Money. It's A Gas.

-


Got the 401k loan in the bank today.

Sucks that I had to use it, but TBH it's just sitting there anyway, the market's been getting killed lately it's not like I'm losing a lot of gained interest on $4K. Doesn't hurt the cushion too much either. Would I love to have had the discipline to do the save organically, sure, but honestly I just don't care that much about Vegas anymore to make the daily sacrifice.

It's something I haven't talked about much here, since this a Vegas blog, after all. But I don't have the passion for the trips that I used to. I was obsessed with Vegas, for the better part of a decade. I was more than willing to make the life compromises needed to fund the trips, and more of them. Yes, I have more financial obligations now (the car, mainly), but I also used to give up weekends out, or skimping on food and basic spending, to make the save number.

It's really the only time in my life that I have been able to save for a goal. I've always been money in, money out my whole life. The only thing I ever cared enough about to make sacrifices for was Vegas, but I don't feel that way anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still greatly enjoy the trips, and look forward to them, but not with the kind of feverishness I used to. Next month will be fun and I will certainly get pumped as I get closer, but I don't spend every waking moment thinking about Vegas anymore, like I did say, 10 years ago.

Next month will be trip 57 since 2011. That's 15 years of trips, averaging nearly 4 trips a year. I've had some amazing times there, some memories I'll hold as long as I breathe. But honestly it's gotten routine. Not in a bad way, just that I have the planning and prep down to a science. I know what works for me on these trips and what doesn't, I have a loose plan and I generally stick to it. It hasn't become boring, but it's just another standard part of my life now. When it's vacation time, it's Vegas, automatic.

Anyway, yeah. Another trip 30 days out, let's start getting the hype going.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Xmas Redux.

-
Image
  Redid the thing. I had 6 nights booked at MGM Grand in the new Exec King Suite for the Xmas trip. Nice, fine, but it was going to cost me $180. I don't like cost. So there I am, bullshitting my way through another hideous day at my hideous job, and what pops up in my email but an offer from the lovely Fontainebleau for 2 fully comped, no resort fee nights in an upgraded Bleau Mountain View King. Both nights of which worked on the days I was going to be in town. I love the 'Bleau, and have wanted to stay there since they opened. So, bing boom bang, booked. The Saturday and Sunday nights too, which I would have thought would have costed me, but NO. Then I rebooked with MGM, and snagged 4 fully comped nights at the also lovely Mandalay Bay, in the really nice Elite King suite, which for my (limited) money is one of the best junior suites on the strip. So now I have 6 fully comped nights in two gorgeous resorts over the holiday. Normally I would look down on resort swapping duri...
Read more

Xmas Done Deal.

-
Image
The inevitable Xmas Vegas is set. Booked the flight and hotel tonight. Was waiting for a good flight deal and found one for a late flight in on Saturday night the 20th, will arrive at about 10:30p. Wasn't digging the early AF morning flights in, too much trouble waiting around to get into the room. This way I'll have the room ready at arrival, can just print a key and head up, and be settled in for a full 5 day trip. Then it's an out time on the fly out day of around 11a, home by a reasonable time and no waiting around in the room to head to the airport, which I hate. $154 all in for the flights, which is damn good for Xmas week. The room will be an Executive King Suite at the Grand. Newly remodeled, they look a lot brighter and airier that the rather dour old Exec suites. Comped for 4 of the 6 nights, all in after taxes and removed resort fees it's around $180. Adding the extra night means about $100 over the suite I had booked at MB, but it's still a hell of a dea...
Read more

T-Minus 10 Days.

-
Image
In just 10 short days I will be on the ground in Vegas. It almost feels a little unreal. It's been so, damn, long since the last trip. It's been tough to get a heat on for this one but it's here now. Good room, great resort, good location, should be a good time all around. I so need a week to just fucking relax and get out of my own head. Was thinking about adding a night on the back end if I got an even bigger bonus in my review today. No more bonus but a 6% raise, which is better in the long run. So the trip is locked. I committed to "just" 5 days at the start of this after the Junepocalypse and I'm sticking to it. I really can't get myself into too much financial trouble on this one and that's going to make it more enjoyable. If I blow through the $5K in cash I'll take, fine, but no more lasting damage than that will be done. No more coming home to $7K in CC debt on top of cash broke. My SF weekend adventures for the month are over too, which wi...
Read more