Author Topic: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?  (Read 3684 times)

Eagles

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« on: August 04, 2018, 05:07:52 PM »
Hi,

I'm going to a friends wedding in Vegas next month & as much as we'll have a great time, I'm dreading the expense.

The people I'm going with are going to be spending big, wanting to do things that cost $$$$ whether its fancy restaurants, events, day trips etc...

How on earth do i manage to keep my spending to a minimum, without coming across as a bore & spoiling our groups time by coming across as a tight-ass?

obstinate

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1147
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2018, 05:25:31 PM »
Vegas is not particularly expensive, for any given level of consumption. Shows are cheaper there than in the Big Apple or the Bay Area. Same with food, hotels, and "experiences."

Basically, if you stay away from gambling, and otherwise behave as you ordinarily would on a vacation (skip the helicopter champagne tour) you should be fine.

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2018, 08:29:07 PM »
Do you play poker bc that's something you can say you really want to do while you're there and control the time you do it and spending amounts.

Mezzie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 816
    • Mezzie Learns
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2018, 08:06:47 AM »
We have family in Vegas and go pretty frequently. It doesn't have to be bad at all. You can score free shows, go to free or cheap museums, hang out in Old Town...

Check out sone Groupon deals for ideas that might meet your friends' fancy tastes and your budget. :)

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2018, 11:13:15 AM »
There is a place on the strip.with bottomless drinks all day for like 30 bucks. They usually have a Groupon see if you can convince them to slum it there

onlykelsey

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2167
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2018, 11:28:40 AM »
Go hiking!!!!  There are so many amazing spots within 45 minutes of the strip. 

obstinate

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1147
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2018, 04:05:26 PM »
That being said, if your friends are all wanting to go to Celine Dion concerts or whatever . . . I would say you probably have to suck it up, at least for a fraction of the events, or else have a really good excuse. The time to dip was before agreeing to go with them to the wedding. :P

mozar

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3503
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2018, 07:03:17 PM »
I had a nice time in Vegas as a cheap mother daughter trip. Got a deal at the hotel, went to some reasonably priced buffets and took a day trip to grand Canyon, oh yeah and went horseback riding.

dcheesi

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1309
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2018, 09:21:57 AM »
The problem isn't the location, it's the company. You've got to navigate the social obligations to avoid

Restaurants: Find ways to bow out of unnecessary meals (e.g., breakfast/brunch can usually be avoided with sleepy/hung-over type excuses), but accept that you're going to be going to some dinners and spending some money. Figure out early whether they're the type to itemize, or just split the bill evenly; nothing sucks worse than limiting yourself to the cheapest food/drink, only to wind up on the hook for an equal share of everyone else's extravagance!

For things like day trips, consider finding alternatives like the ones folks have already suggested, especially if it's something of particular interest to you. Frame it more as you wanting to do something different on your own, as opposed to a money issue. Still might not go over well, but at least you have a better chance of not looking like a party-pooper.


Eagles

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2018, 11:56:40 AM »
Really appreciate all of your advice.

Dcheesi - Very enlightening. I was focusing the blame on the location instead of my company!

Thanks very much!

DrMoney

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 37
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2018, 03:27:55 PM »
My favorite thing to do is sit in the Keno room at the Golden Nugget and drink for "free" while spending $1 every 15 minutes or so on a keno card. Made 7 bucks after about three hours, and had several free drinks while catching up with friends.

Laserjet3051

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 904
  • Age: 95
  • Location: Upper Peninsula (MI)
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2018, 04:39:56 PM »
Try sticking to the $20 (per hand) blackjack and $1 (chips) roulette tables?

HPstache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2858
  • Age: 37
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2018, 05:29:45 PM »
Try sticking to the $20 (per hand) blackjack and $1 (chips) roulette tables?

There are a handful of $5 per hand tables, but you have to know where to find them, and they're usually only available at off peak hours.  They also usually come with 6/5 payout on a Blackjack vs the standard 3/2.  If not, there are certainly quite a few $10 tables with 3/2 payouts, most casino floors have at least one.

Regarding being 'Mustachian' in Vegas it's very doable.  You can spend the first night wandering the strip watching free outdoor shows at the Bellagio, the Mirage, inside the Forum shops, etc.  It's too bad that they don't have the free show at Treasure Island any more, that one was always pretty good.  Find out which other hotels are in the "family" of hotels for which you are staying, you can often use your room card to check out many different pools on the strip.  It is a pretty fun place to go, 3 nights is my max personally...  After that I just get burnt out.  Have some fun though, Mustachianism isn't just about being cheap.

LAGuy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 318
  • Age: 49
  • Location: Los Angeles
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2018, 06:16:50 PM »
You know, it's funny we're even having this conversation. Vegas once upon time used to be the ultimate Mustacian holiday destination, assuming you could limit/not participate in the gambling. It's certainly not the bargain it was 20 to 30 years ago. Still, you can have a pretty good bargain vacation downtown with lots of cheap buffets, shows, stupid stuff to do, etc.

shawndoggy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2018, 04:26:18 PM »
You know, it's funny we're even having this conversation. Vegas once upon time used to be the ultimate Mustacian holiday destination, assuming you could limit/not participate in the gambling. It's certainly not the bargain it was 20 to 30 years ago. Still, you can have a pretty good bargain vacation downtown with lots of cheap buffets, shows, stupid stuff to do, etc.

50 cent shrimp cocktails at the Golden Gate, anyone?

haha yeah, back in the day LV (basically pre-Mirage) was WAY cheaper than now.  Dollar drinks, dollar tables, $10 buffets (for a nice one), etc. 

Nowadays, bleh!  The strip is just gross.  A bunch of "what happens here stays here" doofuses stumbling around with yard long margarita necklaces while some dude in a scruffy looking cookie monster costume shamelessly harasses you for $$ to take a picture with him and the strip club dudes are shoving Girls!Girls!Girls! propaganda in your face.  One of the nine circles of hell right there, right up there with a day at Disneyland for me. 

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2018, 06:20:46 AM »
Downtown vegas is still pretty cheap if you can convince your friends to "slum" it down there.  I like fremont street. and prefer to go there over the strip.

Zola.

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 421
  • Location: UK
  • Let's do this.
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2018, 08:20:49 AM »
I once stayed for 2 weeks in USA hostels in lower Fremont Street with some friends, it was so cheap, had a pool, hot tub etc.

Its in the old vegas, which is fine, you can get the duece bus up to the main strip for next to nothing.

shawndoggy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2018, 11:16:33 AM »
Downtown vegas is still pretty cheap if you can convince your friends to "slum" it down there.  I like fremont street. and prefer to go there over the strip.

As a Nevadan, I must thank you for your patronage.  But Fremont St?  Good god.  That's like the worst of our culture all boiled down into one supercharged dose of human depravity right there.  Gross. (but thanks for coming and please spend spend spend!)

Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock, mountain biking (Blue Diamond or Boulder City), Nelson's Landing (CO river under the dam), are all totally worthy / healthy / beautiful / wonderous, and within an hour (or less) of the strip.


boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #18 on: August 08, 2018, 02:48:11 PM »
Downtown vegas is still pretty cheap if you can convince your friends to "slum" it down there.  I like fremont street. and prefer to go there over the strip.

As a Nevadan, I must thank you for your patronage.  But Fremont St?  Good god.  That's like the worst of our culture all boiled down into one supercharged dose of human depravity right there.  Gross. (but thanks for coming and please spend spend spend!)

Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock, mountain biking (Blue Diamond or Boulder City), Nelson's Landing (CO river under the dam), are all totally worthy / healthy / beautiful / wonderous, and within an hour (or less) of the strip.

agreed i've done all of those as well.  I typically make money when i come to vegas playing poker and sports betting.  so if i'm going to do something Vegasy - its going to be the fremont if i have my choice.  the OP is "going to Vegas" for a wedding i highly doubt the rest of the crew is thinking about mountain biking or site seeing the valley of fire.  Nevada is on my short list of states i'll claim i live in when I FIRE due to no income tax and its proximity to the best national parks in the country IMO.

shawndoggy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #19 on: August 08, 2018, 04:59:45 PM »
Nevada is on my short list of states i'll claim i live in when I FIRE due to no income tax and its proximity to the best national parks in the country IMO.

There's much to see on the north end of the state too!

Prolly just the bias of growing up with gambling and casino-stink (go in for 5 minutes and you smell like you have a pack a day habit), but it just holds zero appeal for me.

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: Can i be a "Mustachian" in Vegas?
« Reply #20 on: August 08, 2018, 05:42:41 PM »
Nevada is on my short list of states i'll claim i live in when I FIRE due to no income tax and its proximity to the best national parks in the country IMO.

There's much to see on the north end of the state too!

Prolly just the bias of growing up with gambling and casino-stink (go in for 5 minutes and you smell like you have a pack a day habit), but it just holds zero appeal for me.

Yep been up to Tahoe too would like to live there but the cost is  too high