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Royal Flusher $1K Scrounge Trip

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Royal Flusher, Apr 24, 2016.

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  1. Multifarious5

    Multifarious5 VIP Whale

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    If you've got the room to bring a cheap portable I'd say do it! I prefer that to instant starbucks, but I prefer instant starbucks to a Vegas-priced starbucks...with a terrible line...like Carolineno pointed out wisely! Personally, I need the coffee to get OUT of the room in the morning, so having to walk my groggy fanny down to a long line at starbucks isn't a recipe for a happy morning me. :) (Plus I drink my coffee black, and don't really like their coffee despite it being pricey.)

    If you've got room for a mini-pot, I think that's a stellar idea! I'm actually excited to see what you can do with a tighter budget, I have full faith you'll still make it a great trip, and who knows, sometimes the trips you have to be more creative on money are sometimes the most memorable/fun!
     
  2. Candydave

    Candydave mid-roller

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    We bought a Capresso single serve coffee maker and then bring an extra coffee mug to make our own coffee in the morning. It really doesn't take up that much extra room in the suitcase. We also bring our own breakfast, such as banana bread and peanut butter, and that covers our breakfast. We then usually hit a buffet for lunch (3 free from MyVegas) and will go to Diamond Lounge for snacks for dinner. For the remainder of our meals, we like Backstage Deli at Luxor, Nosh Deli at Ballys, Chin Chin lunch buffet at New York New York, Tamba lunch buffet at Hawaiian Marketplace, Planet Hollywood buffet.

    We find that by eating a lunch buffet, it's cheaper than the dinner options, and then we don't need much for dinner. That saves us more money for gambling.
     
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  3. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Thanks Tring!
     
  4. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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  5. Vegas Erica

    Vegas Erica VIP Whale

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    Wowww thats really sneaky of the Plaza...
    I'd keep it for the time being but see if you can find something better.

    I tried doing a search on the American Casino Guide (i know it was one of your earlier suggestions). They used to have some BOGO hotel nights but on my glance I dont see any.
     
    Easter with my Peeps
  6. da1chifan

    da1chifan High-Roller

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    That's their problem they have the resort fee price wrong. Print it and bring it with you. Either insist they honor it or send copies of your final bill and confirmation email to your credit card company for a dispute.
     
  7. zenvegas

    zenvegas High-Roller

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  8. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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  9. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Let the torching of the Smug Nugget begin!!!
     
  10. Valgal

    Valgal VIP Whale

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    There is a groupon for the Market on Freemont street $14 for $20 worth of sandwiches, drinks, and groceries. Groupon frequently (like every week) has a 20% off local deals so that would be $11.20 for $20 worth of Groceries. It says one per customer but you can buy an additional one as a gift. I have done this before on others and used 2 for myself. You can send it as a gift to the Quad Queen and then use it too - even if she won't be there with you.
     
  11. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    Have they gotten rid of the smell of Budussy in the Plaza rooms yet? Last time I stayed there I had to move rooms since the first one smelled like my pet carpet cleaner stank tank.

    budussy.jpg
     
  12. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    Loving reading this!
    Have you considered using Lyft/Uber instead of renting a car? If you download the apps when you get to Vegas you can get quite a bit of credit--that would probably cover your back & forth from airport/strip/DT.
    If we were going DT I would DEFINITELY get the ACG & LVA coupon books.

    We have 2 in college this fall. But I am hell bent that DH & I take our annual July Vegas trip (we go more than annually...this is just the JULY trip:rolleyes2:)
    SO:
    2 free SWA trips (DH needs 200 points/I need about 1000--rapid rewards Visa will pump mine up as we put EVERYTHING on this; bought some ink on rapid rewards shopping on DH's acct this week...impatiently waiting...) Value: $880
    3 nights comped at Paris Red Room, no resort fees value: $575; will try $20 trick to get suite (value: MORE)
    2 nights comped at Cosmo terrace room, $34/nt resort fees: $550; will try $20 trick to get fountain view, possibly suite (value; MORE)
    $390 Visa gift cards to spend
    $75 reward credits to use for eating
    $100 Lettuce Entertain You gift card: good for dining at Mon Ami Gabi, Joe's Crab Shack
    2 Tickets to KA via MyVegas value $150
    2 Tickets to Fantasy via MyVegas value $100
    3 MyVegas dining options (not sure yet): probably $100ish value
    Uber/Lyft promos to cover transportation
    Working summer school: $2K for gambling for 2
    I am diamond (via Founders Card) so resort fees are free at CET; also will get 2 free show tickets (probably X Country) $80 value; $100 annual dining voucher (must be used at one time) plus entry into nightly diamond lounge--we eat large lunch, then eat light dinner in D. Lounge.
    Now that I write this all out, how can we NOT go??!! Seriously--it's like Vegas for FREE.:drunk::beer:
     
  13. spicole

    spicole No shirt, no shoes... NO DICE!

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    Flusher - not sure if you are accounting for it correctly or not, but the "resort credit" at MILF properties will not be applied towards the daily resort fees. If you are going to spend that much money on food and whatnot anyway, then it's all the same.

    I say screw the Plaza. Sure, everyone hates the resort fees, but they are deliberately deceptive about it.
     
  14. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Thanks - I wasn't sure on that point, looks like I will spending a bit more on food at Luxor and Mandalay Bay - exactly $100 worth. I'll just have to win enough to cover resort fees.
     
  15. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    I am loving this thread. I agree with some of the earlier posts that said frugal trips can be just as much fun. It adds to the excitement of the trip that you can figure out how to travel and eat for virtually nothing.

    A few additional thoughts.

    First, given that you will be in Vegas for a long trip, I'd totally ditch the rental car and get a 15-day all access pass. I think it is around $40 but you can use it for ANY bus, deuce, SDX travel, etc. etc.. I would buy it online (free standard shipping) and use it to get you from the airport to your hotel and back and use it throughout the valley, to go downtown and offstrip if there isn't otherwise a shuttle to take you there. Yes, it takes more time than driving but given that you are there for a good while, timing isn't really an issue and I think it makes it all more of an adventure. I did this a few years ago for a long trip (I was in Vegas for 3 weeks between jobs and my budget was very limited) and it was great. I used the time while I was on public transportation to finish planning out what I was going to do when I got to the specific destination, e.g., downtown. YEARS ago I even took a bus all the way out to Lucky Club! No desire to do that again but it is a source of pride for me that I did it! That and Opera House, etc. too, which is in an area to which probably most VMBers would not venture.

    Another advantage of not having a car is that there are no concerns about consuming alcoholic beverages.

    I agree about not burning your Boyd ADT but if you do have days where you will play a while at a Boyd property, say for example because there is a special big multiplier that day, I would maximize the ACG and MRB dining coupons. Multiple Boyd properties have ACG coupons where your buffet meal of choice is free for just 250 points and if you are over 50, I would take advantage of the promos I often see at Boyd and Stations properties where for minimal play you get a free breakfast, lunch or dinner buffet.

    Take a small coffee pot as others have suggested if coffee is important to you and some breakfast bars. When you do hit a buffet throw some pieces of fruit into a bag and now the following morning you can have coffee, a breakfast bar and fruit -- a nice breakfast -- for "free."

    I gotta tell you, this thread is making me super excited!

    Add: Can't remember if you said you were Diamond or not but if you have some Diamond or Seven Stars friends on the board who will be there when you will be, make sure you connect! I am Seven Stars and I can bring 2 people into a Diamond Lounge with me. I am a major UNDERutilizer of Diamond Lounges generally and when I go I am often solo. If I were going solo I'd be totally happy to take a fellow VMBer or two that I know with me if I'm going anyway because even if I am low rolling that day I've hit my ADT anyway by visiting the lounge.

    You can totally DO THIS!

    Another ADD: Ditto the post about signing up for Uber and Lyft if you haven't already but WAIT to do that until just before your trip because while there are great promo codes they will often be for a set period of time. When I signed up for Lyft my first five rides were close to free + tip because it was $10 off for each of the first five rides, so if you didn't want to take the bus from the airport to your hotel you could use Lyft for something like that or if it is late at night and you are in an odd place and don't want to wait for the bus you could order Uber or Lyft from that location to get you back to home base.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2016
  16. jpfromla

    jpfromla RFB

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    Royal Flusher - big fan of your blog. A few thoughts. both you and QQ are Gold at Boyd. You need only one Gold Card ...burn your adt there, QQ has your back when you are there. I would consider (not this trip) but another, when the bank roll is more stable, is to go for Diamond at CET...just you. This gives you and QQ access to the Diamond Lounge daily (and takes the edge off of needing to get play in). If you do a 1000 pts in one CET day you get an additional 1000bonus and until June 30, anothrr 50% on top of that. This is a tier play not an RC play. 5 days you are in. Your play over the years would support this. anyway, love the blog...I'm there in mid May, I'll give you the DL tour....
     
  17. queentata

    queentata VIP Whale

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    OMG!!! Seriously spit my coffee!! Haven't heard that word in awhile. Still funny!
     
  18. queentata

    queentata VIP Whale

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    Love these tips. Can't wait to see how it works out. Need to go back to your site to check your dates. We will be at Paris June 15-22. If this coincides with your trip, would LOVE to buy you a drink.
     
  19. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    I did Lyft last trip, waited until I was in Vegas to sign up. This time I'll do Uber to get me from the airport to my hotel. I did book a car so that's done, I want to be able to get right out of Vegas.

    Still looking for the right coffee pot or kettle. I wonder if I went to the lost and found at the hotel they'd have one that someone else ditched.?...
     
  20. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Thanks for the info. The problem is... what do you play to get it? I think I may start handing out savvy business cards outside the Diamond lounges.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thanks!
     
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