500 point retirement plan

[tjcj]

While I am extremely envious of all of those in the 1000 point club it is simply not a reality for many of us (including me). So what I have been thinking about recently is how to factor in the 500 points that my DW and I have into our overall retirement plan.
We will have our home on the west coast, a home in New England that we rent out in the summer and 500 points to work with. My idea is to use our points during the inclement weather (Jan-Mar) in a way that flows. Its hard for us not to rent at least a 1brm, but normally find family that want to join us for trips and get a 2brm. Anyone else looking at something similar or have thoughts on this?

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Not knowing your situation...but you may want to limit those "friends who want to join us" to grandkids -- particularly if they are pre-teen. After that, when any relative is uncool, then bring back the friends.
Think planning 2nd or 3rd week of January through end of March is a mighty fine time.
Still 20 years out...if I'm fortunate.

 

[CarolMN]

While I am extremely envious of all of those in the 1000 point club it is simply not a reality for many of us (including me). So what I have been thinking about recently is how to factor in the 500 points that my DW and I have into our overall retirement plan.
We will have our home on the west coast, a home in New England that we rent out in the summer and 500 points to work with. My idea is to use our points during the inclement weather (Jan-Mar) in a way that flows. Its hard for us not to rent at least a 1brm, but normally find family that want to join us for trips and get a 2brm. Anyone else looking at something similar or have thoughts on this?

Once you are retired, tell friends and family that you will not be able to host them when they visit. Most will understand that finances are different after retirement. You could offer to assist them in getting a discounted reservation.

Have fun planning.

 

[Judique]

While I am extremely envious of all of those in the 1000 point club it is simply not a reality for many of us (including me). So what I have been thinking about recently is how to factor in the 500 points that my DW and I have into our overall retirement plan.
We will have our home on the west coast, a home in New England that we rent out in the summer and 500 points to work with. My idea is to use our points during the inclement weather (Jan-Mar) in a way that flows. Its hard for us not to rent at least a 1brm, but normally find family that want to join us for trips and get a 2brm. Anyone else looking at something similar or have thoughts on this?

I'm already trying to do 2 weeks in January. Like you I don't have a 1000 points, so can't stretch for months. I am not retired but my DVC points are part of the plan.

I don't want to move, but I want somewhere without snow from January to March.

This is coming up pretty quickly!

Anyway, my points would get me a studio for 5 or 6 weeks, or a one bedroom for less.

I could learn to cook with the iron in the studio.

Decisions to be made....maybe I'll do transfers in once a year and use someone else's points to book my retirement at Disney.....

 

[Nanajo1]

We are among the fortunate with 1000+ points but have started to sell some We use around 500 pts for a 11 day stay in a 1BR early March.
Every other year we do another stay for F+W in Nov. This works well for us. ( Our ?surplus points are used Biyearly for family trips.)

 

[Donna M]

I just figured this all out a few weeks ago but didn't save the paper. We have 500 pts and want the one bd too, most of the time. We could stay about 3 weeks at OKW during the end of Jan into Feb. We want to get away from New Hampshire's cold. We'd move to a studio once or twice on the weekend to save points, and experience a different resort. We would start the trip on a Sunday and leave on a Fri.

When, I hope, grandchildren arrive and want to join us, I'd be happy to shorten the trip if need be, or stay in a studio longer. We bought points to enjoy with family. I can't wait to experience Disney with grandkids.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I hope to throw a couple of weeks at Hilton Head in also.

 

[DVCconvert]

I hope to throw a couple of weeks at Hilton Head in also.

I see that in our future as well. being a member of "the 1K + club" I think that would be a good use of points....we've gone back and forth a million times about just buying a house in FL....but after you consider all that would go into being an absentee landowner, DVC looks pretty attractive to us. We're assembling points enough for at least 3 months in a one bedroom to get us out of the hated NE winters in the future.....we like to cook in our villas and will proably drive down if we're planning on more than a month and a half. The MF's are painfull, but it's the only point of 'pain' which wouldn't be true if we bot a house.

 

[tjcj]

I see that in our future as well. being a member of "the 1K + club" I think that would be a good use of points....we've gone back and forth a million times about just buying a house in FL....but after you consider all that would go into being an absentee landowner, DVC looks pretty attractive to us. We're assembling points enough for at least 3 months in a one bedroom to get us out of the hated NE winters in the future.....we like to cook in our villas and will proably drive down if we're planning on more than a month and a half. The MF's are painfull, but it's the only point of 'pain' which wouldn't be true if we bot a house.

And there are plenty of cost with owning a house but how does that stack up to the MFs on 500 or 1000 points. So hard to decide.....

 

[DVCconvert]

And there are plenty of cost with owning a house but how does that stack up to the MFs on 500 or 1000 points. So hard to decide.....

It certainly is. For us, when we start to consider that any house we'd want would be in a gated community with HOA fees, have it's own pool, we would not be able to consider it our 'homestead' so prop taxes would be significant....then theres sparying for pests, insurances...it is a hard decision.

 

[Simba's Mom]

While I am extremely envious of all of those in the 1000 point club it is simply not a reality for many of us (including me). So what I have been thinking about recently is how to factor in the 500 points that my DW and I have into our overall retirement plan.
We will have our home on the west coast, a home in New England that we rent out in the summer and 500 points to work with. My idea is to use our points during the inclement weather (Jan-Mar) in a way that flows. Its hard for us not to rent at least a 1brm, but normally find family that want to join us for trips and get a 2brm. Anyone else looking at something similar or have thoughts on this?

Unfortunately, since none of the resorts (especially HHI and OKW) are pet-friendly (and we're not going to lie and say they're our "companion cats" and must be with us) we'll have to rent a "pet-friendly" accomodation when we retire. And yes, we've already browsed the "snowbird rentals", they call them, to rent at HHI for a month or so. We'd really prefer DHHI, but Shadow and our cats might not get along, although I'm sure Shadow would be OK-she's such a friendly, agreeable girl. But our cats might do damage to her!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've resolved to spend about 6 weeks without my dog, but wouldn't want to go any longer. Fortunately for us, DS/DDiL have moved to Florida and have an apartment for DH and me to stay and Belle is welcomed too! This January, I'm using DVC to stay away from Ohio's January and beginning of February weather, but next year, I'm going to accept their offer. So, I'm trying both cases and then DH and I will decide. By 2013 we both will be retired

We never thought the family would really move to Florida, although they always mentioned that the Boston winters were too brutal for them. We had bought the DVC points with the idea of spending part of winters in Florida.

 

[DVC Dude]

Other things to consider are

1. Buy one or two non-DVC timeshares in orlando just to fill in a gap or two as this will really make your vacation stretch. You can buy a 2 bedroom at Marriott or Hilton or others for pretty cheap.

2. Rent at an offsite hotel for around $100 per night

3. Rent an apartment for a month or two

 

[twinklebug]

While I am extremely envious of all of those in the 1000 point club it is simply not a reality for many of us (including me). So what I have been thinking about recently is how to factor in the 500 points that my DW and I have into our overall retirement plan.
We will have our home on the west coast, a home in New England that we rent out in the summer and 500 points to work with. My idea is to use our points during the inclement weather (Jan-Mar) in a way that flows. Its hard for us not to rent at least a 1brm, but normally find family that want to join us for trips and get a 2brm. Anyone else looking at something similar or have thoughts on this?

I don't see where the problem is, sounds like you've got a great plan there. Might want to consider buying an RV to get you around the country - that's alot of traveling for a retired couple otherwise.

 

[haddybaby]

I could learn to cook with the iron in the studio.

Sounds like something I would try.

 

[tjcj]

Sounds like something I would try.

Iron grill cheese. Nothing but the best

 

[tjcj]

I don't see where the problem is, sounds like you've got a great plan there. Might want to consider buying an RV to get you around the country - that's alot of traveling for a retired couple otherwise.

That's what I keep telling the DW. It took me 8 years to talk her into DVC, who knows how long for the RV.