# RCI: What could YOU do with 25TPU?



## Ridewithme38 (Dec 14, 2011)

I just found out that my daughter and her mother are not going to be able to join me on my 4th of july trip this year, so the other side of my lockoff wasn't going to be used...

Deposited it into RCI and got 25 TPU....Since this is my first "official" rci deposit, i have no experience with this beyond looky luing...

So i'm wonder, you experienced RCI people...What could/have you, been able to do with only 25 TPU?


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## vckempson (Dec 14, 2011)

You can get some pretty nice places for 25 pts.  I just booked a Maui ocean front for next November and it was around 25 pts.  

Generally you can get one pretty nice week somewhere or even 2 weeks if you go to some of the overbuilt places.  Las Vegas and Orlando come to mind.  Some really nice spots at both of those are pretty easy to  snag for 10-15 pts each.


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## luvsvacation22 (Dec 14, 2011)

vckempson said:


> You can get some pretty nice places for 25 pts.  I just booked a Maui ocean front for next November and it was around 25 pts.
> 
> Generally you can get one pretty nice week somewhere or even 2 weeks if you go to some of the overbuilt places.  Las Vegas and Orlando come to mind.  Some really nice spots at both of those are pretty easy to  snag for 10-15 pts each.



Do you mind telling us what ocean front Maui TS you exchanged into?


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## vckempson (Dec 14, 2011)

luvsvacation22 said:


> Do you mind telling us what ocean front Maui TS you exchanged into?



Kahana Beach Resort, 1 bdrm, 11/4/12 for 28 pts.  

It's nothing fancy but all 1 bdrms are corner ocean front units.  Each has ocean front balconies off both the bedroom and living room, which has wraparound views since it's on the corner.  Not too many places I know of that you can exchange into and be guaranteed ocean front.  I've never been there but am pretty excited about it.

The week before we'll be at the Wyndham Kona Hawaii on the Big Island.


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## Egret1986 (Dec 14, 2011)

*Wow, that's good info for future reference*



vckempson said:


> Kahana Beach Resort, 1 bdrm, 11/4/12 for 28 pts.
> 
> It's nothing fancy but all 1 bdrms are corner ocean front units.  Each has ocean front balconies off both the bedroom and living room, which has wraparound views since it's on the corner.  Not too many places that I know of where you can exchange into and be guaranteed ocean front.  I've never been there but am pretty excited about it.



I don't necessarily need fancy.  Knowing that I can exchange for a 1BR and have an oceanfront unit, corner no less, with a wraparound balcony; well that changes everything now.

This resort will now be one of my considerations.  

Have fun in Maui.   I've never been either, but hope to in 2013.


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## vckempson (Dec 14, 2011)

To clarify, I don't think the balony is wraparound.  The views are wraparound since the balcony and living room with breakfast table are on the corner.  The room has a side window right there at the corner, so the views are wraparound.  Not a big difference, but I don't want to mislead anyone.

I also thnk the kitchen, while further into the building, faces the ocean so you can see out even while working in the kitchen.


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## rapmarks (Dec 15, 2011)

I have had lots of great echanges for under 25 tpus.
Since tpus started, first exchange 5 tpus, a resort right on Lake Superior, best decorated and luxurious unit we have stayed in. indoor pool, hottub, two fireplaces in unit, lots to see and daily maid service.
7 tpus for an excellent two bedroom in Berkshires in Sept.
19 tpus for a one bedroom on Cape Cod over Labor Day weekend, inland not on the water.
11 tpus last minute for a one bedroom in Newport right on the water.
8 tpus a few weeks out for a two bedroom in naples right on the gulf.
50 tpus equaled 5 really nice vacations and of course 5 trading fees and i will need to combine all my leftovers.


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## elaine (Dec 15, 2011)

HGVC Seaworld-Orlando for Spring break 22 TPUs.


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## vacationhopeful (Dec 15, 2011)

Wyndham Bonnect Creek in 2/2 in March 2012 for 9 TPUs.


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## ronparise (Dec 15, 2011)

There is always some last minute stuff in the 5 tpu range...you could probably stretch this to 5 weeks if you tried..The Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey Beaches in the winter would make for a nice getaway


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## loris (Dec 28, 2011)

*Combined deposits*

We combined 2 deposits for a $99 fee -- 34 and 20.  Our 54 points got us a 1 BR at Myrtle Beach at the end of June for 23 points, a 2 BR just a block off the Las Vegas strip for upcoming college spring break week in mid-march for 15 points, and a week in a 1 BR in New Orleans a block off the French Quarter (last week -- Dec 16 - 23) for 16.  We used all of our points -- but our 2 weeks became 3.


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## stevedmatt (Dec 28, 2011)

I love the fact that this system works well for some people, but it seems like it is difficult to make it valuable and the future is very uncertain considering RCI makes changes almost daily.

As in the case with Loris, a total of $199X3, $99 combo fee and $89 Membership fee was used to get an extra week. That's $785. Any of these weeks could have been obtained through rentals for less with the possible exception of the MB week depending on the resort.

This is why I am removing most if not all of my exchange weeks from my portfolio and buying where I want to use or could rent for a profit.


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## strandlover (Dec 28, 2011)

*I quite like the TPU System*

This is a very interesting thread...

I have benefited from the TPU system by scooping up a HGVC Orlando Seaworld 2BR/2BA for 15 TPUs, gifted ski weeks, and a Cabo week for a handful of TPUs.  If you keep your MF$/TPU at a reasonably low amount (~$15 or less), it's awesome!

Further building on Ron's suggestion, head on down further south to NC and SC for 5-6 TPUs per week.  Add in some Last Calls and voila!... you are now a snowbird at affordable prices.

Of course, RCI is looking in very keenly and conditions will change as the economy and other market forces changes.

That is why your holdings should be something you will use if ever you need to exit the RCI option.

Safe travels...


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## loris (Dec 28, 2011)

*Confession*

We booked all 3 trips -- June, December, and March 2012 -- last March 2011.  I will confess that we had a little bit of flexibility (had a travel window of a month) and were also able to wait for the right place to become available.  We looked at New Orleans for a couple of weeks -- one of our priorities was "free parking" and when it became available, we scooped it up.  $16 and up per night was a big deal -- a real problem with urban resorts if you have a rental car.  

Las Vegas has a lot of availability, making it easier to get what you want, and Myrtle Beach amounted to being in the right place at the right time and dumb luck.  I can't believe we got that week -- still.

I will also confess to spending $1200+ to buy a week in DC this coming summer -- I know that I won't be able to trade what I have for the Wyndham there in Alexandria to sleep the whole family.  I also bought a week at Jolly Harbor Resort in Antigua last year on VRBO because Caribbean trades are not within my trading point budget, either.


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## chriskre (Dec 28, 2011)

loris said:


> I also bought a week at Jolly Harbor Resort in Antigua last year on VRBO because Caribbean trades are not within my trading point budget, either.



Don't feel bad, if you hang around here for any length of time you'll be owning a few more TS's and will right up to speed with the rest of us.


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## bellesgirl (Dec 29, 2011)

stevedmatt said:


> I love the fact that this system works well for some people, but it seems like it is difficult to make it valuable and the future is very uncertain considering RCI makes changes almost daily.
> 
> As in the case with Loris, a total of $199X3, $99 combo fee and $89 Membership fee was used to get an extra week. That's $785. Any of these weeks could have been obtained through rentals for less with the possible exception of the MB week depending on the resort.
> 
> This is why I am removing most if not all of my exchange weeks from my portfolio and buying where I want to use or could rent for a profit.



I am not sure I understand your math.  Under the old system (one for one), loris would have still had to pay $199x2 and the $89 membership fee.  So the additional week was $199 plus the $99 combine fee.  That comes to $398 for an extra holiday not $785.

We have used the new system extensively to get additional vacations with TPUs left over from other exchanges.  I look at those as $179 expenses.


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## stevedmatt (Dec 29, 2011)

bellesgirl said:


> I am not sure I understand your math.  Under the old system (one for one), loris would have still had to pay $199x2 and the $89 membership fee.  So the additional week was $199 plus the $99 combine fee.  That comes to $398 for an extra holiday not $785.
> 
> We have used the new system extensively to get additional vacations with TPUs left over from other exchanges.  I look at those as $179 expenses.



My math was based on my current system of using what I own versus using RCI. It is flawed based on an own to trade concept. 

I probably shouldn't have posted in this thread because I didn't offer anything constructive to the OP. Again, I think it is awesome that it helps many people. I was just trying to point out that for me to benefit from the new TPU system, I would have to seriously overhaul of my portfolio and hope RCI doesn't change the rules again. Instead, I have decided to overhaul to rentable units that don't need to be exchanged if I can't use them.


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## loris (Dec 31, 2011)

*Old vs New System*

Under the old system, my Las Vegas Christmas week would have traded down to Myrtle Beach.  My Berkshires shoulder season is a 2 BR lock out and can be traded as a 2 BR or twice as a 1 BR.  Neither of these weeks would have traded for either New Orleans or Las Vegas on its own, and they would have had to be combined to get one or the other.  With the points, we had enough to do all 3.  It cost $99 to combine them and the extra exchange fee.  Otherwise, we would have paid 2 exchange fees for 2 weeks.  It cost $199 plus $99 = $298 for that extra week doing my math -- as the membership fee and the other two exchange fees are already paid.

We knew we could save money by doing the Vegas vacation at Christmas week by using our week, but we didn't want to be away from the grandchildren on Christmas day.  So. we chose to deposit it and pay the exchange fee and go when we wanted.  We traded our 34 points there for a similar sized unit with more amenities for half the points leaving leftover points to combine for other trades.

We also own 3 Interval units, *chriskre*, so I am getting up to par with the rest of you.  We own a studio at the Kahana Beach Resort -- mentioned earlier by *vckempson* -- and 2 summer weeks in Wells, Maine that we use and don't trade.  We heard rumors that KB is moving to RCI -- which would be sweet -- then I could ditch my II membership.  KB has been good to us, though -- we've used it once and traded it twice --  once for a 3 BR at Disney World and once for a 2 BR in the Bahamas during President's week.


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## vckempson (Dec 31, 2011)

loris said:


> We heard rumors that KB is moving to RCI -- which would be sweet -- then I could ditch my II membership.  KB has been good to us, though -- we've used it once and traded it twice --  once for a 3 BR at Disney World and once for a 2 BR in the Bahamas during President's week.



We got the Kahana Beach Resort trade through RCI, so they must have already changed over.  That or they now have dual affiliation.  Either way, I would think you could switch it over to RCI at this point.  

On Maui, it seems there were suddenly a dozen or so more resorts showing up with available trades.  None of them had reviews which gave me the impression that they were new to the RCI system.  KB was one of them.


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## chriskre (Dec 31, 2011)

loris said:


> We also own 3 Interval units, *chriskre*, so I am getting up to par with the rest of you.
> 
> .................................-- we've used it once and traded it twice --  once for a 3 BR at Disney World and once for a 2 BR in the Bahamas during President's week.



That was an awesome trade to DVC for a grand villa.   
I wonder if it would happen today in RCI.   

I think you're smart to use what you own most of the time.  That used to totally be my model til I joined TUG and got infected with the exchange bug.  I went from just 4 own to use TS's to 9 total since joining TUG.   

Just got rid of one and have two more to give away this year that already have takers, but it's been a fun ride and I've learned so much hanging out here.  I'm already eyeing replacements for the ones I'm giving away but I'm a much more educated TS consumer now so hopefully won't be making the same mistakes again.  Maybe different mistakes but hopefully not.


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## loris (Jan 1, 2012)

*KB Resort*

*vckempson*, you should enjoy KB.  You will definitely need a rental car -- but there is a lot to do in driving distance.  Make sure you drive up to Haleakala and to Hana.  

Our unit is a studio -- but it's just the two of us.  There's a tiny kitchen and a Murphy bed -- a pull-out sofa -- but I can't imagine having 4 in there -- maybe children.  I think the 1 BR unit will be great.  The Lanai is fabulous.  You overlook the islands of Lanai and Molokai.  There can't be 30 feet of beach in front of the resort at low tide.  You are that close to the water.  Since we were last there, they have partnered with another resort -- Kahana Falls, maybe.  So there should be more amenities.

I think that they have converted the points people -- but not the weeks people -- so far.  I'm still waiting to hear more.  We were going to sell it -- but now we are having second thoughts.  

*chriskre*, we really don't use much of what we own -- we are more apt to trade.  We do like Maine beaches in the summer and it's driving distance and maintenance fees are low -- so that was a no-brainer -- but everything else is for trading purposes.  Right now, our 5 are the max that we could handle.  Maybe after we are fully retired, we will re-assess.


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## chriskre (Jan 1, 2012)

loris said:


> Right now, our 5 are the max that we could handle.  .



Sure, that's what we all said.


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## joe-holiday (Jan 7, 2012)

*MF$ /TPU  $15 or less*



strandlover said:


> This is a very interesting thread...
> 
> I have benefited from the TPU system by scooping up a HGVC Orlando Seaworld 2BR/2BA for 15 TPUs, gifted ski weeks, and a Cabo week for a handful of TPUs.  If you keep your MF$/TPU at a reasonably low amount (~$15 or less), it's awesome!
> 
> ...



I wish I could get less than 15
I am looking to buy a property in the bottem basement. It can fetch $16.5
WHere can I get MF$/TPU for less than $15 without a good size purchas price.
I like trading...
Joe


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## strandlover (Jan 8, 2012)

*With planning and patience...*



joe-holiday said:


> I wish I could get less than 15
> I am looking to buy a property in the bottem basement. It can fetch $16.5
> WHere can I get MF$/TPU for less than $15 without a good size purchas price.
> I like trading...
> Joe



... it is possible.

Generally, 2 BR lock-out summer beach weeks will easily get you at least 25 TPUs per side.  Use the deposit calculator in RCI for any summer beach weeks you may see listed in ebay.  That would qualify with getting in from the "bargain basement".

I think the Plantation Resort (Surfside Beach, SC) MFs are around $700 so that's about $14/TPU.  You see these listed from time to time on ebay.  Just don't get crazy in a bidding war, another one will come around soon enough.

I guess the same logic would apply for winter weeks in the mountains.


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## nole9911 (Jan 8, 2012)

Ridewithme38 said:


> I just found out that my daughter and her mother are not going to be able to join me on my 4th of july trip this year, so the other side of my lockoff wasn't going to be used...
> 
> Deposited it into RCI and got 25 TPU....Since this is my first "official" rci deposit, i have no experience with this beyond looky luing...
> 
> So i'm wonder, you experienced RCI people...What could/have you, been able to do with only 25 TPU?



There are some great resorts that have extremely low trading power points.  My home resort in Crossville, TN is a golf resort with 6 mountain view golf courses.  The trading power required to go there ranges from 5 to 11.


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## nole9911 (Jan 8, 2012)

ronparise said:


> There is always some last minute stuff in the 5 tpu range...you could probably stretch this to 5 weeks if you tried..The Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey Beaches in the winter would make for a nice getaway



RCI and Wyndham love it when you stretch you week into 5 vacation.... 5 exchange fees!!!!


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## Mjpierce (Jan 9, 2012)

*low tpu question*

Joe-Holiday:

On the question of places with low $ per tpu- I have a Cape Cod 1 bdrm, week 30 (end of July).  It has a maintenance fee of $365 and pulls 38 TPUs.  That comes to $9.61 per tpu.  I guess I'm doing pretty well.

Cape Cod resorts have seriously high demand in the summer, and tend to be smaller places with more limited facilities, so there is less to be maintained-leading to lower fees.


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