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Originally Posted On: https://planneratheart.com/end-timeshare-blues/

Do you own a timeshare but aren’t traveling? Or maybe you’re still not sure how to use your new timeshare. Did you bank your timeshare week during the pandemic with an exchange company for the first time and don’t know what to do? Well, one owner is out to help without asking for a dime.

“Owning a timeshare and traveling the world this way is beautiful, but it’s also complicated. As a timeshare owner of 15 years, I know that the learning curve is steep. Add into the mix travel restrictions and flight disruptions, and traveling can be difficult,” said Monica Fish, Travel Blogger at PlannerAtHeart.com

“Over the years I’ve seen first-hand people struggle to understand timesharing and how to make the most of a timeshare ownership. I see the same handful of questions asked over and over again in online owners groups,” Monica said.  “Now, more than ever, owners need help navigating the timeshare world without being asked to pay for another service or product.”

Here are 5 Ways to Improve Your Timeshare Blues in 2022

Even though timeshare owners are historically the first to return to vacationing after shutdowns, the pandemic has created a unique set of challenges for these 9 million U.S. travelers. According to the timeshare industry group American Resort Development Association, timeshare owners live an average of 1,000 miles from their home resort.

In a pre-pandemic world that most likely meant a plane ride to their timeshare, but with road trip vacations on the rise and airlines battling staff shortages, even timeshare travel is looking different in the age of COVID. If you’re a timeshare owner looking to make the most of your timeshare, here are 5 tips.

1. Don’t Let Your Week Go To Waste

Timeshare ownership can be boiled down to pre-paying for your vacation accommodations. So when you don’t use it, you’re throwing your money away. But what can you do when you can’t travel or don’t feel comfortable flying to your resort? You can rent it out, bank it or let friends and family use it.

If you know that you’re not going to use your timeshare in 2022, list your week for rent with your home resort, in your resort’s Facebook Owners Group, or one of the most popular and trusted timeshare rental sites like Timeshare Users Group, Redweek or Go-Koala. Securing a rental can help you cover the cost of your annual maintenance fees, and getting a head start on your listing can help increase your chances of a rental.

2. Salvage Value for You Week Even With a Last-Minute Change of Plans

Whether you need to cancel your vacation, or your renter does, there are still ways to get value for your week even when the clock is ticking. There are more vehicles than ever to get another renter, and the leading timeshare exchange company, RCI, allows you to deposit your week at late as 24 hours before your check-in date and receive some credit for it to apply to a future vacation.

That’s why it is more prudent than ever to join the timeshare exchange company affiliated with your home resort now so that it’s all set up and in place if you need to change your vacation plans at the last minute.

3. It’s Time to Join a Timeshare Exchange Company

In the world of pandemic travel, joining a timeshare exchange company acts as another form of travel insurance for timeshare owners. For a small annual fee, this membership allows you to save your already paid vacation week in their system and exchange it for another vacation at thousands of resorts in their network up to two years from your deposit.

Also, if you’re not comfortable flying and want to plan your vacation at a resort closer to home, a timeshare exchange company like RCI or Interval International facilitates those swaps for timeshare owners.

Free tutorials about RCI, Interval International-specific Facebook groups, or Timeshare User Group’s discussion boards can speed up your learning curve if you’ve never used a timeshare exchange company before.  You can learn all about the different perks of joining a timeshare exchange company from fellow timeshare owners who have been using these systems for years or decades.

If you rent your week out, there are still ways to leverage your timeshare ownership for affordable vacations, especially if you decide to travel at the last minute. Ask your home resort about space available programs at their sister properties and make the most of your exchange company membership by booking their Last Call Deals. For example, membership with RCI and Interval International gives you access to last-minute cash deals, where you can secure a room at a timeshare resort for as low as $300 a week with no need to deposit a week.

4. Consider All The Great Destinations Timeshares Can Take You

If your pre-paid timeshare vacation is going unused and you’re spending money on other vacation accommodations, your wallet might have the blues too. If you haven’t joined a timeshare exchange company before, you might be pleasantly surprised with all the destinations and resorts in America and around the world that you can travel to with your vacation ownership.

RCI alone has 4,200 affiliated resorts in over 110 countries. While they don’t have a resort in every single country or city in the world, there are a wide variety of options for your next vacation. With most timeshare resorts outside of urban destinations, timesharing remains a fantastic match for the millions of Americans who are still favoring nature destinations with outdoor, social-distance friendly activities. From beaches, mountains, and national parks locales, exchanging your timeshare week brings more options than just your home resort or resort chain.

Did you know that you can see 70% of America’s National Parks by Exchanging Your Timeshare with RCI?  There are 277 total RCI Affiliated Resorts Near 44 U.S. National Parks, so why not take this time while staying domestic to cross more national parks off your bucket list? From Shenandoah National Park to the Florida Everglades, to America’s most popular National Park, Smoky Mountains, timeshare resorts can be found near a majority of the country’s National Parks.

5. Secure a Timeshare Exit Without Getting Scammed

Your timeshare blues may have turned into financial hardship during these difficult times. In that case, there are proven ways to actually get rid of your timeshare ownership yourself without paying high fees. So whether you are looking to list your timeshare for sale in 2022 or you have yours already listed, but with no interest, this can be your year to move on from owning a timeshare.

Your first call should be to your home resort to inquire about a deedback or hardship programs. If your timeshare has a low resale value, turning it back to your home resort is often the cheapest and fastest way to end your ownership.

Secondly, you can easily list your timeshare on the active timeshare resale market yourself and let another family enjoy years of vacation memories. Timeshare Users Group has completed over $34 million in completed sales connecting buyers and sellers in their marketplace. If you’d like to list your timeshare for sale it is included in their $15 a year membership.