Have you made changes in your TS ownership with phases of retirement (Go-Go to Go-Slow to No-Go)?

[silentg]

We moved to a 55+ community where everything outside is taken care of by HOA.
Down to one timeshare and have been cruising a lot the past few years. There is a travel club here for short trips, day trips etc. we have sighned up for some and going to a Music Trivia tonight. Starting to meet neighbors here and enjoying our new place. We still like to travel and have a cruise scheduled for 2026. Have to stop looking at timeshares for sale, just rentals from now on.

 

[AwayWeGo]

P.S. Alan did I ever tell you I was born & grew up in NoVA and McLean specifically? Langley High School . . . GO SAXONS . . . Class of 1975!

The Chief Of Staff & I met at McLean High School, the 1st day of the 1st school year it opened, in fact. (That was in September 1955. She was not The Chief Of Staff back then. At the time, neither of us had any idea.)

Both of our sons went to McLean High School. Our grandson went to McLean High School.

Our McLean High School 65th anniversary reunion is coming up next month.

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

 

[pittle]

I am in the Go Slow stage now that I am 78.

We have been timesharing since 1991 and have bought and sold several over the years. It has been great, but all of my timeshare contracts will expire over the next 8 years. Mexico ones are not deeded and have expiration or renewal dates.

• My Buganvilias Sky Suite in Puerto Vallarta contract expires after my Thanksgiving week in 2026. (It is my favorite.)
• My Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay that I've only used for exchanges expires in 2030.
• My two Vidanta Grand Luxxe 2-bedroom weeks expire at the end of 2033. With the Vidanta,, I do not have usage fees now that I am over 77, will go there once or twice a year. I have some younger friends (in their 60's) who like to travel with me to those for gals trips, so even if I am not as active as I am now and enjoy the resort and large balcony.

We did retire early and traveled a lot from 2002 until my husband died from cancer in July 2023 - we went to all 3 of our Mexico timeshares in the winter and spring or 2023 to celebrate our 55th Anniversary year.. Since I still have these three, I will continue to use them as long as I can and will think of the good times we had at these resorts.

 

[Passepartout]

I'd put us in the 'slow-go' group. We've always been travelers- instilled on both of us by our parents. We camped, stayed in hotels at the beach. When I discovered resale timeshares, we bought in and were able to travel worldwide several times a year. As time passed and we aged- and sadly ran out of places to discover anew, we've slowed down some. The grown kids have kids of their own, and busy lives. We've sold off all but one TS that is in RCI Points that we can use for a 'big' at least annually. We also cruise a couple of times a year. Suite class agrees with us. So far this year we've gone to Mexico, S. California, Hawaii, Vancouver, and Washington and still have another S. California to look forward to. We have a TS stay planned over Winter, and a European river cruise next Summer. And deposits in on an Australia cruise in 2027.

I suppose we'll keep it up until we are no longer able and the more able spouse isn't able to bring the other along.

Jim

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I'm still in the go-go group. I have 5 timeshares and take 8 vacations a year. But we recently moved to an "old folks home" (actually a Continuing Care Retirement Community). Kind of like a land-based cruise ship. Lots to do. Lots of friendly people. Good food. Good climate.

So, on the horizon I can see us getting rid of our 3 BR oceanfront Maui timeshare. Planning on giving it away and paying some of the transfer costs. We're finding it a bit of a bother to do air travel. Oh, we'll still probably go back to the Hawaiian islands, but will do it though exchanges with our four Marriott TS. I also see getting rid of one or two of them. The dilemma is that two are gold/white weeks and two are platinum/red weeks. I think that I would miss reserving at the 13 month point.

 

[Panina]

Starting out, way back when, I ramped up and through a number of timeshare ownerships early on, as I explored TS ownership and how it could fit into my life. I was searching for a system or plan that worked for me, my lifestyle, and how I enjoy traveling. All were purchased resale, and all very affordably. I used them and learned how to make the most of that ownership, while my husband and I traveled often and enjoyed things. As a timeshare lost its usefulness, I sold or gave it away, passing that bargain onto a new owner. Paying it forward was a great way to pay myself back.

Over time, I whittled things down to just owning Worldmark, as I found it was the best fit for us. And then Covid came along, and we both retired (me, at full retirement age, and him, several years early.) We sold our Washington state home, waved goodbye to family and friends, and moved to Nevada.

We found that by living here, things were upside down, from a timeshare perspective. Those weekend getaways we used in Washington were no longer convenient. Travel home to the Pacific Northwest was followed by relatives insisting we stay with them. Stays at WM locations in Las Vegas or St. George, Utah, which had been great when we came from the Pacific Northwest for a vacation, were no longer convenient, because we now live just an hour or less from both those cities. We still enjoyed visiting those areas, but preferred to come home at the end of the day and sleep in our own bed.

So the Worldmark ownership became something we just weren't using. I sold it fully loaded at my cost three years ago to a great Tugger friend. They were happy to buy it, and have been using the heck out of the ownership. I'm quite happy for them.

So now, we rent. No commitment, no long term obligations. It works beautifully in our retired life, and our financially reduced lifestyle. We're both very happy with the arrangement. Timesharing for us was great, and we gracefully exited things in the right way.

Dave

I can so understand what you have said. I am close to doing what you did. I have one timeshare left....

 

[Panina]

I'm still in the go-go group. I have 5 timeshares and take 8 vacations a year. But we recently moved to an "old folks home" (actually a Continuing Care Retirement Community). Kind of like a land-based cruise ship. Lots to do. Lots of friendly people. Good food. Good climate.

So, on the horizon I can see us getting rid of our 3 BR oceanfront Maui timeshare. Planning on giving it away and paying some of the transfer costs. We're finding it a bit of a bother to do air travel. Oh, we'll still probably go back to the Hawaiian islands, but will do it though exchanges with our four Marriott TS. I also see getting rid of one or two of them. The dilemma is that two are gold/white weeks and two are platinum/red weeks. I think that I would miss reserving at the 13 month point.

The CCRC's that are like a land-based cruise I wouldn't call an "old folks home" like many people do. We have one in the area I live that I hope to live at one day. The community is more like a luxury resort. Now there are plenty of CCRC's that do feel like an "old folks home" that are not for me.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

The CCRC's that are like a land-based cruise I wouldn't call an "old folks home" like many people do. We have one in the area I live that I hope to live at one day. The community is more like a luxury resort. Now there are plenty of CCRC's that do feel like an "old folks home" that are not for me.

@Panina, I use that phrase as a joke sometimes. Our CCRC is like a luxury resort: 4 restaurants, an indoor pool, a heated outdoor pool, 2 hot tubs, 2 exercise rooms, a wine bar, a variety of classes, excursions, concerts a couple times a month, a hobby shop, a ceramics room, etc.

 

[DaveNV]

I can so understand what you have said. I am close to doing what you did. I have one timeshare left....

Selling that last one can be very liberating.

Dave

 

[Panina]

@Panina, I use that phrase as a joke sometimes. Our CCRC is like a luxury resort: 4 restaurants, an indoor pool, a heated outdoor pool, 2 hot tubs, 2 exercise rooms, a wine bar, a variety of classes, excursions, concerts a couple times a month, a hobby shop, a ceramics room, etc.

I realized that. I am actually on a wait list for a similar type CCRC. My friends keep staying I am too young. Too young for what I say. The residents are living it up there. If more seniors saw these luxury resort type CCRC's their opinions would change.

 

[Panina]

Selling that last one can be very liberating.

Dave

I believe mid to late 2026 I will sell my last one. Being I have used my 2026 points I have to wait.

 

[beejaybee]

Guess we're still Go-Go?
Last month in London spent Day 1 walking from our hotel near Waterloo Station to Buckingham Palace for a tour followed by the Royal Gardens tour. Walked from the end of that tour all the way to Trafalgar Square. Did take a short bus ride down Fleet Street to Ye Old Cheshire Cheese and then on to The Old Bank. Walked back to hotel over Waterloo Bridge.
Day 2 visited Churchill War Rooms, lunched at a Pub (confess to a rest back at hotel) and then off to a matinee of Six. Walked back to restaurant near hotel, Strings.
This was 12 weeks post TKR for me who's nearly an octogenarian and DH who's 3 years into that decade!
Lucky and Grateful.

 

[Timeshare Von]

The Chief Of Staff & I met at McLean High School, the 1st day of the 1st school year it opened, in fact. (That was in September 1955. She was not The Chief Of Staff back then. At the time, neither of us had any idea.)

Both of our sons went to McLean High School. Our grandson went to McLean High School.

Our McLean High School 65th anniversary reunion is coming up next month.

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

I was a McLean Highlander too . . . my first 2.5 years of HS (9/71-3/74). Your sons might have been around my age?

 

[Timeshare Von]

I believe mid to late 2026 I will sell my last one. Being I have used my 2026 points I have to wait.

We also had a timeline for when we wanted to get rid of them . . . and yes to Dave's point . . . VERY liberating when it's finally done.

 

[BoaterMike]

We are in our early 70s, and our thoughts are to sell our current timeshare interests and focus on properties that can be reached by car. Due to some recent health issues, we will minimize air travel and simplify our trip to the resorts.

We tried RV travel starting about 5 years ago, but recently sold our RV. While we enjoyed the experiences, ownership and travel became more burdensome physically and financially.

 

[Talent312]

Well, TMI... DW and I were go-go for 7 years in retirement. Then in 2023, we got the sad news that DW has a neurological condition (MSA) that changed everything. So for now, it's no-go. We're holding onto one last TS, mostly for sentimental reasons. Getting old(er) can be difficult, but perhaps one day, I'll use it again.

 

[AwayWeGo]

I was a McLean Highlander too . . . my first 2.5 years of HS (9/71-3/74). Your sons might have been around my age?

My younger son (R.I.P.) was born in 1970. My surviving son was born in 1968.

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

 

[klpca]

We are in a different stage - the "I don't know" stage. We are in our mid 60s and still pretty active. We can and do travel a lot. But since grandchildren have entered the picture, we want to see more of them (actually #2 is arriving in Oct). We also need to occasionally pinch-hit for babysitting, so it is nice to have some flexibility for scheduling last minute trips as both kids live out of town. We own the equivalent of 4 weeks (some annual, some EOY). I don't expect to add any ownerships in the future. Over the years I have bought and sold or given away a lot of timeshares. We currently own 5, and have sold 10 others. As soon as I realize that something isn't working for us, out it goes. I am pretty comfortable for the moment with our ownership. And we are the lucky tuggers who bought @DaveNV Worldmark points. It was the way that I wish all transactions went between tuggers - Dave was so easy to work with and we not only bought points, we made a friend in the process. Worldmark has been great for us because of the ease of using points, plus there are a lot of West Coast locations. We were even able to pick up four nights at Deer Harbor this past July - it was a fabulous part of a 23 day driving trip.

Our current plan is to do as much travel abroad in the next 5 years as we can, then start to travel closer to home, figuring that travel isn't going to get any easier as we age. We plan to get rid of all of the timeshares in the next 15 years, just so we don't leave a mess for the kids. Timesharing has enabled us to travel to places that we never dreamed of and I am so glad that I have benefitted from the knowledge of seasoned tuggers over the years.

 

[SmithOp]

We are just entering our 70s so definitely going slower. I got it down to one nice HGVC contract from a high of 5, but recently picked up an eoy from @klpca and just this week some Embarc points. I still wanted access to different exchanges, so now if the mood strikes I can access RCI, Interval (gave away a Vistana but still pay the membership), GPX, and now DEX.

I feel like what I have can easily be divested when the time comes, all because of what I've learned here on TUG the last 15 years.

 

[easyrider]

Down to 2+1/2 weeks, I'm about to enter the no-go or geezer stage, so I'll be looking to getting rid of another week. I remember when Mr. Bill (easyrider) was a newb here.

Me too Tony. Thanks to all you "experienced" timeshare owners I finally have mine dialed in.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

I'd put us in the 'slow-go' group

It doesn't read like a slow go, lol. Your slow go sounds better than most travelers go go.

Bill

 

[Passepartout]

It doesn't read like a slow go, lol. Your slow go sounds better than most travelers go go.

Bill

Thanks Bill. Our travel schedule is a lot more relaxed than it used to be. And winding down a bit going forward. You have to compare it to what I did in my working days. Climb out of bed and drive 500- 600 miles or so every day.

 

[weems637]

We are a go-go couple. Me 69 this month, retired for 15 years. The spousal unit, 66 just retired. We are beach people, and are just a car ride away from our favorite Florida Gulf side destinations. Adding more points to get us to six weeks. Health issues and aging are slowing me down a bit, nothing a beach chair, umbrella and a margarita can't fix!

 

[SusanRN]

I’m in the go-go phase but looking ahead, I realize all I want is to see my kids more. They are always busy but a free weeks vacation can tempt them to set some time aside for Mom. The hardest part is knowing 9 months out where we can go, they live minute to minute. We tend to return to same spot, just easier but I would like more variety.

I love having my two fixed week summer beach weeks so that my kids and their families can plan ahead -- even years in advance -- for those vacations. I know younger daughter and family will be with me at the beach week 24 and older daughter and family will be with me week 33. No location variety, but a fun place for the kids, and a sure bet for being with the grandkids for a week!
Susan

 

[SusanRN]

My two daughters are joint owners of my two beach weeks, so that takes them out of the inventory I need to dispose of. Now if I can just get them not to count on Mom paying the maintenance fee every year
After selling my much-loved New Orleans week 52 four years ago after receiving an unsolicited offer from the timeshare concierge, I have only one other timeshare left, which I am about to give back at no cost [see Spinnaker French Quarter Branson thread].
No more worries....
Susan