examples of maximizing points

[girlscoutmom]

Hello! New to the board, and so happy to have found it! Just sent rescission letter and am investigating resale.
To talk my husband into it, I'm trying to calculate ways to maximize points. I know a week at our home resort would likely use up all our points (if we do 7000, for example, and generally do spring break in Orlando)....but can you tell me some ways to use the open season, cash for weekends, etc that enable you to get more than your 1 week every year?
Thanks! (also know about RCI last call but don't like all the extra fees associated with it)

 

[Mosescan]

Hello! New to the board, and so happy to have found it! Just sent rescission letter and am investigating resale.
To talk my husband into it, I'm trying to calculate ways to maximize points. I know a week at our home resort would likely use up all our points (if we do 7000, for example, and generally do spring break in Orlando)....but can you tell me some ways to use the open season, cash for weekends, etc that enable you to get more than your 1 week every year?
Thanks! (also know about RCI last call but don't like all the extra fees associated with it)

Well how you stretch your points depends on what you own and what you need.
For example 7000 points is usually a 2BR during platinum season. Usually a good starting point to own.

If it’s just the 2 of you and you don’t mind a studio, they are 2200 points per week so you could get 3 weeks and have points left over.
Or 1 week in a studio 2200 and 1 week in a 1BR 4800 points.
Another idea is to use your points Monday-Thursday when points are 1/2 the weekend rate and pay cash for weekends.

Lots of ways to stretch your points.
RCI last minute getaways are good value. $300 for a week. No booking fees.

 

[Arimaas]

Congrats. After attending a sales presentation last June I too purchased on the resale market so good job finding tug during your recession period.

Open season is separate from your points. It’s similar to rci last call in that you can book (I think 30 days out) open inventory for cash. You should note though that folks on this board will tell you it’s not as good as a deal that it once was. I am relatively new to hgvc so I don’t remember “the good old days”.

One thing you can do to stretch points is borrow from your next years alotment which is free, but will obviously reduce your points into the next year.

Anyway welcome to tug!

 

[Talent312]

The basic ways to stretch your points: Instead of home-week bookings, make a club booking and...
-- stay in a smaller unit than what you own;
-- stay in a lower season than what you own;
-- stay less than one week (3N minimum); and/or
-- stay weekdays only (check-in Mon; check-out Fri).

This week, we're staying in Orlando in a Studio, weekdays only, for 880 points.
We'll do that 4x this year, and we still have enuff for 1 week in Marco Island.

Its also possible to book RCI using fewer points than HGVC would cost, but the exchange fee of $239 for a week is high.

.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Hello! New to the board, and so happy to have found it! Just sent rescission letter and am investigating resale.
To talk my husband into it, I'm trying to calculate ways to maximize points. I know a week at our home resort would likely use up all our points (if we do 7000, for example, and generally do spring break in Orlando)....but can you tell me some ways to use the open season, cash for weekends, etc that enable you to get more than your 1 week every year?
Thanks! (also know about RCI last call but don't like all the extra fees associated with it)

I believe others have given you some excellent ways to extend the one week you own. You mentioned knowing about "RCI last calls" however, I am not sure what you mean about "extra fees associated with It" If you book a RCI last call you pay what the last call price is which is less than $300+sales tax. No extra fees. Please explain.

 

[girlscoutmom]

I believe others have given you some excellent ways to extend the one week you own. You mentioned knowing about "RCI last calls" however, I am not sure what you mean about "extra fees associated with It" If you book a RCI last call you pay what the last call price is which is less than $300+sales tax. No extra fees. Please explain.

Oh I see. I thought there was a booking fee as well as the $300 purchase price. Still so much to learn about this system! Trying to feel out all possible scenarios to know exactly what we are getting into.
Thanks!

 

[Tamaradarann]

Oh I see. I thought there was a booking fee as well as the $300 purchase price. Still so much to learn about this system! Trying to feel out all possible scenarios to know exactly what we are getting into.
Thanks!

OK now that you are starting you learn about the system I will tell you a little about another option. We also own an RCI resort and have an RCI account that is NOT HGVC. While that is a pain since we have to pay the annual membership fee to both, it gives us the ability to view and book EXTRA VACATIONS. These are week purchases that are in addition to the last calls. They can be even lower in cost but are usually more expensive than last calls, however, they have 2 advantages over last calls. You don't have to wait until the last 45 days to book and the locations are more extensive than last calls. As an HGVC member you can book these availabilities, however, you can't view them so you must call in and ask what is available in an area. More difficult to do, but it is available.

 

[girlscoutmom]

OK now that you are starting you learn about the system I will tell you a little about another option. We also own an RCI resort and have an RCI account that is NOT HGVC. While that is a pain since we have to pay the annual membership fee to both, it gives us the ability to view and book EXTRA VACATIONS. These are week purchases that are in addition to the last calls. They can be even lower in cost but are usually more expensive than last calls, however, they have 2 advantages over last calls. You don't have to wait until the last 45 days to book and the locations are more extensive than last calls. As an HGVC member you can book these availabilities, however, you can't view them so you must call in and ask what is available in an area. More difficult to do, but it is available.

This is interesting....you don't have to join RCI separately, but the only way to determine availability of these properties is to call? Is that the gist of it?
When can you book? (Are they essentially just regular RCI weeks?)
Thanks!

 

[Tamaradarann]

This is interesting....you don't have to join RCI separately, but the only way to determine availability of these properties is to call? Is that the gist of it?
When can you book? (Are they essentially just regular RCI weeks?)
Thanks!

You have this gist of it. They are regular RCI weeks that either the resort association or developer owns due to delinquent maintenance or foreclosure or that the resort knows they won't be able fill by exchange do to their history. The problem is you are working in the dark. You don't know what is available and you don't know what the prices are so it is hard to visualize. The prices that I have seen over the years ranged from $135 - $1500 for a week. A few years ago I booked two weeks in a 2 BR in Orlando for October. I booked two weeks in Las Vegas in a Studio last September for this coming September. The prior year I booked one week in Las Vegas in a 1 BR about 6 months ahead and used some Honors points to stay in a hotel to make 12 nights out of it. In all cases I didn't use any timeshare points. Since you are in the dark you need to shed a little light on it and look at all the RCI resorts that are available no matter what time of the year at an area you want to go and let them tell you what is available for what price in that area at the time of the year you want. Then research those resorts and see if you want to go to and pay cash. Some of the resorts have standard ratings. I have only booked Gold and Silver Resorts.

 

[Mosescan]

That is where having an independent timeshare that trades in RCI could be beneficial just to be able to see that online for yourself.

 

[girlscoutmom]

That is where having an independent timeshare that trades in RCI could be beneficial just to be able to see that online for yourself.

what's the cheapest way to do that? and I assume you'd have to pay another maintenance fee, correct?

 

[SmithOp]

what's the cheapest way to do that? and I assume you'd have to pay another maintenance fee, correct?

Yes and no...

Yes, you would need to own another TS with a maint fee to get the RCI account started.

No, you wouldn’t need to keep ownership, you could get rid of it quickly and keep the RCI account as long as you keep paying the RCI membership fee.

You can pick up a free timeshare in the Bargain Deals forum that would get you an RCI account.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Cyberc]

No, you wouldn’t need to keep ownership, you could get rid of it quickly and keep the RCI account as long as you keep paying the RCI membership fee.

That’s ofc assuming you can dump/sell it again.

 

[kanerf]

Never mind.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Could you simply join for an extra $99 and deposit your HGVC timeshare?

 

[Talent312]

Could you simply join for an extra $99 and deposit your HGVC timeshare?

You can't deposit a HGVC TS becuz your HGVC TS is not "yours" to deposit.
It's subject to HGVC's contract with RCI by which HGVC selects the exchanges.
.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

You can't deposit a HGVC TS becuz your HGVC TS is not "yours" to deposit.
It's subject to HGVC's contract with RCI by which HGVC selects the exchanges.
.

Ah, got it. So it doesn't work for exchanges, but it might work for online visibility to cash getaways because nothing is deposited? Ie avoids having to buy/dump a small timeshare as suggested previously.

 

[PigsDad]

You can't deposit a HGVC TS becuz your HGVC TS is not "yours" to deposit.
It's subject to HGVC's contract with RCI by which HGVC selects the exchanges.
.

Unless you own at one of the SW Florida affiliates that allow you to trade directly in RCI and/or II. Not sure about other affiliates, but I believe most if not all of the SW Florida affiliates allow you to join RCI with your ownership, even if you have the week enrolled in HGVC. Of course, you can only deposit your owned week (many of them are fixed). Some of the SW Florida properties are dual-affiliated w/ II in addition to RCI, so you can join either (or both).

Kurt

 

[Talent312]

Unless you own at one of the... Florida affiliates that allow you to trade directly in RCI and/or II.

You'd think I'd remember that, as I own a TS at Plant.Bch.Club on SE Florida Coast.

Bottom Line: A "true" HGVC TS (mandatory membership) can't be used for an independent RCI account.


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