Thrifty in Las Vegas

After I wrote my first blog post on here, I realized I dabbled in the topic of thriftiness quite a few times. I decided thriftiness could be a common theme in my blog posts. I'm always searching for ways to spend less whether I'm doing the weekly food shopping or on vacation in Las Vegas. More than ever, we are watching our budgets. But it's not always easy when everything seems so expensive.

Here are some tips for vacationing in Las Vegas (many of these apply to other vacation destinations as well):

1. Find Those Hotel Deals-- Once you decide where you are heading off to for vacation, it's easy enough to book a hotel room within minutes on the Internet. Instead of booking right away, take your time. Check out the rates of different hotels in the area you're interested in staying and ask around. Maybe someone you know has found a good deal in the area. Also, with the way the economy is, hotels are desperately trying to fill the rooms. Periodically, hotels have deals in which you have a limited number of days to book your room. Sign up for their mailing list and they'll most likely alert you when deals are going on. Keep checking the rates either way!

NOTE: Many hotels/casinos in Vegas have membership cards that are free to sign up for. Use your card when you gamble and at any restaurants or shops you go to in that hotel (or any hotel owned by the same company), and after your trip, you may get really good deals only available to members!

2. Who Needs a Huge Breakfast Anyways?-- OK, so I am a huge over-preparer. I make lists of all the stuff I need to bring and usually go a little overboard. This year, I brought two bags full of granola and dried fruit. I also packed other snacks too, all in my checked luggage. It can be incredibly expensive to pay for three meals each day you're on vacation. Instead, eat breakfast in. In Vegas, it saved my boyfriend and I roughly $15 or more per day.

3. Shows, Shows, and More Shows-- Vegas is known for their plethora of shows, but they are expensive! In the past, we have always purchased tickets to the shows we wanted to see months in advance. This ensures you have the ticket, but does nothing good for your wallet. This year we didn't purchase any tickets beforehand, since we knew Vegas has various booths with discounted tickets available. On the first night, Ricky and I came across one right in the entrance of Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon, which is located in the middle of the strip next to the Flamingo on one side and Bally's on the other. We purchased tickets to a musical for $100 per ticket that would have been $150. They advertised other shows as being as much as 50% less than face value. I'm sure other cities like NYC have discounted tickets available as well. Maybe it wouldn't work if the economy was booming and everyone was buying tickets in advance, but for now we'll take it.

4. Search Around For Drinks-- Alcoholic drinks are expensive no matter where you are, but they don't have to be. In Vegas, certain casinos have great deals on alcoholic beverages because they want to draw you in. Maybe the fancier hotels can get people to pay absurd amounts for margaritas and beer, but some of the less extravagant hotels charge way less. Often these places advertise deals outside, so be on the look-out as you walk down the strip!

5. Get the Member Card Discount-- This one relates back to getting hotel deals the next time around once you sign up for the free member card. In addition to great future deals, often gift shops will give you a discount if you have a member card (despite how many points you've racked up for gambling). The Harrah's member card, which includes a handful of hotels along the strip, got me a 10% off at a gift shop at the Flamingo.