Friday, Brad and I got lucky at the Palms. We scored a total of $48 on our six Megabucks free pulls (regular and check-cashing ones) – which is $48 more than we usually get. And when we cashed our checks, although Brad got a free Budweiser (that he can’t drink because of the meds he is on), for the third time in the last four months or so, I got $50 free play! Best results since I got the double-your-check swipe a couple of years ago when I cashed my Social Security check.

Yes, the government keeps encouraging us to use direct deposit. In fact, one government organization told Brad he MUST use direct deposit for one of his pensions (VA or civil service, I can’t remember which) unless it would “cause him financial difficulty.” So he signed and sent in the official request, checking off the “financial difficulty” square (but not explaining about casino check-cashing benefits) and they haven’t bothered him since.

Saturday brought another smile. A 30% coupon had come in the R-J insert from Savers, my all-time favorite thrift store (with branches in all parts of Vegas), and I spent a couple hours shopping, once again amazed at all the bargains you could find if you looked carefully.

Now, before you write any smartsy-fartsy comments, I have plenty of money to buy anything I want in the fanciest (and most expensive) store in Vegas. But that doesn’t give you any extra points in the frugal game that I love. I don’t shop as much in thrift stores these days as I did when my daughter and then my grandkids were little, because I’m into simplifying my life and that kind of shopping takes a lot of time and energy, neither of which I have an abundance these days. But it was fun to go with a frugalite girlfriend: Brad enjoys this game better in a casino. Dollars saved are dollars earned – plus we earned a bunch of frugal points,

Then Sunday brought a really lucky and surprising event. My mystery free play at Green Valley Ranch, usually around $20, plus or minus a few dollars, was a whopping $500!

Sure, we’ve had weekends with bigger wins – much bigger. But probably none that earned us more frugal fun points!

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