Overplanning vs Overestimating?

[DanenRox]

I'm relatively new to this, having owned for just a year with 2 trips completed, 2 on the books, and 400 more in my head. I need a little veteran advice though, regarding planning and points. I feel the need to save extra points each year to bank "just in case" we need them in the future. I feel like I'm "bare boning" our current trips in order to have points for trips that don't yet exist. Dear Dr, what is this a symptom of? Has experience taught you veterans it is best to always have some points in the bank, or just the opposite?

 

[hbg4]

I tend to make most of my reservations at the 11 or 7 month windows, so I have a rough idea of how many points are needed.
Unless I have definate plans for the following use year that need more points than I'll have available I usually wait until close to the 1st deadline date to bank my current use year points without losing them.
You see once their banked you can't remove them from that use year.

 

[castleri]

I'm relatively new to this, having owned for just a year with 2 trips completed, 2 on the books, and 400 more in my head. I need a little veteran advice though, regarding planning and points. I feel the need to save extra points each year to bank "just in case" we need them in the future. I feel like I'm "bare boning" our current trips in order to have points for trips that don't yet exist. Dear Dr, what is this a symptom of? Has experience taught you veterans it is best to always have some points in the bank, or just the opposite?

I used to do this too, but the last two years I have been borrowing instead of banking so much. . I don't think there is a right or wrong to this - just what works best for you. I have decided that sometimes I just want to have the 1 BR instead of the studio even though the studio would do especially in low point seasons, while at other times like this past Christmas I chose a studio rather than a 1BR because the points I saved allowed for another trip. With one of my 150 point contracts I have used 361 points for trips in this UY by banking and borrowing. Only you can decide what is important to you and manage your points accordingly. If the bare bones trip results in a more luxurious one another time it may be worth it. Have fun with your planning and may you have lots of magical trips

 

[DVC Grammy]

I'm relatively new to this, having owned for just a year with 2 trips completed, 2 on the books, and 400 more in my head. I need a little veteran advice though, regarding planning and points. I feel the need to save extra points each year to bank "just in case" we need them in the future. I feel like I'm "bare boning" our current trips in order to have points for trips that don't yet exist. Dear Dr, what is this a symptom of? Has experience taught you veterans it is best to always have some points in the bank, or just the opposite?

BEWARE! BEWARE!
This is one of the first symptoms of ADDONITIS!! When you start feeling "point-deprivation" for future trips, and you start thinking "just a small add-on will cure this so I won't have to bank points", you're doomed...........DOOMED! (That's how the rest of us DVC addicts got hooked too!)

 

[ClarabelleCow]

i find its always better to borrow than bank!!! i have 51 banked points, and now i am in a panic that i may loose them if we can't squeeze in a trip next year! sure i could rent, donate, etc!! but i feel much more comfortable with the borrowing option!!

 

[DanenRox]

Oh I've been fighting addonitis since before the ink on our contract was dry,but I have the cure... it's called 3 kids in college. This condition is also made more comfortable by knowing that once the little rats have degrees in hand, mommy & daddy will have phone in hand...oh ya...getting more points.

 

[Chuck S]

Usually we take one studio trip and one one bedroom trip per year (or invite friends & get two studios instead of the one bedroom). This normally leaves a handful of points to bank every year. Then, when we build up enough, we 'll use them all doing either two-one bedroom trips of having a two-bedroom trip with friends. Early in our membership, though, there was an attack of addonitis that required three add-ons to cure.

 

[NYMomof4]

I've only had DVC since Oct. 2005 and I already figured out that I can sneak in extra studio trips if I plan right, so I'm more about stretching the points until I can get more add-ons right now. That usually leaves me cleared with points and more likely to borrow. I'm not sure if I'll ever see a banking year. Planning is half the fun!

 

[DVCPAM]

We always had a few points banked in case we wanted to plan an extra little trip. This past year 2006 we had so many that we used some for a Disney cruise. Now we are short on points for a big family reunion trip!! We have to use all our 2007 and 2008 points for the family, and still need some. I am wishing I could borrow our 2009! I think we will go back to being stingy with spending our points now so that doesn't happen again!
Good Luck, I know a good doctor, I mean guide, who can give you a contract, I mean prescription for your addonitis if you need it!

~Pam

 

[HockeyKat]

I haven't even closed on my contract yet, and I am with you!!

Our resale came w/ banked points, and DH is all for spending all of them, where I am trying to find ways to bank forward. I think we will definitely catch addon-itis someday. We comprised and are likely going to spend *most* of the banked points on a 9-day blowout in September (availibility willing) but keep a few in the bank for my own peace of mind.

 

[BroganMc]

I'm firmly in the Point Horder camp. But I don't yet feel like I'm shortchanging myself.

I started out at an advantage because my year's travel plans were made before I bought. I had to bank all my points and only used half that. My only add-on was an adjustment to allow me to go from studio to 1-2 bedroom stays and take more family.

So this year we've booked three trips: 8 days in May (1bedroom), 6 days in october (2 bedroom/family trip) and a studio for New Year's. We'll end up with 80 banked points plus our regular 320 allotment next year.

My evil masterplan is to horde enough I actually have the full year's limit in banked points. Then I won't be looking to do cash discounts on weekends or leaving on Fridays. Now an add-on at another resort may blow my system out of the water. That's one reason I have only bought at my home resort. To buy elsewhere, I have to commit to staying there at least once a year for the next 50 years or so.

 

[Inkmahm]

I'm relatively new to this, having owned for just a year with 2 trips completed, 2 on the books, and 400 more in my head. I need a little veteran advice though, regarding planning and points. I feel the need to save extra points each year to bank "just in case" we need them in the future. I feel like I'm "bare boning" our current trips in order to have points for trips that don't yet exist. Dear Dr, what is this a symptom of? Has experience taught you veterans it is best to always have some points in the bank, or just the opposite?

I'm with you at being an owner for just over a year now. But we also did 2 addons since then due the immediate "addonitis" that set in soon after our BWV purchase. We added VWL and then had enough points for our two per year visits. Until AKV came along and we added another 200. Now we're up to 530 points and absolutely no way to spend all of them each year because we don't have THAT much vacation time. I'll end up banking and renting those that we really don't need, at least until we retire. Then they are ALL mine to use.

 

[fofinia]

Well I like to have some points to bank. Last year it was only 12 or 13 or something. But it was there. And I was happy. I would be sad knowing I had used them all up. So I horde my points. We stay at BWV and i have yet to stay anything but standard view because I can't seem to spend the extra points for BW view. But the good thing about it is now next year we can take our regular week long trip in a 1 bed, and a second 5 day trip in a studio. Without borrowing. So then the year after that I won't be skrimped for points. Although I'm all ready not looking forward to staying in the studio. And wish I could have a 1 bed!! And we've added on too. I'm not sure if we had owned 1 full year before we added on. But I still say err on the side of caution and bank a few!

 

[dznymom1]

Been a member since '92 and have never banked a single point (although I have added on and on and on....). I borrow like crazy and love every minute of it! That old expression that you can't take it with you applies to points too, you know!

 

[WolfpackFan]

For us, it depends upon which contract. Our goal is to spend 6 nights each year in a studio at HHI in either May, early June or September. We have 80 pts. there and 6 nights is 83 pts. So every year, I'll be borrowing 3 pts. from the next year. For our new AKV contract, we plan on spending 6 nights each year during the value season (Sept. early December or January). That takes 75 pts. We have 60 pts. at AKV, so will be borrowing 15 pts. each year which means every fourth year we'll take a break. That leaves our 150 VWL points. We are always in borrowing mode with that contract. We plan on using it in a variety of ways. Like going back down to either HH or WDW for a third stay. Or go to VB (we plan to do this next year). Or do an II exchange. Or we're thinking about the Alaska cruise in a couple of years.