How many TUGgers no longer own a TS but still hang out with us?

[Sandy VDH]

Life goes on, but I find some interesting behaviors over the year:

Some Tugger have passed
Some Tuggers have grown beyond us
Some Tuggers have grown tired of us (or us of them)
Some Tuggers get rid of their timeshares but hang with this TUG family anyway

For those who have shed their Timeshares and Kept TUG, just wondering who is out there that falls into this camp. And what keeps you here?

Pondering Tug members on this fine day.....

 

[LannyPC]

For those who have shed their Timeshares and Kept TUG, just wondering who is out there that falls into this camp. And what keeps you here?

I like the banter, especially about sports. I also like advising newbies how to avoid various financial pitfalls in the TS industry such as developer purchases, upfront fee resale/rental scams, and "cancellation" companies.

I also like the daily Wordle puzzle.

 

[Tia]

We no longer own any timeshares. We still rent timeshare vacations from owners who still own , just returned from the STT USVI.
I like the travel talk and the general topics of discussion with familiar names posting.

 

[rapmarks]

I still own two but I doubt I will use them. I have 55 tpu banked but also don’t know if I will use

 

[Timeshare Von]

I still own two but I doubt I will use them. I have 55 tpu banked but also don’t know if I will use

This is our situation as well! I would like to divest myself of the two we own . . . and I'm still trying to figure out how to use the TPU we have before losing our RCI membership we get through our Wyndham ownership.

 

[elaine]

I recently divested 2 (to a tugger). The 2 remaining I'll use (Marco and DVC), so don't need to search sightings, trading info, etc.. It's such a nice group of folks (with a decent breadth/depth of knowledge on finances, etc.). IMHO, we really came together during Covid--counseling, consoling, prayers, and even RE and DIY home improvement advice. So, I'll still be here. Elaine

 

[DaveNV]

I sold my last remaining timeshare last Fall. So I'm among those who no longer own. I hang around here because I like you crazy people. I really like you.

My plan is to rent for awhile, and to explore travel in Europe. Timesharing there is problematic, so not owning right now makes the most sense. I may buy again at some point, but I want to check out other options for awhile. Meantime, I can enjoy contributing to the site, and continue being an all-around cool guy to know. LOL!

Dave

 

[HitchHiker71]

I sold my last remaining timeshare last Fall. So I'm among those who no longer own. I hang around here because I like you crazy people. I really like you.

My plan is to rent for awhile, and to explore travel in Europe. Timesharing there is problematic, so not owning right now makes the most sense. I may buy again at some point, but I want to check out other options for awhile. Meantime, I can enjoy contributing to the site, and continue being an all-around cool guy to know. LOL!

Dave

Enjoy the EU travels - so much history over there and so many beautiful sites to see. Careful - or you just might end up having to change your username to DaveEU soon!

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I haven't had a Wyndham timeshare for several years (mid-2010s), after not paying MFs for a few years they foreclosed and we owe nothing. Our credit wasn't hit, either. I just hang around for travel advice and financial/medical advice, as well as general banter.

TS

 

[stmartinfan]

We'll soon be approaching the end of our 40 year RTU contract (last 10 years can be used at any time, so we're doing some two week stays), and I expect I'll still hang around after it's done. I learn so much about travel and other misc. topics from the helpful people here, it would be hard to give that up. Don't expect we'll invest in another timeshare given our age and our other travel preferences.

 

[elaine]

I have no more RCI points/weeks! Divested to another Tugger. I've been checking Sightings for 10+ years! Got many awesome trades from sightings posts (including HGVC bulks-Hawaii, Easter in Marco, Bermuda, DVC 10x). Feels weird not to click on sightings each AM. Thanks Tuggers. Elaine

 

[EZ-ED]

Hi Sandy,
Sold our last 3 TS in 2012. We have rented from others, did get-a-ways for awhile and now do mostly cruises. I check in here, usually when I get something from TUG showing me what I have missed.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

Divested my three TS (one DVC, two Vistana) in 2019. Now I just rent, during low or shoulder season. Like others above, my travel preferences have changed to going overseas while enjoying a Getaway TS week or two in the desert each year. I still enjoy reading all the travel advice here.

 

[AwayWeGo]

We no longer own our outstanding floating Diamond-season 3BR lock-off unit at Cypress Pointe resort (Orlando FL), but I still belong to the FaceBook group for Cypress Pointe owners.

Full Disclosure: There's hardly any activity with that FaceBook group. So it goes.

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

 

[CRAIGS]

Sold back to Marriott but enjoy this site especially RICHARD..

 

[WinniWoman]

We gave back our two weeks at Smugglers Notch when we retired in 2020 and moved to New Hampshire. It was a great 22 years but we are in a different stage of life now.

We did keep our one week 31at Innseason Pollard Brook in Lincoln, NH because it’s just an hour from our home and gives us a chance to just hang out in the mountains ( as opposed to the lakes region where we live). Plus we have day use there as well.

We don’t belong to an exchange company. We just use what we own each year.

I have been away from posting on TUG for a few years for reasons I won’t divulge but I have always followed the posts on here during that period of time. After all, I was a member for many years and enjoy many of the threads and the people!

 

[nomoretslt]

We gave back our two weeks at Smugglers Notch when we retired in 2020 and moved to New Hampshire. It was a great 22 years but we are in a different stage of life now.

We did keep our one week 31at Innseason Pollard Brook in Lincoln, NH because it’s just an hour from our home and gives us a chance to just hang out in the mountains ( as opposed to the lakes region where we live). Plus we have day use there as well.

We don’t belong to an exchange company. We just use what we own each year.

I have been away from posting on TUG for a few years for reasons I won’t divulge but I have always followed the posts on here during that period of time. After all, I was a member for many years and enjoy many of the threads and the people!

I remember following your posts….you were building I think? We were getting ready to build. Funny how things I planned didn’t turn out the way I envisioned. But…All is good, could not be happier.

i did shed myself of a timeshare thanks to TUG….I still am a DVC owner of over 800 points, but not something I want to rid myself of. Still don’t think of DVC as a timeshare, although it technically is. There was a time when you could sell your points and make a profit….but times are changing.
I hang out here because Of the ”coffee shop” kind of feeling here. My morning routine: turn on Keurig, feed cat if DH didn’t, have coffee while watching the incredible sunrise, check email, local weather, check weather where I don’t live anymore , check news, check Zillow for my former hometown, check TUG lounge. Life is good!

 

[bobby]

I dropped RCI and Interval and only use my remaining timeshares (Nantucket in August). Rent/sold others. I like the travel information on TUG and when traveling more, plan to rent timeshares where we want to go, when we want to go. Airfare is becoming an issue!

 

[JudyMesko]

I still own two but I doubt I will use them. I have 55 tpu banked but also don’t know if I will use

What is tpu?

 

[jimdpaulk]

We joined TUG near the beginning of it and at one time, owned 5 timeshares. Our kids, grandkids and friends joined us as we travelled to many destinations for fishing and adventures, many highlighted in a book published in January, Swimming for Our Lives, check it out on Amazon, you’ll enjoy the reviews. Our life with timeshares was so wonderful that we’ll always belong to TUG, it’s an old friend. My wife died six years ago, but the big plastic timeshare container with the extras that she wanted to take with us, is still in a locker in the garage. Whenever we said, we’re going to Hawaii, Mexico, Daytona Beach, or wherever, our grandkids would say, we want to go. In reflection, I could have never have gone on vacation with grandparents, but our girls went with us often and used a timeshare for honeymoons. Timeshares were in their minds whenever they had a travel destination, and would come over, get on the computer to find a timeshare to fit their plans. Love TUG and loved our timeshares. I may describe time sharing more in my next book. Thanks everyone for telling your stories on here and thanks TUG for the valuable service you provide us. Jim

 

[TheHolleys87]

What is tpu?

Trading Power units, RCI’s method for determining the value of a given TS when exchanging. It applies to Weeks exchanges, not points exchanges - e.g. I get a certain number of TPUs when I deposit our week into RCI and can then “spend” them in whatever increments, including combining TPUs from more than one deposit to get a special exchange.

 

[JudyMesko]

Thank you, Is the TPU different from the number of points for points members?

 

[cjareed]

I currently no longer own any timeshares. We had 5 over the years. Loved every moment. I sold several back to Bluegreen, gave away one in IDAHO ( only used it for trades), and finally just gave back our last one to Spinnaker. I have been a TUG follower since the beginning. Only bought resale, following TUG’s expert advice. Final sale (give back) was done following TUG’s advice on how to contact company after my husband’s death. It took time and patience but it worked With no problems.

I still have two weeks banked with RCI that I will use before they expire. Then will probably only rent for the rest of my life. THANKS TUG For all of the information I have needed all these years

 

[elaine]

In reflection, I could have never have gone on vacation with grandparents, but our girls went with us often and used a timeshare for honeymoons. Timeshares were in their minds whenever they had a travel destination, and would come over, get on the computer to find a timeshare to fit their plans.

Us too (even before the internet). My Dad had a TS from 1990s. When DD was born, we'd all go together and he'd bring the RCI book. On that trip, we'd look and find a place to go the next year--like the old Sears "Wish" book with the toys. We vacationed with them almost every year for 15 years until he passed with 2 additional kids added. The time we all spent together was priceless (grandpa at putt-putt with 2-5 yr olds). With TUG sightings, we upped our game and got "better" places, HGVC Seaworld and Marco, etc.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Thank you, Is the TPU different from the number of points for points members?

Yes. I don’t have any direct experience with RCI points but have inferred from what I’ve read on TUG that there’s no direct correlation i.e. can’t say that x number of TPUs equals y number of RCI points.