Free @ The Flamingo

Sometimes we need something to do between breakfast and lunch.  Might I suggest walking around the Flamingo Sanctuary??
Its perfect in the morning, not many people, and some very cute wildlife.
We did this one morning after breakfast---

 

Mermaid not real. 

 

I truly enjoy gambling at the Flamingo during the day, its a quick walk from Bally's, and a great stop before Harrah's.  We have played at the Flamingo in the evening, too, and had just as much fun.  Seems the crowd is a bit older, but they tend to be what I favor.  Laid back and like to gamble!

Las Vegas Cheap

Las Vegas can be glamourous, ritzy, and expensive.  We see celebrities and notables in People, Cosmo, US Weekly, at some party or public relations event.  We are not celebrities or infamous realty tv experiments.   Let's face it.  It sucks out there.  Many people are underpaid, unemployed, or struggling financially.  I am a firm believer in Suze Orman's strategy of having an eight month reserve in the bank.  Now, I am no financial expert by any means, and I am not qualified to give out financial or mental health advice, but I think even if you don't have much, you can still enjoy a great time in Las Vegas on the cheap, all while recharging your brain and relaxing your spirit.  Here are a few of my "cheapie" tips:

1. Join the Players Club for all the casinos you can.  Even if you have never been to Las Vegas before, you can still join some of the player's clubs online.  Some casinos share the same players clubs, which makes it easier to accrue points and redeem comps.  Total Rewards is the players club for Caesars owned properties, and on the Strip, that would include: Caesars, Flamingo, Paris, Bally's, Planet Hollywood, Harrah's, Bills, and Rio.  What I love about Total Rewards how easy it is to add points to your account (to use later on comps or free rooms!) while at home.  They have an online marketplace that will add a point for every dollar you spend when you shop at any of their online merchants.  These are regular places I shop online at, anyways: JCPenny, Clinique, Old Navy, and so many more.  So, I bought clothes this year at jcp.com, but clicked on it while in my total rewards account, and I was rewarded with 300 additional points.  This now means that I have that many more points to get some free nights at Bally's the next time I stay!
2. Sign up at Restaurant.com.  As soon as I know what dates we are going to Las Vegas, I start hunting  for some good deals.  Restaurant.com will have seasonal sales that will mark down most $25 gift certificates to only $2.  There is some fine print attached to these, but you will save $$ using them when in Vegas.  I go there frequently throughout the year and pick up one or two certificates.  Spending $10 on a few gift certificates won't break me if we don't use them.  Before purchasing, I usually look where the restaurant is in relation to the Strip.  If they provide their menu online, that's a bonus to help me to make up my mind.  Usually, the gift certificates say that gratuity will be added to the bill, and their is a minimum price (so it feels more like a coupon, like $25 off a $50 bill).  You will save tons of money on restaurant.com.
3. Get your Groupon!  Groupon.com posts different deals daily, and there are a lot in Vegas.  If you aren't familiar with Groupon, its like a deal site.  If enough people sign up for the deal in a certain timeframe, the deal is on, and everyone will get it.  If not enough people sign up for the deal, but you do, you will get your money back and you don't get the deal.  I haven't ever had this problem.  The deals I want are so good that everyone else wants them too!  Its wonderful.  You can usually find discounted seats for shows and dining certificates on Groupon. 
4. Look at all dining options at the place you are going to stay.  We frequent Bally's.  I love it there, and its got great dining options.  The mexican restaurant has $2 tacos and $2 margaritas.  Nosh sandwich shop off

Slot Strategy

In anticipation for our upcoming trip this month, we went to a local casino yesterday for about an hour, just to keep our points on our loyalty card.

It was fun, just playing slots, but then I began to wonder if there is a good 'slot strategy' while in Vegas. 
I noticed my boyfriend rarely plays min bet, max lines.  He usually plays 2x bet, max lines. 
I like to play min bet, max lines.  If I don't win anything in 4 or 5 spins, I usually increase my bet, because I feel I have a greater chance (not probability) to winning something.

What do you do? How do you play your favorite slot??

I found The Wizard of Odds (www.wizardofodds.com) and the sister site, www.wizardofvegas.com .
Here is an interesting article about slot machine strategy:
http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/slots/

My father is a firm believer in playing the $1 and $5 Top Dollar Games.  You need to hit max bet, which could be 2x or 3x the bet, in order to have a chance at the bonus.  I do like $1 Top Dollar, but its easy to go through $20 in 5 minutes flat on this game if its not paying out. 

I have read in the past that its bet to hit max bet on nickel machines, which can run $2-$5 or more per spin.  Its very misleading to see 5cent machines, yet be spending $2 every 45 seconds!

Whatever your strategy, here's one piece of advice that can never hurt:  Only take with you the money you are prepared to lose that night (or session) in Las Vegas.  Its really easy to take twenty after twenty out and continue playing all the machines in your area, only to then notice your purse or wallet is starting to get very thin! 

Beautiful Bellagio