Day 7 Tuesday Sept 10, 2024
I woke just before dawn and watched the sun come up over the smoke-shrouded mountains.
After yesterday's quad-fest, I almost wished I was going home today. I feel pretty satisfied with how this trip has gone. I've had fun, hung out with friends, and I'm up on the trip. I re-learned that I could really enjoy being here alone. The only box unticked is getting a Royal.
I decided I would set a limit of $100 for the day to ensure that this trip ends up a winner - something that is tough to do. Consider two trips ago, I was even until the last two days, and then lost $300 a day to finish down $600. And last trip was a complete blowout, with a loss of $2400 (but think of the comped rooms!).
And, I suppose it can be said that part of that loss has come back as the room offers I enjoyed this trip.
In any case, I intend to finish a winner. I just need discipline.
Does anyone have some they can lend me?
The morning went as usual, with some Punishment Nuts and coffee, and typey-typey.
Remember when I said I didn't trust MGM's accounting systems? I checked my folio and sure enough, $11 is on the bill for dinner Hussong's. I happen to know that I'd charged about $80 to the room, plus the $33 boofay - which the front desk Sheila told me to put on the room and it would be taken care of.
So, what clearly happened was that it was not taken care of, putting me over the $100 resort credit by $11 when you add the four things together. That's why half a Hussong was on there.
Same old shit. Another visit to the front desk.
I had a good idea how to deal with this though. I explained the situation and pointed out how crappy the internet is in my room - and it is spectacularly useless.
I'll cut to the chase. I negotiated the removal of the boofay from my bill, and the covering of the rest of Hussong's - and, the removal of one night's resort fee to cover the second boofay.
This is pretty good because I'd already had one boofay comped by the slot boothling on arrival, and now I've had a second one comped and I've saved the cost of a resort fee out of pocket for what the desk thinks is the second boofay - except I'm not going to pay cash. I'm keeping the $37 plus tax saving on the resort fee and using comp dollars.
If you followed all that, you deserve a medal.
On top of that, I still have $20 of room on my resort credit. I'll probably 'splurge' on a Johnny Rocket's $22 cheeseburger.
I can't believe it's come to this. Gouge, gouge, gouge, every time you turn around.
That sorted, I went to work on the video poker. I had a decent session, dwindling my hundred dollar stake down to almost nothing over the course of a couple of hours or so, and then winning most of it back.
I had one quad in there, of little consequence.
Next stop, lunch, and the only thing worth noting was that I found a bag of drugs on the floor. I didn't touch it, and alerted the boofay staff, who sent the chef over, who happened to be standing nearby watching for people who might be stuffing green apples in their pockets or something.
The chef watched over the drugs until help arrived.
I had just enough comp dollars to cover lunch, which was made up of this and that and another omelette.
I like a good snag as much as any larrikin, mate, but you can keep your apostrophes out of my bottom.
After lunch, I took a break in the room, including a half hour shower and a shave. I'm on a well at home, and do without such things until I get to Florida for the winter.
Then, video poker, the final conflict. The $100 lasted an hour and a quarter. I did get a few quads, but not nearly enough of them to keep it going.
And that's it. Gambling done.
Damn.
No Royal this trip. Again. The last one was May, 2022.
I took a walk outside to warm up - the casino is frigid. I'm not walking as much today, so I put a few steps on, anyway.
And that's pretty much it for this trip. I shut it down and stuck to my guns and preserved the win.
I had a quiet night at Excalibur, and I'm awake early to get my ass to the airport and get home.
Budget
Without a doubt, my goal to be a Cheap Magnificent Bastard has been accomplished. Not only did I pretty much stay within my budget, I managed to win money in Las Vegas.
And I had a great time doing it.
To date, I have not paid out of pocket for a meal on this trip, but that will change today during the trip home.
The most amazing part is the incredible support shown me by you savvy readers.
I thank you one and all for all of the ko-fi and PayPal donations. I don't have a huge readership, but my followers are loyal.
If I didn't have anybody to tell what happened on these trips, I'd feel a lot more lonely. You make it fun.
One of the best things on this trip - if not the best - was spending time with friends I've made through the blog.
Actual Total Expenses so far are $501.
I spent a little extra on the flight by paying for window seats near the front of the plane. I'll desperately need that on the way home, because my layover in Philadelphia is less than an hour.
I also spent on Lyft, which I hadn't budgeted for.
My bill at Excalibur is $125 and I'd budged $176, so that kind of covers the Lyft charges. And I only bought one $10 three day bus pass, not two.
I expect I will incur some charges on the way home - there will be a Lyft to the airport, not the bus, and I'll have to eat something at some point - I'm finishing the last of the punishment nuts as I write this.
The gambling, compared to other typical trips, was stellar.
I'm leaving Las Vegas with more cash than I arrived with.
I had 4 winning days and 3 losing days for a total win on the trip of $242.
If that isn't being a Cheap Magnificent Bastard, I don't know what is.
Stay savvy,
Royal Flusher