# TPU trading power



## momofone (Apr 1, 2012)

I see alot of posts about TPU in RCI.  Just curious. How do you find the TPU in RCI for a timeshare. Also, how is the cost per TPU figured? Also, what is a good cost per TPU? thanks.


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## momofone (Apr 1, 2012)

My trading power is 12 for a 2 bedroom loft at Breezy point timeshare in Minn. The maintenance fees are about $600/year.  Should I be looking to get rid of this and look for something else. I only use this to trade. I have never been there. Thanks for any advice.


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## Ridewithme38 (Apr 1, 2012)

momofone said:


> My trading power is 12 for a 2 bedroom loft at Breezy point timeshare in Minn. The maintenance fees are about $600/year.  Should I be looking to get rid of this and look for something else. I only use this to trade. I have never been there. Thanks for any advice.



a MF of $600 Divided by 12 TPU's = $50 per TPU, this is a little high, i like to keep it below $20, below $15 is Good, Below $10 is Very Hard to find...I'd look into another ownership

Heres a couple Examples of my ownerships

A MF of $816 Divided by 53 TPU's = $15.40 Per TPU(Because it is a LockOff and i need to combine for that 53 TPUs, my ACTUAL $ to TPU is , $17.45 Per TPU)this i use to Trade
A MF of $1,122.66 Divided by 31 TPU's = $36.21 Per TPU, i would Never deposit this to RCI


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## momofone (Apr 1, 2012)

Thank you so much for your help and explanation.


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## BevL (Apr 1, 2012)

If you are a member of RCI you can use their deposit calculator to determine how many TPUs you would get for a specific week at a specific timeshare.


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## antjmar (Apr 1, 2012)

momofone said:


> My trading power is 12 for a 2 bedroom loft at Breezy point timeshare in Minn. The maintenance fees are about $600/year.  Should I be looking to get rid of this and look for something else. I only use this to trade. I have never been there. Thanks for any advice.



see my post 
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168123
if you are just looking to trade it seems like a good deal!


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## momofone (Apr 2, 2012)

thank you - I may look into this. I was looking for something closer to home (NJ) so I might use some years and trade other.


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## Ridewithme38 (Apr 2, 2012)

momofone said:


> thank you - I may look into this. I was looking for something closer to home (NJ) so I might use some years and trade other.



Its hard to find deals close to NJ, i'm from Long Island and my two ownership's are Williamsburg, VA and Myrtle Beach, SC

But to be fair, i haven't looked around Atlantic City and had no luck looking at the poconos for trading


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## e.bram (Apr 2, 2012)

You guys should look at Cape Cod and Newport.


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## antjmar (Apr 3, 2012)

momofone said:


> thank you - I may look into this. I was looking for something closer to home (NJ) so I might use some years and trade other.



Not sure if you  already know this, but a lock off allows you to use one of the sides and deposit the other. In the example I gave you you could use the 1 side and still get 36 tpus for the other side for the $900 MF . Obviously you have to add the exchange fee.  so you get the week plus 36 tpus for $900 much better than the 12 TPU's for  $600 you are currently getting. 

The lockoffs I believe give the best value for TPU's.  So to answer your original question. Yes get rid of what you have and look for a lock  off or  a different one.


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## momofone (Apr 3, 2012)

thanks for all the advice. I am looking close to NJ- but within driving distance. Virginia, even maybe south Carolina would be good. I looked into the Atrium on VB and yes the trading power looked good. But, the reviews didn't look that good and I would be increasing my MF's by about $300. I think the only free week at the atrium right now is 2 bedroom no lockoff


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## janej (Apr 3, 2012)

Try Suites at Hershey.   It is close enough to New Jersey.   Summer deposits get you 45 TPU for MF of about $530.    I don't know any free prime week there though.


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 3, 2012)

antjmar said:


> Not sure if you  already know this, but a lock off allows you to use one of the sides and deposit the other. In the example I gave you you could use the 1 side and still get 36 tpus for the other side for the $900 MF . Obviously you have to add the exchange fee.  so you get the week plus 36 tpus for $900 much better than the 12 TPU's for  $600 you are currently getting.
> 
> The lockoffs I believe give the best value for TPU's.  So to answer your original question. Yes get rid of what you have and look for a lock  off or  a different one.



I dumped my 3BR lockoff in Williamsburg because the TPU value was terrible, something like 26 TPU (depositing as a 1BR + 2BR) for nearly $800 in MFs ($30.76/TPU).

I have a floating 1-52 studio on Waikiki that garners from 28 to 54 (depending on the week) for under $400 MF.  Now that is a bargain deal!


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## e.bram (Apr 3, 2012)

The TPU concept is doomed to failure. The real PRIME week holders are not interested in multiple dog weeks ,but want like for like. The dog week owners want to be able to combine dog weeks for PRIME weeks. PRIME week owners stop depositing. Dog week owners will have their choice of dog weeks or RCI defined(a la Carolinian)PRIME weeks.


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## Ridewithme38 (Apr 3, 2012)

e.bram said:


> The TPU concept is doomed to failure. The real PRIME week holders are not interested in multiple dog weeks ,but want like for like. The dog week owners want to be able to combine dog weeks for PRIME weeks. PRIME week owners stop depositing. Dog week owners will have their choice of dog weeks or RCI defined(a la Carolinian)PRIME weeks.



You should add IMO, to the end of your posts...What you define as a 'real PRIME' week is different then what I define as a 'real PRIME' week...and you've got to understand that there are MANY MANY MANY shades of Grey between 'real PRIME' and 'dog' weeks...

Because of TPU's A 'real PRIME' owner, can now get a 'real PRIME' week AND a 'real PRIME' week, or a 'real Prime' week a 'PRIME' week and a 'shoulder' week...OR 6-7 'shoulder' weeks... they can get unlimited 'dog' weeks, but why, when RCI has SO MANY 'real PRIME', 'Prime' & Shoulder weeks available

Flexibility is where the TPU system shines...If you don't like being able to travel anywhere during any 'season', maybe you shouldn't be part of an 'exchange' system at all or go to one of the 'other' independent exchange companies Caroline is always talking about that only have 3-4 weeks available to trade in total


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 3, 2012)

Not to mention, "dog weeks" = RCI revenue in rentals 

I had to combine my Flagstaff (2010 wk 12) with my Kingsgate (2011 wk 18, 2BR) plus the spare change from two other exchanges to get to 39 TPU.  The primary reason I did so, was to extend the expiration date on the Flagstaff deposit.

That said, it am "in" for $1,029 in MFs (including fractional values on the spare change) plus the $109 fee for a net of just under $30/TPU.  Not great, in fact rather steep . . . but if I can get a decent week (or two) for it, I think it will have been worth it.

I'm still playing around with the TPU thing, but so far, I'm objectively and cautiously optimistic about it.


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## antjmar (Apr 3, 2012)

Timeshare Von said:


> I dumped my 3BR lockoff in Williamsburg because the TPU value was terrible, something like 26 TPU (depositing as a 1BR + 2BR) for nearly $800 in MFs ($30.76/TPU).
> 
> I have a floating 1-52 studio on Waikiki that garners from 28 to 54 (depending on the week) for under $400 MF.  Now that is a bargain deal!



Thanks for the info, good to know.  Personally, I buy  where I  intend to travel,  but its nice to know how many TPU's its worth just in case...

The OP should look at the current TPU value  for any she is considering but be aware that it can change!


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## e.bram (Apr 3, 2012)

Ride:
The  real PRIME weeks are those where you(personally) have been saying you can't find a bargain. Probably the same the same weeks as I would designate.
For example beachfront unit, July and August East Coast or Southern California, ski in ski out,  ski season. Or center city, NYC, Boston, SF ,Paris etc.


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## rwpeterson (Apr 3, 2012)

*Don't forget about Platinum Interchange*

Momofone, You may want to take a look at Platinum Interchange.  I've been disappointed with RCI so when another TUGger posted Platinum was having a 1-for-3 special (deposit 1 week, get 3 weeks) I took a look at Platinum.  I found lots of resorts that would work for us.


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## ampaholic (Apr 3, 2012)

rwpeterson said:


> Momofone, You may want to take a look at Platinum Interchange.  I've been disappointed with RCI so when another TUGger posted Platinum was having a 1-for-3 special (deposit 1 week, get 3 weeks) I took a look at Platinum.  I found lots of resorts that would work for us.



Yea, I have a week that is a "dog" (12 TPU) in RCI - so I deposit it with PI and it always gets 3 weeks (1 regular, 1 90 day bonus, 1 45 day bonus).

There is usually more than one way to skin a cat.


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## jbuzzy11 (Apr 3, 2012)

When this TPU stuff just started I used RCI's calculator to check my 2 weeks at orange lake, they were both 2 bedrooms at orange Lake in Orlando and they both got 23 TPU's, I was not happy with this amount and used there caluclator and checked all the Orange lake weeks that were on eBay, I found a 2 bdroom in the west village for christmas week that got me a whopping 58 TPU's!!  there was no way I was going to lose that auction knowing the TPU's I would get, anyway I won the auction for just over $300.00 and when I got the resort into my name I sold the other 2 units for just enough to pay for the new one.  depending where I want to go I can make 3 to 4 trades with my unit, sometimes even more!


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## Ridewithme38 (Apr 3, 2012)

jbuzzy11 said:


> When this TPU stuff just started I used RCI's calculator to check my 2 weeks at orange lake, they were both 2 bedrooms at orange Lake in Orlando and they both got 23 TPU's, I was not happy with this amount and used there caluclator and checked all the Orange lake weeks that were on eBay, I found a 2 bdroom in the west village for christmas week that got me a whopping 58 TPU's!!  there was no way I was going to loose that auction knowing the TPU's I would get, anyway I won the auction for just over $300.00 and when I got the resort into my name I sold the other 2 units for just enough to pay for the new one.  depending where I want to go I can make 3 to 4 trades with my unit, sometimes even more!



You're lucky, i've noticed a few VERY high point resorts on Ebay, the problem is, i'd have to get rid of one of my TS's to buy it....and No one will buy either of my TS's


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## antjmar (Apr 4, 2012)

Ridewithme38 said:


> ....and No one will buy either of my TS's



you can just give it away here....

"its a good deed, Good Karma the kind of thing you can do to both enrich your life and the life of others, that takes no effort and very little time for you to do..."


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## Ridewithme38 (Apr 4, 2012)

antjmar said:


> you can just give it away here....
> 
> "its a good deed, Good Karma the kind of thing you can do to both enrich your life and the life of others, that takes no effort and very little time for you to do..."



I doubt i could even give them away! I got them free and the values have only gone down since i got them =-)


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## jbuzzy11 (Apr 4, 2012)

you would be surprised, I have given a few away on the Tug clasifieds. Alo I just noticed this on eBay if anyone is looking for a resort with alot of TPU's.
Its the same exact week as I own so im sure its about 58 TPU's, its a Orange Lake country club week and fees are about $750 a year. its only at $100 right now but will end in the next day or so 
              Item number: 230768771138.


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## dundey (Apr 5, 2012)

Just checked RCI and this week would get 51 TPU's for 2012 if deposited now, and 54 TPU's maximum for 2013.
M/fee is $782 which equates to $14.50 per TPU, not bad.
But not good enough for me to buy another one!  Although it would replace the 2 SA weeks I just got rid of at about the same cost and more than double the TPU's.....

Maybe I'll reconsider!


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