BCV Use Year and Dues Question

[penguins_fan]

With the previous free nights promotion gone, looking for savings in buying into BCV this month before the price increase, is there any reason not to choose a December use year and only pay one month of dues this year if you're not planning your first trip until 2003? I agree with previous posts that the selling back of points for year one doesn't seem like a good deal, especially if you're paying dues on those points.

 

[RobDoc]

You will pay one month of 2002 dues and 11 months of 2003 dues before getting any more points to use. For the $5 per point savings, you will still pay $3.77 in dues- not much of a savings, IMHO.

You might do better to accept the points and rent them at $10 per point.

Good Luck with your decision.

 

[Doctor P]

I think you have the wrong idea. I would not throw away what is in effect an extra use year of points for a maximum savings of less than $1.80 per point. The most dues you would have to pay is 6 months. You will have to pay one month's dues with a December use year. Thus, your maximum savings is five months points. $3.77/12 = about .32 dues per point per month. So, you would save a maximum of $240 for getting your "extra" 2002 points from an earlier use year. If you chose a use year that was February or after, you could bank your points and use them for your 2003 trip and get another allotment of points earlier in 2003. Alternatively, since your dues costs are the only marginal cost on these "extra" points, you could rent them out to a fried or relative at below market and pay more than your dues! Don't choose a December use year just for the marginal savings of dues. Just my opinion! Good luck.

 

[Dean]

IF use year is not a major disadvantage for you, the best value is getting the points earlier, even if paying slightly more in dues. I'd get the earliest use year that will work for you, Feb if they still have it.

 

[penguins_fan]

I appreciate the replies - its a bit of an adjustment to think in terms of maximizing points. I think I'll go with March rather than February, since we may travel in January and I don't want to plan a trip for the the last month of the use year.