What don't you like paying for?

We all have things we are willing to pay for and things we think aren't worth the money.

What don't you want to pay for?

For me, it's transportation.

I hate paying for cabs. Every dollar I spend on a cab is a dollar I can't spend on a great meal, drink or gambling.

Two years ago, I went from a suite at Mandalay Bay to a suite at Aria by taking the tram from MB to Excalibur, then walking to Aria.

Once I was at Aria, I left the bags with the bell desk and tipped generously when they were brought up.

I find it funny I'm more willing to pay for someone to bring my bags to my suite than for a cab to the hotel.

Anyone else have any oddball cheapness.

 

+1 on what you said re: cabs (I live in NYC and am a walker) and bell service. I am fine paying for bell service -- especially TO my room -- because when the bellman comes in with luggage and grabs ice and I give a big tip I feel like my vacation has begun and chatting with him or her for a couple of minutes helps sink it in. So I guess I do it not for the utility of the bags being brought to my room but for other reasons.

I like getting my 3 or 15-day all access pass for the Deuce/SDX though. That I don't mind paying for as an alternative to a cab, especially if I am going from South strip to say Wynn or going from mid strip to Downtown.

 

I'm assuming you're asking about anything other than resort fees.

 

Auto grat.

 

favors.

 

Water. I always go to the Walgreen's to buy a couple of gallons for $2 each.

Hotel rooms. Since I can always get comped on the front-end at the CET properties, it's really hard for me to jump ship to another property.

Cab from the airport to the hotel and back. If I'm by myself, I always use the shuttle.

All of this is funny because I end up overpaying for everything else.

 

Cool thread...I have to agree on the water and drinks. I have an issue with paying $3.79 (or more!) for bottles of water or $5 for juice in the hotel shops. I also don't like paying $10-15 for a beer. Even though sometimes when I sit down at a bar to plunk away at VP or video blackjack for a "free" drink I end up spending more. I guess my brain processes the gambling as a potential ROI whereas simply spending $10 for the beer I get nothing but angst over spending that much for a beer!

I am packed for my flight tomorrow and in my suitcase is a small soft sided cooler that I keep in my room for water and Gatorade that I buy from Walgreen's.

Our first two trips out we took taxi's quite a bit and realized afterwards just how much they can add up over a trip. We took buses the next couple times but didn't like being packed in like sardine's or waiting forever....so now I will only use the bus once or twice per trip and the other time its cabs and walking.

 

Drinks is a huge one for me. I get water with almost every restaurant meal I have in Vegas because I know I can get any type of booze I want comp'd while playing, which I spend a lot of time doing anyways. I make exceptions for giant beers (like at the yardhouse) or something cool like a slushie drink. Last November at Harrahs, I was really thirsty and didn't want to wait any longer for a drink server, so I walked up to the casino bar and asked for a diet pepsi. In Canada, any soft drinks are comp'd even for non-gambling players, but here, the guy wanted $5!! I paid it but wasn't thrilled about it.

Hotel rooms is probably the only other thing I don't like paying for anymore, mostly because I've been comp'd now 4 trips in a row and it makes me feel better about gambling. For example, last trip I got my first comp'd suite and in the end, my gambling costs over 5 nights would probably be comparable to what I'd spend on that same room somewhere else. It's like my money is actually going somewhere (with a chance to win).

I don't mind paying for cabs, especially when the other options are shuttles and busses. When I'm in Vegas, time is money and I'd rather get somewhere quicker than save a few bucks.

 

I don't like paying for bottled water that has been marked up 1000%.

I don't like paying high end prices for entrees that make your stomach grumble with hunger a half hour later.

I don't like paying for room accommodations if my play warrants it to be comped.

I don't like paying for popcorn and soda that costs 3 times the price of the movie ticket.

I don't like paying early check-in fees. I think this is the biggest bullshit in the whole wide world.

 

$5 for a cup of coffee when I usually get one near home for a $1. I don't drink that horrible burned Starbucks crap either and am pissed that so many hotels have been infected by them. Delta and Marriott have been suckered into serving only Starbucks and as a black coffee drinker I've had to give up drinking coffee when flying and staying at hotels (I stay 150 nights a year in Marriotts). That acidic toxic waste upsets my stomach.

On the strip I can usually find some unburned coffee but it's pricey. Sambalatte has a mild brew that's tolerant. I always have a car with me but it's a hassle to drive just to get to a Dunkin Donuts but they're not cheap either.

Coffee is way over priced, like beer.

 

I budget X $'s per day to Vegas (not including airfare). I don't like paying for anything but that isn't going to be the end result.

I know up front what is generally not going to cost me $'s (room, food credits at the hotel's restaurants, Boyd shuttles between properties--except for tip--, etc.). I also factor in those meals expected after playing a bit and asking for a comp to the various eateries and getting that 70-80 % of the time which saves here and there.

If all else fails for foodstuffs, I can use my points earned via playing.

Ultimately, the amount lost over the trip is compared to the value received in comps and validates a future trip.

 

I like to drink alot of beer and buy many of them from the gift shops. Funny as I cant stand to buy one from the bar and rarely do. Yes I know I can get one free from a bar but I like I said, i drink alot of beer and need one in hand when I want it, not when they want me to have it.

 

Soda in the restaurants. $4-$5 and I never drink more than 2 inches of it. I stock soda and water in my room but the problem is when I eat in a restaurant. $15 entree $5 soda plus higher than home tax plus tip. You can't get a simple meal for less than $30 all in now. I've started to go to more food courts, at least I can bring my cheap water/soda with me.

I have not been charged an early check in fee yet...but I will gladly pay it. Get up at 4 am est for a 5.5 hour flight. Colder at home than Vegas so when I land I am hungry and want to change into something lighter. Wash my face etc. A room at noon will always make me feel better the rest of the day.

I'm not a luxury type person so there are many things others do every trip that I would never spend my money on. Spas and high-end dining are at the top of that list.

 

Agreed on the paying for hotels although I will branch out and pay for rooms when need be if I want to stay at a new place. I am in complete agreement on the early check in fees...and pretty much any fee...the hotels charge. I don't get worked up about resort fees because I see them a bit different. But the early check in and late check out fees? No thank you.

Last time I was at Palazzo I called down for a late check out and the lady was like "$150 and we can let you stay until 3pm"...no way

 

Resort fee of course

Taxi - to and from the hotel. Its crazy how expensive that is for a short ride.

Food - if i have left overs my room doesn't have a refrigerator and with all meals in Vegas the portions are huge.

Drink, smokes and coffee with how marked up they are.

 

I don't like paying for much of anything on the Strip anymore except a protein bar at Walgreens.

 

I don't like to pay for anything

But I especially don't like paying for:

* Crazy Marked Up Bottled Water (I almost always buy a case, prior to arriving at the hotel)
* Drinks in General (but I am a wine snob, so it's a must, usually)
* Crappy Service (auto gratuity)
* Bad Meals (I hate complaining, so I do it anyway)
* Rooms

-MrsFuri

 

Any kind of beverages!

I'm not paying $3.00 for pop or coffee and I'll never order a drink at the bar when they'll bring them to me at the slots.

 

Drinks!

 

Cabs sounds like one for me - coming from a place, where public transport not just exists, but being used by everyone to reach anything possible, for a reasonable price, I would not think to take a cab (though I always rent a car in the USA, as it is very very cool and the most convinient at most places, as the USA has no real and universal public transport - but you guys getting there )