How 15 Minutes Saves Me Hundreds Every Time I Visit Vegas
Everything I pack before I leave home… and the one stop I make before checking in.
Well… It happened again. I wrote a newsletter and did some posts about the “convenience tax” in Las Vegas, and people immediately ran to praise the ABC, CVS, Walgreens, and Beer special that includes beer you don’t actually ever drink…
Let me ask you something… Do you regularly shop at these places at home? They’re always priced pretty high. In Vegas, you get lost in the fact that it’s cheaper than the casino, but you’re still grossly overpaying. It amazes me that people will pay $30 for a cocktail but not an extra $10 for an Uber / Lyft / Taxi stop on the way to the hotel…
Also, who wants to carry supplies down the strip, through the hotel, and to your room?
So I’m gonna share my plan with the list that saves me hundreds a trip and probably thousands a year.
Before I ever check into a hotel in Las Vegas…
I make one stop.
Not CVS.
Not Walgreens.
Not ABC Stores.
One pickup order that I have already scheduled from home, and five minutes later, I’m done buying almost everything the Strip will try to sell me for the next four days. It’s so stupidly simple that you might think…. duh…..but I promise I have mentioned this to hundreds of people and seen the lightbulb go off in their heads. Every person that travels with me seems to call me the week after and say how much more fun they had not coming back to a bill triple their mortgage…
Here’s the exact routine.
Before I Leave Home
↓
Land at LAS (order already waiting)
↓
5-minute pickup
↓
Hotel (bellhop takes order with the bags)
↓
Vacation starts
Don’t Pay the “I Forgot It” Tax
These cost almost nothing to pack.
On the Strip they become emergency purchases.
✓ Phone charger
✓ Portable battery
✓ Charging brick
✓ Watch charger
✓ Ibuprofen / Tylenol
✓ Pepcid
✓ Allergy medicine
✓ Blister pads / Band-Aids
✓ Prescription meds
✓ Sunscreen
Become Your Own Hotel Gift Shop
✓ Refillable insulated bottle / Yeti
✓ Small insulated tote or collapsible cooler
✓ Zip-top bags
✓ Electrolyte packets (Liquid I.V., LMNT, etc.)
✓ K-cups (most rooms already have the coffee machine)
Things I Request Before I Even Arrive
☐ Refrigerator (tell the hotel it’s for medication)
☐ Late checkout if status allows
☐ High floor
☐ Strip view, only if it’s worth paying for, or if status allows free upgrade
☐ Digital key, use the app to check in the day before if available
☐ Early check-in if status allows
My Vegas Pickup Order
☐ Water
☐ Wine
☐ Creamer (ok… Baileys)
☐ Beer
☐ Liquor
☐ Mixers
☐ Coke / Dr. Pepper
☐ Peanut butter filled Pretzels
☐ Chips
☐ Jerky
☐ Cider
☐ Snack Mix / Candy
☐ Disposable cups
People always ask which store is best.
Honestly? It depends on whether I am condo living at Vdara or staying elsewhere, but I’ve used.
Total Wine -Just south of Mandalay, probably the easiest.
Sam’s Club. -Great if you are in a condo on the strip.
Walmart.
Target. (not the one on the strip, they have a “convenience upcharge.”
Just be aware of the store’s pickup times and your flight. Even if you run the next day, you’re still saving a ton, and if you don’t want to buy liquor or beer (but, where’s the fun in that) some services will deliver to the hotel lobby.
The store doesn’t matter.
The order waiting does.
You’ll be back in the Uber within minutes. Water alone is worth it.
Things I Never Buy on the Strip
Water
Coffee
Pain reliever
Sunscreen
Phone chargers
Snacks
Beer
Basic liquor
Soda
Things Worth Paying Vegas Prices For
Great dinners (even the uber off the strip)
Shows
Specialty Cocktails
Blackjack
Spa
Concerts
A room upgrade
A memory
The First Thing After Check-In
Before I even unpack…
I make sure the refrigerator I requested is actually in the room.
If not, that’s my first phone call.
It’s amazing how much money a cold bottle of water saves over four days.
If you’re going to end up carrying drinks around the casino later anyway, start with the insulated bag. You can already be on beer number two before you even leave the property. You’ll likely need a bag for stuff anyway, and they make some great insulated backpacks these days.
The Real Difference
Most people think Vegas gets expensive the moment they check in.
I think it gets expensive the moment they stop planning.
Fifteen minutes before your vacation starts can completely change what your money buys for the rest of the weekend.
And for the “if you can’t afford it, don’t go” crowd…. You crack me up because…
You meal prep.
You shop at Costco.
You buy gas where it’s cheaper.
You wait for Amazon Prime Day.
You use coupons.
You comparison shop.
You take the cheapest flight that’s at 5 am!!
You’re already doing the exact same thing at home, but somehow think it’s “cheap” in Vegas.
If your idea of luxury is paying three times the price for the exact same bottle of water because it’s downstairs…
Go for it.
Mine is spending that extra money on another great meal, another blackjack session, another concert, or one more night in Vegas.
-Jason
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As always, my thoughts are my own; they are NOT sponsored, I pay for my experiences, and I reserve the right to praise and talk shit about whoever and wherever I feel warranted… Hope you enjoy!