Las Vegas on a Budget

A trip to Las Vegas may not be seen in the cards for many with the economy the way it is, but there are many ways in which you can shave cost and afford the trip you've been dreaming of. Las Vegas can easily turn into a very expensive trip faster than you can blink so here are a few simple ideas to put Las Vegas in anyone's budget.

1) Sign up for EVERY Casino player's card you can. A coupon book usually accompanies them. You get many valuable coupons for food and some not so valuable but it is worth it. If you are a gambler you can easily get small perks like free shows or meals at the smaller casinos. Some of the Major ones have moved to a computer system that unless you a big spender will not give you much.

2) Keep your travel dates flexible. Don't be firm with a date you had in mind. Conferences or special events can double or even triple a hotel and Airline's costs. Plan out ahead of time and check for any large conferences or events in Vegas before you book. http://www.conferencealerts.com/lasvegas.html is one of many sites that will list out upcoming conferences for you to book around.

3) Book you hotel online. Many Internet deals are available even directly through the hotel's website. Use the calendar tool to determine the cheapest time to visit and as with number 2 keep your dates flexible.

4) Eat buffets for late breakfast or late lunch and never for dinner. Most of the nice Las Vegas buffets are pricey but dramatically cheaper for breakfast and Lunch. If you patient you can even go in for late lunch and play some Keno until they switch out with the dinner choices and get it for the price of lunch.

5) If even the lunch buffet is too expensive for you budget think about fast food in between sight seeing. The In/Out Burger has great prices and great burgers.

6) Never pay full price for a show. There are many discount places to get tickets and everyday the box office's release tickets for that nights shows at half price. You just need to find one of those ticket brokers and you hotel can help you if you ask.

7) There are many free things to see in Las Vegas and make sure to fill some of your time with these events, as most of them are just as spectacular as the most expensive show. An example would be the nightly Water Show at the Bellagio. Ask your hotel and they can give you more idea's.

8) One great way to get free hotel stays, show tickets, or even airfare is to be a part of a real estate proposal. Timeshare sales are still big business and the companies that are looking for business offer great perks if you sit through their 3-hour seminar. It does help if you are a couple and some of them require it.

9) Never pay for a drink! Most of Vegas offer free drinks for the gamblers assuming they are already pouring 50-100 dollars per drink they order. The trick is slots. Not Penny Slots as most waitress' will not frequent those area's but any slot area and have your money out but don't necessarily play. If you want to play by all means but you don't have to and most Cocktail waitresses are none the wiser.

10) Travel midweek. Finding a time without a conference or event is important but for airfare it's even more important to have midweek travel dates. The airfare is much cheaper and you'll find the hotels calendar will have the cheapest days midweek.

Las Vegas will happily oblige someone willing to spend top dollar but they are also chopped full of deals and ways to make a buck go a long way. Planning ahead and knowing your budget is key to keeping the cost within your reach.