# I'm a bit rusty, what's the least expensive way to get into RCI Points



## boyblue (Jan 15, 2012)

It's been years since I've explored the options, so while I'm calculating my current cost per point I thought I'd ask you guys about options.


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## Karen G (Jan 15, 2012)

Accept a free timeshare that has already been converted to RCI points, or buy one resale at a very low price. You'll also need to have an RCI points account.


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## ampaholic (Jan 15, 2012)

Yes, search "bargain deals" for "free points".  

Then accept a free VV@P Triennial already converted to 24,667 RCI Points per year for $242 MF per year (under the magic penny per point) paid as $724 every third year.

MF next due 2014 so the new owner will get the 2012 and 2013 points for free - 49,334 free points!! 

The free points will drive the cost per point well below $.01 per point.

That's what I recommend.


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## boyblue (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks guys, I'll check it out.  I was showing a friend some TS info and as I said I'm a bit rusty.

Appreciate the help.


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 15, 2012)

*I Resemble That Remark.*




ampaholic said:


> Yes, search "bargain deals" for "free points".
> 
> Then accept a free VV@P Triennial already converted to 24,667 RCI Points per year for $242 MF per year (under the magic penny per point) paid as $724 every third year.
> 
> ...


That's what we did, more or less. 

Except we bought our triennial points unit via eBay. 

Also, we bought a dinky triennial points unit & then a semi-dinky triennial points unit to start (18*,*500 & 24,667 annual points, respectively), then we bought a non-dinky eBay triennial points unit (30*,*833 annual points) & gave away the dinky & semi-dinky triennial points units (because the maintenance fees are all the same regardless of the number of points).

Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## hrlecl (Jan 17, 2012)

ampaholic said:


> Then accept a free VV@P Triennial already converted to 24,667 RCI Points per year for $242 MF per year (under the magic penny per point) paid as $724 every third year.



We happen to own a triennial unit at VVP, but it certainly was not free. 
When did they start giving them away... or is this just an inside joke?


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 17, 2012)

*No Joke.*




hrlecl said:


> We happen to own a triennial unit at VVP, but it certainly was not free.
> When did they start giving them away... or is this just an inside joke?


The 3 eBay Vacation Village At Parkway points triennials we bought were all under $300 apiece -- the 1 we kept & the 2 we gave away. 

Some came with free closing & free resort transfer & free points.  Others included free points & discounted closing.  

Last week somebody on eBay had an every-year 92*,*500-point Vacation Village At Parkway unit for an opening bid of $1 & no reserve -- free closing, free resort transfer, free points. 

Meanwhile the full-freight timeshare sellers are trying to get people to pay 20 grand or so for the same thing. 

Sheesh.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## catcher24 (Jan 17, 2012)

I have to agree with the above posters - buy resale, and get a points unit with low MF. I bought into Tanglwood via resale for around $1000. Having been a TUG member for several years since that purchase I now believe that was too much. I was also paying almost 2 cents per point for several years due to high MF. About five years ago a new board started a dramatic upgrade program. It cost me a substantial Special Assessment, but my annual points allotment took a VERY significant jump (nearly doubled) this year, so I'm now very close to the aforementioned magical one cent per point mark.

I would recommend purchasing a points property for as low a price, and with as low a MF, as you can, and then go from there. Several members (me included) have more points than they can use and you can frequently find points for a cent apiece or less (I presently have such an ad in the TUG Marketplace). Also, once you are into the points system, you can convert any weeks you might own to points. I also own a biannual weeks TS in Virginia, and it provides me with 121,000 points every two years for less than the one cent per point magical target.


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 17, 2012)

*Points Conversion Is 1 Thing.  Points For Deposit Is Something Else Again.*




catcher24 said:


> Also, once you are into the points system, you can convert any weeks you might own to points.


In RCI-speak, conversion means placing a timeshare week permanently into the RCI Points system.

By contrast, depositing straight-weeks timeshares into RCI points -- called _Points For Deposit_ -- is done 1 year at a time, at the owner's option, & involves paying a nuisance fee to RCI for the privilege, $27 or so each time it's done.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## hrlecl (Jan 17, 2012)

catcher24 said:


> I would recommend purchasing a points property for as low a price, and with as low a MF, as you can, and then go from there. Several members (me included) have more points than they can use and you can frequently find points for a cent apiece or less (I presently have such an ad in the TUG Marketplace). Also, once you are into the points system, you can convert any weeks you might own to points. I also own a biannual weeks TS in Virginia, and it provides me with 121,000 points every two years for less than the one cent per point magical target.



We have both a weeks and points account, and not sure what we will ultimately end up with. We've owned two weeks near Sarasota which we've enjoyed for over a decade now... sometimes we can get away during our week, and other times we exchange but often at our home resort. 

We also picked up the aforementioned triennial at VVP just to get the points account... perhaps not the wisest decision we've ever made, but the MF is low and we've stayed there a couple times and it has been enjoyable. Every third year in Orlando is about right for us. I'v elooked on eBay for VVP but apparently missed the fire sale.

I understood that converting our weeks to points costs some money. We have on occasion used points for a weeks stay and vice versa. But we were told that it would cost a couple thousand dollars to change our weeks TS to points. So far it all works out for us... we end up going to places like Branson and Williamsburg just to use up our excess time.

But I grow weary RCI charging us both both coming and going. I think I'd like to eventually just have a few weeks at places we know and love and do away with membership dues and exchange fees.


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 17, 2012)

*eBay Fire Sale Is Still Going On.*




hrlecl said:


> I'v elooked on eBay for VVP but apparently missed the fire sale.


Click here for some current offerings. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## hrlecl (Jan 17, 2012)

AwayWeGo said:


> Click here for some current offerings.
> 
> Thanks! I'll bookmark the link for future reference. Those are mostly summer months and for Orlando we're primarily interested in fall/winter (summer is for beach resorts!) ... Currently we have weeks 47 and 48 at VVP and the theme parks crowds are quite sparse.


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## ampaholic (Jan 17, 2012)

hrlecl said:


> Thanks! I'll bookmark the link for future reference. Those are mostly summer months and for Orlando we're primarily interested in fall/winter (summer is for beach resorts!) ... Currently we have weeks 47 and 48 at VVP and the theme parks crowds are quite sparse.



Perhaps I wasn't clear -- I am giving away a VV@P triennial in "Bargain Deals" with 49K free points!!!

Link is here


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 17, 2012)

*With Points Timeshares, Deeded Time Is Not Necessarily Use Time.*




hrlecl said:


> Those are mostly summer months and for Orlando we're primarily interested in fall/winter (summer is for beach resorts!)


With deeded weeks that are in RCI points, the only difference the particular month makes is the points-value of the week. 

At Vacation Village At Parkway, 2BR high-demand = 92*,*500 points.

2BR mid-demand = 74*,*000 points. 

2BR low-demand = 55*,*500 points. 

Maintenance fees are all the same, irrespective of points values. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## MichaelColey (Jan 17, 2012)

Once you have a small/cheap RCI Points resort, I'm a *HUGE* fan of using Points For Deposit (PFD) to get the rest of the points that you need.  That way, you're not TIED into points, and can use RCI Weeks instead (or even II if it's a dual-affiliated resort).  The trick is to just find RCI Weeks resorts that aren't in RCI Points, so that you have the ability to use PFD.


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## hrlecl (Jan 17, 2012)

Obviously we have different expections of what we want out of our timeshares. Ultimately I wish to get away from exchange fees and end up with weeks we use rather than banking for exchange. Therefore the time of year is more important to us than the point value. I guess the one thing that is important to all of us is low maintenance fees.


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## ampaholic (Jan 17, 2012)

One of the great things with points is you get to effectively "*move*" the week you own to any week you want - provided that you have enough points for it.

I have a week 16 at Meadow Lake in Montana - yet last year I stayed for 5 days over Labor Day week end.

See - that's why you get "points"


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## ampaholic (Jan 17, 2012)

Also if you "*own*" at a resort the exchange fee is greatly reduced (and even waived at some resorts) if you reserve during your "*home resort ARP*". Another cool thing about points


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## catcher24 (Jan 18, 2012)

hrlecl said:


> We have both a weeks and points account, and not sure what we will ultimately end up with. We've owned two weeks near Sarasota which we've enjoyed for over a decade now... sometimes we can get away during our week, and other times we exchange but often at our home resort.
> 
> We also picked up the aforementioned triennial at VVP just to get the points account... perhaps not the wisest decision we've ever made, but the MF is low and we've stayed there a couple times and it has been enjoyable. Every third year in Orlando is about right for us. I'v elooked on eBay for VVP but apparently missed the fire sale.
> 
> ...



AwayWeGo was absolutely correct - what I use is Points for Deposit, not an actual conversion of a week from the weeks to the points system. For what it's worth, the price you got to convert your time from the weeks to the points system was cheap in comparison to what I was quoted when I went to Wyndham Kingsgate's presentation. They quoted us around $13,000 to convert, so we passed on that.

As far as Points for Deposit, I have a four bed/four bath lockout at Massanutten, which I split into a pair of two bed/two bath weeks. I then pay $26 per week ($52 total) to get the points for the weeks. This is a biannual ownership, so I can only do it every other year, but it does give me 121,000 points. I find the points much more useful than the weeks, since I can go to a points resort for just a couple of days. I've also used the RCI Points Partners program to use my points toward the cost of hotel room if I'm in an area with no RCI exchange options. This works well for me, although I understand it's not what everyone is looking for.


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## Alexandria's Finest (Jan 19, 2012)

ampaholic said:


> Perhaps I wasn't clear -- I am giving away a VV@P triennial in "Bargain Deals" with 49K free points!!!
> 
> Link is here




That is an excellent price for the maintenance fee. 274$ a year for 25,000 points a year is good.

You could shave another 100 dollars of the fee through tax deduction, so that is basically 174 a year for 25,000 points.


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## kaio (Feb 1, 2012)

hrlecl said:


> We happen to own a triennial unit at VVP, but it certainly was not free.
> When did they start giving them away... or is this just an inside joke?



:rofl: This made my week.  To be honest... they are not the easiest thing to even give away unless someone is specifically looking for it to suite their needs and finds you.


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## chriskre (Feb 1, 2012)

hrlecl said:


> Obviously we have different expections of what we want out of our timeshares. Ultimately I wish to get away from exchange fees and end up with weeks we use rather than banking for exchange. Therefore the time of year is more important to us than the point value. I guess the one thing that is important to all of us is low maintenance fees.



If you are going to Orlando in the off season you should seriously consider just using the "last calls" which is wayyyyyy cheaper than the MF's you'll be paying on those units.


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## momeason (Feb 2, 2012)

I own Wyndham Points at Royal Vista which came with an II membership. I like my II membership, but I would like to try RCI. My resort is dual affiliated and is an RCI points resort.
Is there a way to try RCI or RCi points w/o signing up for another long term contract? I do not want to give up my II membership.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 2, 2012)

*Club Trinidad 3-Year RTU Timeshare Lease (RCI Points).*




momeason said:


> Is there a way to try RCI or RCi points w/o signing up for another long term contract? I do not want to give up my II membership.


For a while you could do a 3-year RTU lease of an RCI Points timeshare (Club Trinidad, I think).  

The lease could be renewed after the initial 3 years, but for sure it was a way of trying out RCI Points without any long-term contract. 

Not sure whether Club Trinidad is still offering that.   Maybe you can find out via some mousing around on the electric internet. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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