Hoard or Splurge?

[MerriH807]

We just became owners of BLT (200 pts) After going to BLT two years in a row for our family vaca it seemed we were ready to take that step....

Now, I am being such a scrooge about our points, whereas my husband is like if we have em spend em!

Can anyone let me know how they manage their points? Do you sit down and plan out trips for the next few years so you can manage them or do you just take it as it comes? I want to make sure none go to waste but I also want to make sure we always have enough for a trip.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Merri

 

[backyardponder]

We bought into DVC mainly to have large family vacations for about 10 nights with multiple rooms once every 4 or 5 years. We bank and borrow to do that. In between the big trips, we do smaller trips, often just the 2 of us or sometimes with friends.

So, to answer your question, some of it is planning 3 or 4 years out. Some is planning a year or so out. I use a spreadsheet I did in Excel to manage my points.

 

[nolanboys]

When planning our next trip, I try and think about when we'll go after that and look at the points we need for both (we only bought enough points for every 18mo - 24 mo). I even have different point totals for all the resorts for each trip, so I know if I spend more points on one trip, I need to spend less points on the other trip. I have my sheet that lists all the resorts for our March trip - already booked - and then for New Year's 2012 - which will be our next trip. Although now we may also do a cruise for that trip, so I need to play around with my points.

 

[Dizny Dad]

Having to ask others how to use your points is the first indication of Add-On-Itis . . . . .

 

[wildernessDad]

We just became owners of BLT (200 pts) After going to BLT two years in a row for our family vaca it seemed we were ready to take that step....

Now, I am being such a scrooge about our points, whereas my husband is like if we have em spend em!

Can anyone let me know how they manage their points? Do you sit down and plan out trips for the next few years so you can manage them or do you just take it as it comes? I want to make sure none go to waste but I also want to make sure we always have enough for a trip.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Merri

I use an excel spreadsheet to plan out my points usage. It goes out to the year 2016, but it's not etched in stone.

 

[cvjw]

We splurge with our points. I would rather save a few points here and there, but my DH wants to use them all up and borrow from the next year if needed. So far, we haven't had to do that - the resale contracts that we purchased had banked points, so we had lots of extra points to play with. We are spending 3 weeks a year at Disney right now, and at some point, we figure our boys will have had "enough" Disney, and we can take a year off and catch our points back up, or buy more if needed.

 

[disfanforlife]

This will be our third trip as members. We have 200 points and so far have gone over every time but we got an extra set of 200 when we bought so we haven't had to borrow yet. We only go once a year. I think when we do end up using our banked points if we need extra we will borrow until we can't anymore!

 

[rentayenta]

Hi Merri, congrats on your new membership and home!

I am always thinking about 2-3 trips and allocate points that way. Right now I am planning a December 2011 trip and an October 2012 trip. Providing we don't add on before either I make a list with all of the point options, room size, and possible dates.

I just decided on our December trip and we are going to splurge.

I think I need a copy of someones Excel worksheet. I use plain old pencil and paper.

 

[Rob S.]

Having to ask others how to use your points is the first indication of Add-On-Itis . . . . .

Agreed!
Splurge, and then buy more.

 

[com_op_2000]

When we bought back in '93, DW and I agreed that we would make multiple short trips each year. We love doing so!
We usually make at least four trips per year. We have done last minute trips, when we felt like it.
The only time we have banked points was for booking our upcoming 25 anniversary trip.

 

[Nursejilly]

splurge!! but plan too! I am such a planner i need to come up with a spreadsheet too!

 

[Pixieflip]

Where do you live? We could never do 3 or 4 short trips, we live too far away. But we have enough points to do a week a year or so. We banked and borrowed one time to have enough to do a cruise. Then we felt like it was forever before we could do anything. Didn't like that feeling. After ten years of ownership, I think it is finally really sinking in that we can go for the next 32 years!!! More points come our way every year!! I know that sounds silly, but it feels great to have a "we can come back and do that next time" approach. A little more relaxing and not as desperate to get it all done.

Another thing, we've never lost or wasted one point. Don't know how, but we've been able to use them all. One time we had about 35 or so that were about to go to waste and then we sent my parents to VB. Voila! No waste and they loved it!

Have fun with your DVC! You'll figure out how you like to spend it. Talk it out.

 

[com_op_2000]

Where do you live? We could never do 3 or 4 short trips, we live too far away. But we have enough points to do a week a year or so. We banked and borrowed one time to have enough to do a cruise. Then we felt like it was forever before we could do anything. Didn't like that feeling. After ten years of ownership, I think it is finally really sinking in that we can go for the next 32 years!!! More points come our way every year!! I know that sounds silly, but it feels great to have a "we can come back and do that next time" approach. A little more relaxing and not as desperate to get it all done.

Another thing, we've never lost or wasted one point. Don't know how, but we've been able to use them all. One time we had about 35 or so that were about to go to waste and then we sent my parents to VB. Voila! No waste and they loved it!

Have fun with your DVC! You'll figure out how you like to spend it. Talk it out.

I am assuming you are talking to me. We live one hour from the mouse house. By last minute, I mean we are at DTD for the day, call MS, and check into the resort that day. Our other stays are usually booked 11 months in advanced, including every year since '93 between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Love DCV during the holidays.

 

[bwvBound]

Congratulations, Merri, and Welcome Home!

I think it is very natural to initially 'hoard' those new points. We did the same with our first timeshare purchase 10+ years ago. We looked for smallest unit type, in lowest seasons, at resorts with lowest point charts. We enjoyed our timeshare -- but were curious of the attributes of larger units. We refused booking units larger than necessary for fear of seeming 'wasteful.' We developed a small bit of resentment when we learned that some properties in our timeshare system (which wasn't DVC) didn't offer studios -- we would have to commit to a 1BR unit in order to experience that property. Worse, some locations offered only 2BR units -- oh, my.

Eventually we received gentle encouragement from other members of that timeshare to book and enjoy the 1BR units. Reasons given are the same we often hear on this forum: the early riser can get up, enjoy coffee, turn on reading lamps, or sit on the patio without disturbing the partner who prefers to sleep in on vacation; full kitchen; laundry; jetted tubs, etc. Now, 10 years and 60+ reservations later, you'll find us squarely on the "splurge" side of the spectrum.

You are wise to consider a ledger or spreadsheet to plan out the first few vacations. It will be helpful as you learn the ropes of reservation windows (7 and 11 months), banking window, banking and borrowing rules, etc. Use the ledger to forecast your intended point usage for the coming trips, identify years you'll likely need to bank or borrow, and perhaps begin to see patterns related to your point usage.

Again, Welcome -- and have fun!

 

[eporter66]

We have 150 points. We like having a one bedroom (have only stayed in a studio once), and we like to go for 7 days. This has had us in borrow mode over the last few years. But, the one bedroom makes a huge difference, and I dont want to spend/buy anymore points at this time. We have gone every year and have borrowed a few each time. I think we have 96 points for next year and will borrow again. At some point we will skip a year or get more points, but I say enjoy the membership to its fullest. For us - having the one bedroom makes it a very relaxing and enjoyable vacation -

 

[AirGoofy]

We just became owners of BLT (200 pts) After going to BLT two years in a row for our family vaca it seemed we were ready to take that step....
Can anyone let me know how they manage their points?

Congrats. We originally started out with a DVC contract "planned" for a week trip once per year. Then, after borrowing and planning, I bought a BLT contract because we wanted to have 2 trips per year. I planned them out for a few years as we are going to THV this year with other family members. Also, we had a goal to visit all the WDW DVC resorts and HHI and VB as well, so I planned out a few years to accomplish those trips. But, outside of the THV, I plan to spend all the points each year.