Poll : 18 December - 31 December 2013

Analysis

• "Not that I like to admit it, but I have sat at a penny machine and put a $10 bill in and only pushed the button when the waitress was in the area in order to get 'free' drinks (yes, I still tipped the waitress $1 a drink, but it was a lot cheaper than buying the drinks outright)."
  
  "Nothing says frugal than eating at "Mickie Dees" in Vegas. Done it several times. It seems to taste better here!"
  
  
• "I’m sure many people have done this but I often buy a cheap cooler from Walgreens to fill with ice and use a refrigerator instead of paying $15 a night for a mini-fridge."
  
  
• "One year, I used frequent flier miles for the airfare, had free hotel rooms downtown, coupons for free buffets, and points for other free food. That's also the same year I took the bus from the airport to downtown (when the bus station was comfortably close to the hotels - it's not anymore). That was one of my best "frugal" times.It's a fun challenge to use the coupons or points to maximize savings on transportation, lodging, and entertainment."
  
  
• "Bought and followed Max Rubin’s Comp City. I have Jean’s "Frugal" books but find Comp City better suited to my style." [Ed: Ah, you must be a wild one LOL. Just kidding: We lovelovelove Max and he's still up to the same tricks, acting like a high roller and scoring as much free stuff as he possibly can. He's always a blast to hang out with.]
  
  
• "We often split meals by ordering the small/large way, as portions are often oversized and this saves most plate charges.Not all hotel rooms have fridges and some of them just don't keep the food cold enough."
  
  
• "This past summer I got 3 separate two-night-free offers from the B-Connected club to stay at the Orleans and checked in and out sequentially for 6 nights free, including dining credits and waived resort fees. Two of the offers were in a postcard and the third was through the website. Pretty generous offerings to a very low roller such as myself. One night between two of the stays I actually was required to leave, so I splurged on a $33 room at the Suncoast.
  
  Also: During the dark pit of the recession I stayed 10 nights using Hotels.com, mostly in the $40-60 range, and got a free room up to $400, which my wife and I used for a penthouse suite at the Bellagio (a Thursday one-night stay during a slow week was $399 back then). They were out of one-bedroom suites so my wife and I were upgraded to a 2-bedroom. It was the fanciest hotel room we ever have and I'm pretty sure ever will stay in in our lives, and was completely ridiculous for the two of us: as big as our house, with 2 master suites and a total of 5 bathrooms, and we were able to steer clear of the usual Bellagio riff raff by being welcomed to the VIP check-in area for suite guests. On our way there, we both contracted the flu, so most of our time was spent in bed convalescing. While that resulted in much of our time being spent in the room, the line passes we got for the buffet turned out to be a complete waste because we couldn't eat a thing. Don't look for this offer: Hotels.com changed their policy, probably the very next day."
  
  
• ""Attended horrific timeshare presentations and looked into trash cans for discarded coupons." [Ed: Dumpster diving for coupons? Wow, not even Jean Scott does that LOL. Hardcore!]
  
  
• "Since I've figured out all the free shuttle routes and times, I have not paid for too many other transportation options over the past few years. Saved a ton!"
  
  
• "As I was getting kicked out of a casino, still requested to use my coupon for my Free Bottle of Beer!"
  
  
• "For the past 3 years, I donated blood in exchange for 2 tickets to the Penn &Teller show. It's a win win for all involved."
  
  
• "I don't think anyone could hold a candle to my frugality in Las Vegas. I have met both Anthony Curtis AND Jean Scott at one of Scott's book signings at the Palms. Back then I used to fly to town once or twice a year and redeem every coupon I could. Changed hotels 3 times during a trip to take advantage of cheap rates, moved downtown on the weekends where things (used) to be cheaper. Staying in places like Ogden House and the Gold Spike. I ate most meals at a buffet or killed my stomach eating at Mermaids or Westward Ho's hot dog! Some people do coupon run days.....my entire TRIP was a coupon run. I have NEVER rented a car in Las Vegas. I've only taken a taxi twice in my 12 years of coming to town. I know the RTC like the back of my hand and pay the $5 locals rate...not the $8 dollar crappy Strip rate.
  
  I'm so frugal [Ed: We feel a joke coming on here...] that to save money on airfare...I became a flight attendant [Ed: Whoaa!] 8 years ago so that I could come to town on a consistent basis and I do just that. I got back from a 3-night stay just yesterday. I stayed 1 night with a friend, got 1 night at Terrible's aka Silver Sevens, and stayed my third night with another friend. Becoming a flight attendant was the best decision I ever made. I now pull in about 60k a year.....and can afford to stay in nice places in LV...but I rarely if ever do. Why stay in a $100 hotel room when I can stay in a $20 hotel room and use that $80 on other things, especially since I'm in Vegas and won't be in the room most of the time anyway? Please keep up the good work on LVA and I hope to become a subscribing member once again in 2014.
  
  
• "The thing that saves me the MOST money EVER is your spectacular Las Vegas Advisor coupon book. I will NEVER go to Vegas without one, EVER. Did I mention, NEVER? With all of the fabulous bargains, never mind paying for itself, it pays for my trip. Why would anybody not sign up? And I LOVE the newsletters. We literally saved hundreds (I kept track!) between the coupons and hot insider tips on everything from pay schedules to freebies and upgrades you have to know to ask for. I cannot WAIT to do the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues! And another cheapo thing I do is pick my booklet up at your offices instead of having it mailed to me! Now that's really being cheap!Thanks for your hard work in negotiating these great deals!" [Ed: It's Anthony you can thank for all that and hell, it's not "cheap" picking up the MRB from our office -- that $3.50 you saved could a free beer -- or even two or three! This feedback actually sounds like it might've been written by AC's mom, but we assure you that it's genuine input from a subscriber. We're just happy you love our products so much -- if you haven't yet checked out the 2014 package, we're pretty sure you'll be more than happy ;-) Thanks for such a compelling endorsement.]