Are you over 65? Do you timeshare more or less?

[Timeshare Von]

I started downsizing our timeshare portfolio about 5 years ago, as I started planning for what retirement would look like for us. At the start of the year, I did the Wyndham Certified Exit with our last small (77k point) contract and we're now officially timeshare-less. With everything else we have going on in our retirement/travel life, we're struggling to find a way to use the "free" 77k points they have given us to use for the current (4/1/25-3/31/26) year. Maybe we'll figure something out soon.

P.S. I'm currently 67 and DH just turned 64 . . . and really looking forward to Medicare (and collecting SS) in 2026.

 

[Panina]

Rethinking my response. Panini, you are too young to give up timesharing.
We enjoyed our timeshares until the year 2000.
COVID hit, things were closed, my husbands Alzheimer’s was very bad, three big falls with broken bones, numerous hospitalizations, and me fighting my third cancer for two and a half years, put an end to wanting to travel far. I own two homes, and one is in a timeshare resort. The other one has every activity I still want to do, and It is half an hour to gulf beaches.
Add in the fact that I am 80, my health is not optimal, so when I read about staying in a timeshare year round, it sounds awful to me.. People that get this old with no health concerns are very fortunate

It is not about my age really, It is more that my life style has changed to the better. Most of my timesharing the last 20 years was in the winter to Florida to warm up. I don't have that need now. In my younger years I traveled to lots of different places using timeshares. For what I pay between mf's and trade fees I can take one great group vacation a year or multiple cruises (as I am near the port) versus numerous with timeshares. Yes timesharing will always be the better value for me but will I use it? That is my dilemma. Thinking just now if I sold I can always rent a timeshare from Tug owners too.

 

[Panina]

This is a great topic! I am pushing 70 (this year) and really, for me, it was more retirement than age that changed our timeshare travel plans. When I was working, the "it MAKES you take your vacation" was absolutely true. Also, the "break" from work before the madness of year-end, the fact that we lived in a horribly cold winter climate (yes, -40 is real) made our timeshare time invaluable. We owned 7 weeks back then.

Now that we are retired (no more "break" needed), live in AZ all winter (no more escape from -40!) and the lure of sun and sand (well, we do have 6 months of sun, if not sand) has faded. We have divested most of our weeks, find that we want to travel differently than we did when we were younger (and working!) and only have 1.5 weeks left in our portfolio.

I feel that our timeshares provided us fabulous value for the time that we owned them. But as we grow older, it is time to take stock of what "works" for our current lifestyle and make the appropriate decisions. The hardest one I've made recently was GIVING AWAY a fabulous Sedona ts (to another Tugger, at least) that we paid developer prices ($16,000) for back in 1996. The reality was that it had more than paid for itself, but we just did not currently get enough value for the annual MF at this stage of our lives. It's hard to work timeshares into a month of travelling through SE Asia (las year) or Greece (this year).

While it was very hard for me to let them go, I now understand that it was a positive business decision for this stage of our lives.

I could have wrote exactly what you did. I 100% feel I am in a similar situation.

 

[Panina]

I’ll be 70 at the end of the year, Cliff is 87. We basically live in a resort now that we’ve moved to a continuing life community. Gave up the last of five timeshares at the end of last year. I keep trying to have a conversation about where to go for our anniversary in October, but he can no longer remember which anniversary it will be (40th), which is the reason I decided it was time to give up the maintenance fees and opt into occasional hotel room costs. Groups from the old folks home also put trips together, so that is something to consider. Unfortunately last month the group of 50 who went on a Mexican cruise came back with only 49 — a man with fairly advanced Parkinson’s ended his life by jumping overboard in the early morning hours.

CCRC communities are very popular down here. Most are like old age homes. It will be something I eventually do as I have no children ( yes step children) that I can rely on. I also want to make my own decision where I will have care if I need it. No family members making bad decisions for me thus an ccrc A type. I actually visited one that is like living in a high end community. It blew my mind. It attracts a much younger client base.

 

[Pennytx]

I was just thinking about this today....my 55th birthday. I'm timesharing for the long weekend (of course I am!) and was thinking how nice it will be when my off-season long weekends morph into full weeks. All of my timeshares are drive to locations..one is around 50 miles from home. I hope to use them for many, many more years. But I'm not waiting until I retire...I'm enjoying them NOW. I usually manage to timeshare 7 weeks a year, and then every long weekend. Can't wait until that number can go up. <3 And chapjim...I hear you on the hotels. HATE THEM. I am so spoiled! Only stay in hotels for the trek to Missouri and back. And that's enough for me!

Happy Birthday

 

[geist1223]

Just to show how we are all different. You could not pay us to live in Florida. I have lived in Florida twice - once as a child and once as an adult. I have also lived in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. We visited Florida for several weeks a few years ago. Never again. Patti's Sister and BIL live in Melbourne Beach. We do not like the weather, the Noseems, Lizards (gators) big enough to eat your dog, Hurricanes, etc. We have talked about living in the Carolinas and Texas (West Texas Hill Country).

 

[Rolltydr]

Just to show how we are all different. You could not pay us to live in Florida.

Yep. We’re polar opposites. I feel exactly the same way about Texas. I enjoyed two visits to San Antonio but I was ready to leave both times. I wouldn’t mind visiting Austin sometime for a few days, but it’s not on my bucket list.

 

[AwayWeGo]

I can remember back when I used to think age 65 is old. The Chief Of Staff & I are both 82 now, & I concede that 82 is old -- hard core sr. citz. for sure.

Our stock of timeshares is down to one -- 1 -- a 1BR triennial points unit out in Las Vegas that generates 16,333 annual points. With such a paltry points allocation, we have learned to take advantage of RCI specials like Last Call & Bonus Weeks, also 7 Nights For 10,999 Points & Under. So far, so good.

Our timeshare vacations have dwindled down to 2 consecutive 2BR January resort weeks (sometimes 3) in the Orlando-Kissimmee touristy area of Florida, not so much for the ambiance of that locale as for its convenience to the Florida "space coast," where our 2 granddaughters live with their mom (our daughter-in-law). It's an easy jaunt from their place in Brevard County over to some really nice Kissimmee resorts that the kids & their friends enjoy lots.

The time will come, maybe sooner than we think, when the girls' enthusiasm diminishes for their January weekend timeshare sleepovers. How long we 2 old folks keep on timesharing after that remains to be seen.

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

 

[Pennytx]

I can remember back when I used to think age 65 is old. The Chief Of Staff & I are both 82 now, & I concede that 82 is old -- hard core sr. citz. for sure.

Our stock of timeshares is down to one -- 1 -- a 1BR triennial points unit out in Las Vegas that generates 16,333 annual points. With such a paltry points allocation, we have learned to take advantage of RCI specials like Last Call & Bonus Weeks, also 7 Nights For 10,999 Points & Under. So far, so good.

Our timeshare vacations have dwindled down to 2 consecutive 2BR January resort weeks (sometimes 3) in the Orlando-Kissimmee touristy area of Florida, not so much for the ambiance of that locale as for its convenience to the Florida "space coast," where our 2 granddaughters live with their mom (our daughter-in-law). It's an easy jaunt from their place in Brevard County over to some really nice Kissimmee resorts that the kids & their friends enjoy lots.

The time will come, maybe sooner than we think, when the girls' enthusiasm diminishes for their January weekend timeshare sleepovers. How long we 2 old folks keep on timesharing after that remains to be seen.

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

You are blessed using them to make great memories trust me they will never forget

 

[rapmarks]

A good friend said to me “60 is the new 50 and 70 is the new 60 but 80 is 80”.
This is so true, but I have loads of friends in their 80’s and even in their nineties We live in a community where everyone walks, bikes, plays golf, tennis, pickleball, bocce, Wii bowling, water aerobics, cornhoke. It has about sixty bridge players and about 25 are top tier
There are so many activities going on, so many parties, so near beaches and natural areas and entertainment and shopping malls.
We are under two hours to cruise post and friends take a cruise a month. The airport is within 15 minutes
So when I go to a timeshare, it doesn’t give me much new or different and I miss a lot of activities
At eighty the packing up, traveling, etc is a drag. Yes, I still want to see things and new places, but I no longer need to destress or get away from cold weather. Can afford to pay for a few nights vacation but I don’t like the exorbitant fees associated with the time sharing exchanges. I like the rules posted by Healthpack in a previous post about time sharing

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I'm turning 64 this July and I currently own 10 weeks of timeshares, and will be selling 2 of them prior to retirement in 2027. We are currently using all of them as I work remotely for my company and can work from anywhere, plus I get 8 weeks of vacation a year. I now own 5 weeks at my beloved Vanderbilt Beach and Harbor Club in Naples, FL

As we get older and when one of us passes, we will get rid of most of them...

 

[TolmiePeak]

I would expect after 65 I will start slowing down and vacationing much less.

 

[WinniWoman]

I was just thinking about this today....my 55th birthday. I'm timesharing for the long weekend (of course I am!) and was thinking how nice it will be when my off-season long weekends morph into full weeks. All of my timeshares are drive to locations..one is around 50 miles from home. I hope to use them for many, many more years. But I'm not waiting until I retire...I'm enjoying them NOW. I usually manage to timeshare 7 weeks a year, and then every long weekend. Can't wait until that number can go up. <3 And chapjim...I hear you on the hotels. HATE THEM. I am so spoiled! Only stay in hotels for the trek to Missouri and back. And that's enough for me!

Happy Birthday to you!

 

[WinniWoman]

Just to show how we are all different. You could not pay us to live in Florida. I have lived in Florida twice - once as a child and once as an adult. I have also lived in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. We visited Florida for several weeks a few years ago. Never again. Patti's Sister and BIL live in Melbourne Beach. We do not like the weather, the Noseems, Lizards (gators) big enough to eat your dog, Hurricanes, etc. We have talked about living in the Carolinas and Texas (West Texas Hill Country).

We had our neighborhood Memorial wknd brunch this morning and one man who winters on Amelia Island said it's nice there in winter, but he'd never live there full time.

 

[WinniWoman]

Yep. We’re polar opposites. I feel exactly the same way about Texas. I enjoyed two visits to San Antonio but I was ready to leave both times. I wouldn’t mind visiting Austin sometime for a few days, but it’s not on my bucket list.

Never had any desire to visit Texas. I think of it as a big, brown, dustpan. LOL!

 

[Sandy VDH]

Never had any desire to visit Texas. I think of it as a big, brown, dustpan. LOL!

Only parts of TX are a big brown dustpan. There are parts that are hilly and has shrub brush, parts with Piney Forests. It is a big state, it can be a lot of things.

 

[Luanne]

I would expect after 65 I will start slowing down and vacationing much less.

Actually after 65 we vacationed more as we retired. We are slowing down now in our 70's mostly due to dh's health.

 

[Luanne]

Never had any desire to visit Texas. I think of it as a big, brown, dustpan. LOL!

I have been to Texas more times than I wanted. Several trips for business and a few for "pleasure". I would be happy never to set foot in Texas again. I feel the same about Florida.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We had our neighborhood Memorial wknd brunch this morning and one man who winters on Amelia Island said it's nice there in winter, but he'd never live there full time.

@WinniWoman , we have now come to that conclusion. Florida has new rules for condos and as of 2024, Florida law requires all condos over three stories to conduct mandatory building inspections and a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) every 10 years. Additionally, HOA associations can no longer waive or reduce reserve funds, ensuring they are fully funded to cover future repairs. Condo's that we wanted to purchase in have seen their HOA fees, double and triple year over year along with very large assessments.

I will now have 8 weeks in Florida when I retire and that will get me away from the winter in Michigan, so we are going this route as it will be much cheaper than owning in FL

 

[CO skier]

Never had any desire to visit Texas. I think of it as a big, brown, dustpan. LOL!

I spent two weeks at WorldMark Stablewood Springs in Hunt, TX for the April, 2024 Solar Eclipse. Really enjoyed the Texas Hill Country -- lots of trees. The Texas DOT plants wildflower seeds on the roadsides, and they were in full bloom. The weather was beautiful in April, but it would be way too hot for me in the summer.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Actually after 65 we vacationed more as we retired. We are slowing down now in our 70's mostly due to dh's health.

That is what I'm expecting. I may be going strong when I'm 95 but also may be dead by 70. You just never know. We retired when we are both 55 so I can get in at least a decade in traveling. Trying to make the most of it as we have been to NYC x2, Pismo Beach, Chicago, Las Vegas, Disneyland x2, week long cruise so far this year. Leaving again for Las Vegas next week. Why put it off.

 

[mjm1]

We are traveling as much or more now that I am almost 70 and my DW is almost 65. Each of us has encountered a health issue in the past twelve months, which resulted in partial or complete cancellations of plans. However, we were able to reschedule and do something closer to home. We have owned timeshares since 1985 and have grown and rearranged our portfolio over the years. We still love the resorts and the space the units provide (typically 1BR units.) We have also enjoyed some cruises last year and earlier this year, so that has diversified our experiences. Hopefully, we can keep it up both physically and financially.

 

[pedro47]

Rethinking my response. Panini, you are too young to give up timesharing.
We enjoyed our timeshares until the year 2000.
COVID hit, things were closed, my husbands Alzheimer’s was very bad, three big falls with broken bones, numerous hospitalizations, and me fighting my third cancer for two and a half years, put an end to wanting to travel far. I own two homes, and one is in a timeshare resort. The other one has every activity I still want to do, and It is half an hour to gulf beaches.
Add in the fact that I am 80, my health is not optimal, so when I read about staying in a timeshare year round, it sounds awful to me.. People that get this old with no health concerns are very fortunate

I must agreewith this OP.
IMHO, Panini you are too young to give up on timeshare traveling.
I would love to timeshare travel more and cruise more; but The Commander-in-Chief, does not liked to travel any more.

 

[CO skier]

Same except we didn't sell the house.
Going on 2 years now

Driving away from the house for the last time felt like leaving on a vacation I never had to come back from. It still feels like being on a never-ending vacation.

 

[rapmarks]

Driving away from the house for the last time felt like leaving on a vacation I never had to come back from. It still feels like being on a never-ending vacation.

I can see what a good feeling that is.
If I didn’t have a really good Handiman and a wonderful house cleaner in Florida and my daughter in Wisconsin, I could not keep two houses. But I know the day will come when I won’t be able to do it anymore.