Timeshares (love ‘em or hate ‘em) & Mrs. Wilke's

While sitting in the airport boarding area my friend, Sherri, mentioned she owns a timeshare in South Carolina but doesn't really know how to use it to its full potential.  I know lots of friends who own timeshares but don’t know how to maximize their use.  My friend, Ann, suggested I write a “timeshare for dummies” blog to help people better understand the dynamics of timeshare usage.  Unfortunately, I cannot do this.  Not because I don’t want to but rather because there is no one timeshare model.  With some timeshares you own points (the number of points varies depending on length of stay and size of unit) and with other timeshares you own a variable week or a fixed week (the same week every year). 

To many people the word timeshare makes them cringe, for me timeshares are a window to the world.  If anyone has ever been to a timeshare presentation, (and I have been to lots), the salespeople are some of the best salesmen and women I know.  They can make you feel if you don’t buy a timeshare your family will be dysfunctional or you are a horrible person because you put work before your personal life and don't take time out of your hectic schedule to travel.

I own four timeshares.  Some of you may be thinking, “What a sucker?” or “”What a pushover.”  I am neither.  I use my timeshares and I love them.  I also bought my timeshares on the secondary market (not directly from seller) and got then at a great price.  My Cabo timeshare was $500 and has no annual maintenance fees. I only pay whenever I use it, and I can use it 2-3 weeks a year.  My family went for my dad’s 85^th birthday and my mom’s 80^th birthday and we got four rooms.  We paid $70 per person, per night, which included the hotel room on the beach and all the food and all the alcohol we could eat and drink.  One night we had steak and lobster on the beach.

  

What all timeshare salespeople will tell you is you can travel the world with your timeshare by exchanging your home resort through a timeshare exchange company.  This is very true.  I have traded my timeshare to stay in Aruba, Spain, Thailand and the Bahamas, to name a few places.  There are two main timeshare exchange companies, Resort Condominiums International (RCI) and Interval International (II).  I have only dealt with II.  I know how to exchange my timeshare and how to use “getaways.”  Getaways allow you to stay at a timeshare without exchanging your own timeshare week. This is done when the exchange company has excess timeshares available.  An example would be Palm Springs in the summer.  It can be 117 degrees during this time.  I don’t like the heat but my friend, Ann, loves it and will vacation there during that time.  Because it is considered “low” season you can get a studio at the Marriott for approximately $35-$45 a night. If I book directly through the Marriott the price is $129 per night. Timeshares can be a great deal when you know how to use them.

Timeshares are not for everyone.  Definitely do your research before any large purchase.  What I want to stress is if you do own a timeshare learn about the specifics of your timeshares and don’t let it go to waste by throwing hundreds and thousands of dollars away in annual maintenance fees.  With today’s economy you can buy a timeshare on Ebay for one dollar. People just can’t afford the annual maintenance fees and will get rid of them at any cost.

If you have a week you can’t use there are several websites you can use to rent out your timeshare.  I use Redweek.  This is also a great site if your are traveling and don't want to stay in a hotel.  You can get great deals by renting a timeshare for your vacation stay.

In the last few blogs I have been giving my friend Sherri a hard time so I have to throw in a compliment.  Yesterday I was taken to a restaurant, called "Mrs. Wilke's", in Savannah, Georgia.  We arrived at 10:30 A.M. and waited until approximately 12:00 to be seated.  The location is only open from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. The meal is served family style with 10 people to a table.  There are no menus.  The meal consists of fried chicken, sweet tea and 22 side dishes.  Yes, you read that correctly, 22 side dishes.  There's lima beans, baked beans, collard greens, okra, corn muffins, mac n cheese, stuffing, etc. There is a set price of $18.00 and once the meal is completed you take your dishes to the kitchen.  I am told this is the only restaurant listed in the book 1000 places to see before you die.  With all my traveling I actually own this book and highlight the page whenever I can cross one of the locations off my list.  Well, I left there completely stuffed with no room for another bite and happy to be able to cross off one more location in my book.  Good job Sherri!