things work out well

Why do you say it trades so poorly? If I deposit it for points on day 1 and almost all timeshares are red weeks, my points will be good wherever I go. Am I missing something?

Buying into Points for trading is a reasonable approach to owning timeshare. It assumes use of multiple resorts in different locations. It is "buying to use" as the system is set up to do exactly what you hope to accomplish. Where the home base resort is located doesn't mean much except as it relates to control (you may still want an owner controlled resort so you hold voting rights and thus at least some say in ongoing costs) and the potential that if all else fell apart you could hold use rights to that resort as your last sliver of value. For those reasons having a resort you like & wouldn't mind using if needed is a factor to consider even with a points system purchase.

Buying a week with the plan to use it as trade the majority of the time is a big mistake IMO. Weeks are best purchased when you want to return to an area/resort nearly every use period AND it would be tough to impossible to get the exact use time/unit/size/view whatever you prefer unless you actually own it. With a week like that IF you occasionally have to trade it should have good value but buying only to trade remains a bad decision as the value could change overnight (and over time usually does). Week for week trades are tough to predict, tend to be downward on average and costly. Not a good way to be a satisfied timeshare owner.

 

[echino]

Why do you say it trades so poorly? If I deposit it for points on day 1 and almost all timeshares are red weeks, my points will be good wherever I go. Am I missing something?

Theo was probably referring to a Las Vegas week timeshare, not points. All "red" weeks have different trading power, and if you deposit one red week it does not mean you can get all other red weeks.

Same goes for points. If you have "X" number of RCI points, and the place you want to go also requires "X" number of point to book, it does not mean you can reserve it. There may simply be no availability during the time you want to go. I would say, best times at best resorts are never available for reservation, regardless of how many points you have.

 

[janna1]

Hmmm. Hadn't thought of barbecueing but not my mouth is watering. That's a good idea. I don't like cooking in the kitchen but like grilling. This way my wife doesn't do all the cooking and we don't eat out all the time. Great idea!

We did a couple times of grilling while we were in Hawaii. We stayed in either Marriott or Westin's TS. Both of them have good BBQ facilities. If you are a lazy cook, you can find pre-prepared BBQ meat in either their mini-shop or the super market near by and save you a lot of work. Most of those TS have good view. Have a sip of wine, watch the sunset by the beach front while waiting for your grill. It is even better sitting at a resturant, unless you want people serve you (My kids enjoyed playing in the pool at that time)

Grilling tips:
1. If you don't like the pre-prepared BBQ meat, you can find some local special grilling source. They are available in the grocery store. We put the spicy pineapple source on Tuna or Mahi Mahi

2. In hawaill, you can grill some sweet potatos (purple one is the best).

3. Salad. Buy some greens and add some local fruit in it. Also some local dressing.

Now you have a yummy dinner

 

[janna1]

To me, TS doesn't really save actually amount of money. But the same amount of money give you more than what you usually paid for.

On the opposite, because of having TS, we spend more on my vacation, but we have more vacations each year and longer each time (7 days, cheapest for TS bucks and car rental) , except my husband complains that if he continues to take so many days off, he will be the first one to get fired.

Try it, you will be addicted to it (like many people on this board :hysterical: )

 

[brucecz]

So I don't feel like going to a TS presentation to hear the "glorious" ways TSing can save me money. I can think of a few, but hear me out on why I am hesitant to see the value in TSing.

My DW and I know the slick way to get sweet deals on 4 star hotels using Priceline's name-your-price feature. I've stayed at 4 star hotels for $44/night many times. For 6 nights that's $264 for the week. I would love to hear how people can justify paying $800 in yearly fees for a 1 week stay (not including exchange fees, rci membership fee, etc). We've paid for a hotel that includes 3 pools, 2 hot tubs, free buffet breakfast, free shuttle to disney, free wifi, $5 for fridge use, near shopping plaza, etc.

I know there are some good ways (such as a furnished kitchen for cooking in) but I'd love to hear the most practical and typical ways TSing saves money over regular vacationing. If you want to list a luxury it affords you that's fine, but specify that. For example saying "you get to stay in a 5 star resort for on average $110/night" then to me that's a luxury because I would have stayed in a hotel for much less than that and told myself I don't "need" those luxuries a 5 star place brings. if my goal were to save $$ while staying at 5 star places, this question would be much less an issue. But my goal isn't to stay at 5 star places, so really what I'm committing to doing is hoteling with luxury.

Please advise: I am not trying to be a wise@$$. I want to TS (I think), but I want to really know the benefits first over just getting sweet deals on hotels or renting for less than MF from other TS owners. Plus maybe I'll realize some of the hidden costs of hotelling vs TSing. Real world examples would be great.

Thanks!

Did that $264 for 6 nights include any sales tax, or other fees? A full week is 7 nights so if you had 7 nights so wouldn't that be $308 for a full timeshare week not including any sales tax, or other fees that were paid?

Bruce