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Is your Vegas budget the same as your non-Vegas vacation budget?

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by PSM, Jul 25, 2013.

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  1. PSM

    PSM High-Roller

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    I'm just curious as to how everyone else handles their budget/bankroll planning for trips to Vegas when compared to other vacation destinations. How much does the gambling aspect of the trip influence your planning compared to other places? Do you tack on a bankroll to your regular vacation fund? Do the much cheaper hotel rates (when compared with comparable quality accomodations in other destinations) and other deals offered in Vegas offset your bankroll funding?

    For me personally, I typically ask myself what I would be spending on a financially-responsible trip if I were going somewhere other than Vegas, then budget according to that number (roughly). Flights would typically be similar but I use the cheaper accomodations and fact that I'll rarely be in the room as motivation to not only find a deal, but also "settle" for the cheaper deal rather than nicer room/property. It also drives me to seek out other deals that are gambling, entertainment, food, and rental car-related, much of which isn't available in non-Vegas destinations. This allows me to fund my bankroll and "other" spending money without costing me more (or much more) than if I was heading to another desirable destination (think white sand beaches, major theme parks, expensive restaurants, expensive "downtown" hotels in major cities, less concentrated entertainment, etc).

    PS - a valid answer in the form of a question is "What non-Vegas vacations?"
     
  2. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Lately the biggest trips I have been making with my g/f is Vegas and Disneyworld. We definitely spend more on Disneyworld since we are gambling fleas and are willing to stay at places like Quad. Trips to Disneyworld push close $2000 for us for close to a week (and that's pretty cheap for Disney!). A similar trip to Vegas would be closer to $1200 for us. Both these numbers include roughly $500 in airfare for the two of us.
     
  3. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    My trip budget for other places tends to be a bit higher, but that's because Vegas hotels are comparatively so cheap (even at rack rates). Otherwise, though, I don't consider the gambling part; my gambling budget actually comes out of an entirely separate bank account that doesn't get touched except for when it's casino time.
     
  4. obrien73

    obrien73 Low-Roller

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    What is a non-Vegas Vacation??? :Þ
     
  5. atom

    atom High-Roller

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    Seriously, people vacation someplace other than Vegas? ;)
     
  6. Malibugolfer

    Malibugolfer High-Roller

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    I am exactly the same. My gambling budget is much greater than any trip budget also.
     
  7. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    my only expenses in Vegas are tips and gambling. So that's totally different from vacations where I have to pay for everything. Gambling money is separate so how often I go to Vegas is directly related to how well I do.
     
  8. DeMoN2318

    DeMoN2318 The DERS

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    Id say it is about the same for me. If I were to go on a non-Vegas vacation then I would budget some for entertainment and I would have to pay for hotel...where as in Vegas gambling is my entertainment and hotels are free.

    But I will say I dont go on many non-Vegas vacations...
     
  9. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    Over the years, the wife and I pretty much vacation separately - her: San Jose Ca and Vegas for me.
    The few times we vacation together, it's been at Angel Fire NM, or camping trips here in Texas.
    Her 5 to 7 day California trip budget (she stays with her best friend out there) is $500 for meals and entertainment.
    When we both go to Angel Fire (her Aunt/Uncle have a home there) our budget runs about $700 for the week.
    When we camp in Texas, our budget for the typical 4 day trip runs about $400 total.

    My vegas trips? I always fly on FF miles & stay comped. So my only (non-gambling) expenses are airport parking and the occasional un-comped meal.
    My non-gambling budget is usually around $100 for a 3-night Vegas trip.
    (My gambling funds are separately budgeted, and it's a "rolling fund" - meaning that whatever I bring back goes right back in...doing this, I typically manage 2 to 3 trips a year, and I always have left-over money in the fund.)
    So, for 3 trips a year, I typically spend far less than my wife does for one trip to San Jose.
    Keeps the 'bitching-at-me' to a minimum.
    :)
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  10. numeno

    numeno VIP Whale

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    I've found over the last ~5 years my total vacation/gambling budget has been pretty much 50/50 split between gambling vacations and non gambling vacations. Gambling trips are generally a little more expensive, but I take fewer of them.

    It has also ended up that 3 of those 5 years I had left overs from the gambling budget. I can't really count on losing less than I expect though. :)
     
  11. eloisegirl

    eloisegirl Low-Roller

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    I can go to Cuba for six hundred dollars - flight, hotel, all inclusive food and drink at a three star, and then take maybe three hundred dollars for tips, tours and my usual six or seven bottles of rum as well as cigars for the boys at work. So having just come home from Vegas, I am looking forward to a supercheap Cuban vacation one of these days.

    Also, I do not come home relaxed from Vegas. I come home and sleep for two days. I may be getting too old for LV!
     
  12. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    My non-vegas vacation expenses are way way higher than vegas. Outside of Vegas I think nothing of paying $400 or $500 a night on hotel and well over a grand a day in general. I had a $30k hotel bill once at the Ritz in Singapore. In vegas I haven't paid for a hotel since my first couple trips and I balk at the idea of even paying their low discount rates. Same with other expenses. It's essentially just pocket cash and misc money that I spend in vegas.

    I don't consider gambling funds as an expense. Maybe I should though since net net vegas can be much more expensive than anywhere else after factoring in losses sometimes. All that free stuff can be pretty friggin expensive.
     
  13. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    If I lose my entire bankroll, or even more than 50% or so, Vegas is more expensive than the overwhelming majority of my non-Vegas vacations.

    But if you consider my theoretical loss + airfare and whatever meals/drinks/shows that aren't comp'd as my "Vegas vacation budget" then it's pretty much in line with what I usually spend elsewhere.

    Of course, I despise being away from "the shop" for more than a handful of days. So, my long, expensive trips are few and far between...bordering on non-existent lately.
     
  14. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Vacations are Vegas and family.
    Two significantly different budgets.
     
  15. abileneblues

    abileneblues Low-Roller

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    I've thought about this

    For instance, we rented a bay house for a weekend for $1400, but I managed to book a suite in Vegas for $1100 for seven nights. I'm always comparing the price of the hotel with Vegas hotels. It ticks me off when I'm at a Residence Inn in some nowhere place and it costs more than a Resort King at Encore.
     
  16. slimmy28

    slimmy28 Low-Roller

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    Interesting question for sure. For me, my Vegas Vacations feature a much higher budget, however I have a chance of me coming home with some, most, all or heck even more than I started with. Other vacations I plan to spend most of my budget.

    For example, in August I'm taking my daughter to Chicago for a week. In December I'm going solo to LV for 4 days/3 nights. My Vegas budget is roughly 50% more than my Chicago budget. Biggest reason isn't bankroll either (although that's certainly an element of it). Biggest reason is when I go to Las Vegas, I like to splurge on dining, shows, etc. On trips with my 10 year old daughter, she's probably not too keen on a $200 dinner venue. Although we seek out unique eats that are local to where we are visiting, chances are the two of us will eat for under $50 for most meals.
     
  17. FXT

    FXT VIP Whale

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    Since flights to Vegas are cheap and we stay downtown, Vegas costs us next to nothing if we dont factor in the bankroll. Other vacations are usually 3x more.
     
  18. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

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    I would say once you balance everything out Vegas is more because of the airfare. Vegas is the only place we fly to. And we hardly gamble at all, so bankroll and comps don't factor in.
     
  19. ValerieJo

    ValerieJo High-Roller

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    Fall 4 day Trip to Vegas - usually somewhere around $1,000
    Spring 2 week Caribbean Cruise somewhere around $6,000

    Our Vegas trips are probably the least expensive vacations we take.
     
  20. mdee

    mdee VIP Whale

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    In the long run Vegas is cheaper because hotels - 95% of the time are comp'd. Vegas is the only place I will take a large amount of cash with me.
    My other domestic vacations will cost about the same as Vegas (including airfare) because I'm paying for hotels with money I'd normally take to Vegas.
    Trips to say Europe are a different matter all together. They'll cost me at least 3X more than what a domestic vacation would cost. But you only live once!
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2013
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