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Frugal and Gambling?

Discussion in 'Las Vegas for the Frugal (not Cheap)' started by scc31, Jan 20, 2015.

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  1. scc31

    scc31 Low-Roller

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    Not sure if this is a repeated correction or if this is the correct place to post. But say I go to Vegas and I have a frugal mindset (ie: not spending the biggest buck on everything and finding the best deals) but I will probably gamble a couple hundred away. What's the point of being frugal if that's being the case? Has anyone ever thought of it like that. Just wondering....

    :beer:
     
  2. lowsmith

    lowsmith Low-Roller

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    I think it is reasonable to apply a frugal mindset to gambling just as I would to shows or food or hotels. for example I use coupons for free play, and only play games with good pay tables or rules, etc. And I have that much more for the tables if i save a little on other stuff. To me frugal means getting the most for my money not neccessarily being cheap.
     
  3. scc31

    scc31 Low-Roller

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    I see.... but wouldn't you think that gambling is being anything but frugal? The best part about gambling is when I'm on tilt and being reckless with my money. hahaha GRANTED that can lead to me losing all my money quickly, it can also make me a lot. It's tough for me to spend too much gambling if I'm trying to be smart with my money because technically gambling is never a wise choice unless you're strategically smart in stocks... (I guess professional gamblers can argue otherwise.) As for free plays, I agree that's probably the most frugal form of gambling.
     
  4. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    The way I look at it is:

    The less money I spend on incidentals, the more money I have for gambling!!!!!!!
     
  5. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    Agree 100% on this.

    I would say any game that you can limit losses at and play for a long time is a "frugal game" Pai Gow for example. I never play the bonus bet on it, at lower limits I can play for a long time on little amount of money. Sure bad runs have happened but that is not all the likely.
     
  6. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    Just reading some of the posts and trip reports here you can see there are lots of people that are frugal and that gamble:
    - Arrive at the airport
    - Take shuttle to hotel
    - Stay at cheap hotel or off strip
    - Use the bus to get around
    - Eat at food courts or go off strip for some cheap eats
    - Only drink on the casino floor while gambling where they can get drinks from the cocktail waitress, never buying it at the bar

    Its Las Vegas... there is something for just about every budget
     
  7. 1LuckyMomma

    1LuckyMomma High-Roller

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    I am very frugal. I use coupons to save us money on groceries, oil changes, just about everything possible. When I go to Vegas, I'm there for fun (okay, technically I go for work! ;)) I think the most I've ever lost is about $300 during a 4 day trip. When it's gone, it's gone. I do bet small most of the time but I'll occasionally play a $10-25 bet on roulette or craps and I spend a lot of time on the casino floor while we're there. We take the bus, monorail occasionally and some taxis while we're there but we walk as much as possible. We take advantage of meal comps when they are offered and late night specials at the Orleans cafe.It can be done. Yes, I realize I could have done a lot of other things with that money I spend once or twice a year but I have a whole lot of fun when we're in Vegas. This trip, my girls and I will be using several MyVegas BOGO's to help us save on the cost.
     
  8. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    I think the balance is being frugal and having fun. Gambling is the fun part. If it wasn't, it wouldn't make sense do it. But we all have to have that balance or else we would be miserable or broke.

    When I go there, one of the first things I do is go to Walgreens to buy a couple of gallons of water for a few bucks. A liter of water at the casino gift shop is 3 to 4 dollars, so it would cost me over twenty dollars for an equivalent amount of water. A friend of mine points out to me that I can lose over twice that much in seconds when I make a bet at BJ, yet I'll take an extra fifteen minutes to walk over to Walgreens to save $15.
     
  9. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I think one of the Supremes once opined on this, saying something like: "I can't define frugal but I know it when I see it."

    One can buy a Mercedes and be frugal. One can buy a Dodge Dart and not be frugal. It all depends on means, needs and values. So as a form of entertainment, if someone enjoys it and does it within reason, takes care of the other financial matters in life, gambling is not necessarily anti-frugal.
     
  10. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    My parents owned a Dodge Dart, I teethed on the dash. They were not frugal. Ken couldn't be more right
     
  11. LVHooked

    LVHooked High-Roller

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    My first car was a Dart, $150 if I remember right.

    You cross the line from frugal to cheap ass when it effects other people.
     
  12. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Gospel right there.
     
  13. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    Frugal can be applied to any aspect of life.
    Frugal gambling = playing only "full pay" video poker; playing perfect strategy BJ; etc.
     
  14. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    That's just basic wisdom really. But I'm good with the frugal tag. I might alter it to say highest EV available, however, because a lot of folks will take a lower yield than available at some other places if they prefer the aesthetic/comps/whatever. I'd say that is wise/frugal, too. (And this of course is being of the mindset that negative expectation is not inherently "bad.")
     
  15. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    Yeah this is me...some things it just doesn't make sense to spend an absurd amount of money on. The bottled water is one that I will buy at Walgreen's and put in my room. I took a small collapse-able cooler on my last trip so I could keep drinks in it for when I get back to the room. I am not going to spend $8 on a liter of Dasani water. Even if I just colored up $2k on craps I will not do it.

    Spending $50 on two burgers, fries and two drinks shocked my girlfriend and I on our first trip. It was the "well we are in Vegas and shit is expensive" eye opener. $10 for a bottled beer? No. Let me go to the store and get one for half that.

    This cracked me up lol
     
  16. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    Gambling is my entertainment. Its the same to me as seeing a show or visiting an attraction to an extent. It may not be frugal to others to spend money doing it but to me making a frugal choice is picking the option that gives the best bang for the buck. For me that's gambling. It kind of pisses me off when people suggest that I shouldn't complain over BS fees and overpriced food and drinks that aren't even good because I choose to gamble. I don't view some of the fees we are subjective to as an honest way to make a profit. And I like simple meat and potatoes so all the fancy cuts and aging processes are lost on me at the end of the day.
     
  17. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Agreed.

    Wine. Cars. Houses. Gambling. Food. Golf. Spa. Shows. Pets. Boats. Season tickets to the Sox. 80" TVs. Short list of some of the things people enjoy in various combinations and degrees. If we are getting value and enjoyment out of what we choose, that's frugal.
     
  18. scc31

    scc31 Low-Roller

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    Good point all, very good point. Frugal for me has always been the best way to minimize the use of my bank that I bring to a certain vacation in hopes of perhaps coming back home with some bank left. (I rarely do :p) While I do expect to spend some money on some quality items such as good dinner or splurge on some random souvenirs/items, I do try to be as frugal as possible where I can find the best deals to enjoy myself with.

    In the case of gambling I can understand how people play it as a form of entertainment. And I do too. Only problem is when I gamble I'm looking to win (who's looking to lose???) and that it's my choice if I want to gamble or spend the money via things for entertainment (see an extra show? go shop at Caesars?) So is it the best frugal decision to gamble and lose the money? That's up to you I guess!

    Despite saying that I do love to gamble... on tilt... (lol) and I don't go to Vegas enough to really earn comps as some of you say would filter into the frugalness of gambling for entertainment.
     
  19. LB9

    LB9 PH Blackjack Degen

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    Not sure if I qualify as frugal but when I hit AC or Vegas this always happens. Drive to AC (from DC) I either carpool with someone else so with gas I spend roughly $30 in transportation, or take the bus roundtrip which is $35. Only will go if I have a comp, or two, at a CET property (which as we all know are generous with their offers for rooms) and I get Friday almost always. Play a game with a Low HA (BJ) in perfect basic strategy. If I eat, I eat at the McCormick and Schmick HH wherein I get awesome quesidillas (sp?) for roughly 7 bucks at a nice restaurant. Almost solely drink for free while I'm gambling (I toke the Cw's every time however). Eat the buffet the next morning on a comp buffet, not based on RC's but based on my relationships with dealers and the pit (I toke the dealers a good bit, and since many others don't stand out I do and my $25-50 per hand bets are almost always higher in the system).
    Almost the same for Vegas, except when I fly I keep the ticket under $250 with southwest (out of BWI unfortunately since it's cheaper than DCA or IAD) but take the $6 dollar MARC train to get there from DC. The only supplies I buy is generally a load of bread and peanut butter as well as some fruit to snack on during the day when I'm there for an extended trip (I moonlight as a PT so I have to give off the appearance of a non-fat-ass lol).

    In the end, if I win great but if I loose, I minimize my loses to solely gambling as everything else is (almost) paid for. Not sure if this is frugal or cheap but it enables me to go to Atlantic City at least 1-2 times per month (as well as the Baltimore Horseshoe occasionally where the comps are much less mind you, I go to Ac for the 'experience') and Vegas occasionally when flights are cheap and my girlfriend lets me 'get away' for a weekend lol.
     
  20. klawrey

    klawrey High-Roller

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    I can't chime in on the frugal conversation in terms of spending because I don't put too many price tags on my Vegas trips. I will drop $115 on a Wagyu steak if I chose, I'll buy a $500 bottle in the club if I chose.

    I can chime in on the "gambling to lose" comment. I don't necessarily gamble to lose but I surely do not gamble to win either. The didn't build that fancy, shiny city we all love on winners. I bring a gambling budget it and stick to it for the purpose of entertainment. While some chose to go to Vegas and spend $100 on dinner and $200 on show tickets, I choose to take $400 and but it on the blackjack table, craps table or on a sports bet. I fully intend on that money going away as the "cost of entertainment" surely I win sometimes (mostly in the sports book relative to the blackjack or craps table but that's beside the point) but most of the time I lose but I don't get angry, I don't go "on tilt" I just walk away and take a run somewhere else for more entertainment value. I couldn't go to Vegas intent on winning because I'd leave like Clark Griswald. If I didn't gamble for entertainment, I'd be better off handing the money over and letting Marty kick me in the nuts. So I put my money on the table for the entertainment knowing full well I'll probably lose it but hope it provides me a few hours of entertainment and sometimes some wins and anything I come home with is a bonus because I expected to lose it.

    But that's just my take...
     
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