Jean Scott's Frugal Vegas

I am happy that a lot of players are finding this monthly series helpful to them.  I see many of you are taking my advice to be very flexible.  Out-of-towners are looking to find a way to move their play away from the Strip when they can’t find good options there, utilizing rental cars, shuttles, taxis, buses, or even their own two feet.  This is the way we did it for many years, back before we moved to Vegas, and many smart gamblers are still doing it today.

I want to emphasize that this isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list. Read more… »

Okay, I’m finally rested up after ten wonderful but non-stop days with two always-energetic teenage girls.  So, now for the rest of the senior-moment story I started earlier.

First, a response to some of your questions and comments:   It was interesting that many other players shared similar experiences, including those who said that they were not seniors. So I guess it is just a problem with being human! Read more… »

Brad and I have been busy entertaining our granddaughter and her friend  during their 10-day visit with us, our graduation gift to Kaitlynn.  So much fun – and very little time for mundane things like video poker and blogs!  Here are some pictures that show some of the action Read more… »

Let’s face it squarely – neither Brad’s nor my mind is as sharp as it used to be.  In a casino especially we find we need to compensate for this.  We play slower and make our sessions shorter so we don’t play tired. We depend on each other when one has a “senior moment” and needs to check a strategy rule.

So in and out of casinos, this teamwork usually works pretty well.  However, for several years we have kidded around about what would happen if we both get hit with a senior moment at the same time.   Well…….it happened…..and it wasn’t very funny. Read more… »

Do you like to try something before you buy it? Here is something for all of you who like to study about gambling in order to increase your knowledge  and thus perhaps increase your bankroll.  Although the title of this resource contains the word “blackjack,” you also will find video poker information and general gambling topics. Read more… »

This is the monthly promotions list I promised so both out-of-towners as well as Vegas locals can have more information to help them find better plays.  Some caveats here:  This is by no means an exhaustive list but just what I have found in my own mailers, my treks around town, and my Internet research.  I will not be giving complete details – you need to check casino Web sites and make in-person inquiries, especially since casinos can be guilty of changing the rules mid-stream.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this is not a basic tool. Read more… »

I promised that I would eventually talk about gambling during our recent Atlantic City vacation.  Although this was primarily a recreational visit for us to an area which we hadn’t explored for five years, it was a Harrah’s Seven Stars event; and our custom is to play when we are being comped.  (You don’t have to, of course, but not playing is the very best way to keep those “pesky” promotions from filling up your mailbox!)

Sometimes I get e-mails or comments complaining that Brad and I can find so many good plays because we live in Las Vegas but that an out-of-towner is out of luck. Read more… »

Not  everything went like clockwork on our Atlantic City trip, but we are big on having fun and not letting small glitches spoil things for us.   I like what Abraham Lincoln said:  “I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.”

I have found that detailed pre-planning helps to side-step many problems Read more… »