Vegas, Part Duex

I'm currently planning a week in Las Vegas, so it's sorta on my mind.

 

One thing I didn't mention in the previous Vegas post is Las Vegas Advisor.  This newsletter with a membership deal has the big advantage of a coupon booklet they call the Members Reward Booklet (used to be Pocketbook Of Values.)  The coupons range from a free hat and funbook up to a 50% discount on pretty much anything at Palms (up to $50 discount.)  That one coupon pays for a year's membership; more than pays for it if you don't get the paper newsletter.  Membership is $37/year online and $50/year for a printed newsletter mailed to you every month.  If you want the coupons delivered to you instead of picking them up at their office, that's an extra $3.50.

 

The newsletter was started by Anthony Curtis in 1983 and evolved over time to what it is now, it's continuing to evolve as technology, and Vegas, changes.

 

While you are visiting their site make sure you take a look at the forums.  Most are members-only, but the Vegas Free-For-All is, well, free for all.  Sadly it isn't the most information packed one, but I've seen a lot worse open forums.  One of their other offerings is their bookstore.  If you are frugal, check out the Frugal series by Jean Scott, the Queen of Comps.  Other notable authors that are available there are Stanford Wong, Ken Van Vecht, and of course Anthony Curtis.

 

I'm going to Vegas over Memorial Day weekend and will be there for almost a week, leaving Thursday and returning the following Wednesday.  By using a couple of coupons from the MRB and shopping for a room on Friday-Monday (most of the coupons are only valid Sunday-Thursday) on Travelaxe my total cost for lodging for that week will be <$225.  Allegiant had fares from Bellingham starting at $18.88 for the days I wanted to fly, so my rental car and airfare are ~$360.  That's less than I'd spend on gas driving there and back - and I save 40 hours of driving time.

 

I enjoy my time in Vegas, but I do it on my terms, not on the terms of the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau.  If you party like they show in the TV commercials, you are going to spend thousands of dollars a day, even with eating well, I'm not going to spend a thousand dollars for a week.  More than anywhere else I've been, Las Vegas is THE place to people watch; they let their guards down, they get stressed, they have fun.