Saving Money in Las Vegas

We often think that Vegas is a money pit, but it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of ways to have a good time and not come home broke. Read on to find some useful tips about savings in the capital of entertainment:

Save money on Flights

The big chunk of money is usually spent on flights. You should plan everything in advance and consider luggage costs, layovers, seating arrangements, the time of arrival and departure, and parking fees. This is what is important:

• Pack light – take a personal item and a carry-on with a few outfits, and forget 5 pairs of shoes.
• Bundle your flight and hotel for extra savings by booking through Southwest vacations, Orbitz, Expedia, and Vegas.com. Don’t forget to compare separate components first.
• Pay with rewards credit card and get miles or points for spending.
• Fly during slow times, such as July, August, and mid-December. Choose red eye flights and fly during the week.
• Book your flight 6 weeks or more before the travel date and book Monday through Wednesday.

Save money on hotels

When you think of Vegas, you probably think of Venetian, Paris, Bellagio, and Caesar’s Palace. These hotels and many others seem very expensive at first, but here are some tricks:

• Book directly with the hotel – you will get the best rate, avoid some third-party fees, and will be able to cancel longer.
• Avoid holidays and weekends – holidays can be 2-3 times more expensive and staying at the beginning of the week will always be cheaper than on weekends.
• Sign up for hotel rewards programs and player’s cards and get up to 10% off rates and discounts after your stay to be used in the future.
• Stay off the strip – stay a few steps away from the strip, get much better rates, and still walk everywhere you want. There are buses from downtown, so you can easily stay there too.
• Look for free upgrades – be nice, celebrate something, or come to Vegas for the first time and you might just get an upgrade from the reservation clerk.
• Use your rewards points for booking – you can use points even if you don’t have that particular hotel’s rewards card, so look into that.
• Ask for resort fee waiver – you can talk to your casino host or casino rewards desk and see if by any chance some of the fees might be waived.
• Don’t use debit cards for booking as deposit and other fees will be held there and limit your access to cash.
• Don’t go to Vegas during conventions.
• Save with AAA.
• Save if you are a student, teacher, first responder, military member, or local resident.
• If you have a big group, book many connecting rooms instead of more expensive suites.
• Confirm your reservation before traveling to avoid miscommunications.
• Compare rates even if you re booking directly.
• Use Priceline or Hotwire to bid on a hotel if you are flexible and save up to 50%.
• Check prices after booking and rebook if you can if the price goes down.

Saving on drinks and nightlife

Bars, hotels, clubs, and other venues are of prime interest for most Las Vegas visitors, and all that can be extremely expensive if you combine cover charge and cocktails! This is how you can save a bit:

• Drink for free at casinos if you have time to wait for drinks for a while.
• Buy drinks at grocery stores and have a drink at your hotel room or even on the street, it is Vegas after all.
• Brag about whatever it is you’re celebrating and get free treats at the bar.
• Buy V Card and you will have free entrance to many places and VIP seating at the hottest clubs.
• Mingle with a group of girls and you will get in to places faster and cheaper.
• Get free passes from people offering them on the streets and use them.
• Get a bottle service if you have a group of friends.
• Stay at a hotel and ask for free club pass for guests.
• Sometimes you can get a free limo ride to a club when calling ahead.
• Get to clubs early and avoid the lines and sometimes even the cover fee.

Save money on food and dining:

While you can plenty of extravagant eateries in Las Vegas, there are also plenty of ways to save:

• Always look for specials.
• Look for restaurants away from the strip and eat good food with locals.
• Use coupons.
• Eat at buffets during transitional times if they are open.
• Bring your own coffee and maker if you are driving.
• Eat at food courts in the malls.
• Don’t drink alcohol at the restaurants.
• Skip one sit down meal per day with extra-large breakfast and snacks.
• Look for online or app discounts for restaurants.
• Split appetizers and one meal as portions tend to be very large.
• Hit restaurants during happy hour for an early dinner after big late breakfast.
• Don’t ever order room service if you want to avoid fees and cold food.
• Some restaurants offer late hour, or graveyard, specials at 12 am.

Save money on transportation

The entire Las Vegas, and especially popular tourist areas, is not that big, so there are many options for savings:

• Go for Uber and Lyft instead of taxis, always.
• Take comfortable shoes and walk a lot.
• Ride the Monorail train, which runs behind the hotels and stops frequently.
• Don’t get gas on the strip.
• Use hotel shuttle service for free or get a cheap pass.
• Ride the Deuce bus 24/7 all over the strip for $8 for 24 hours.
• Take trams between the hotels if available.
• Keep in mind parking fees for most of the hotels these days.

Saving on shows and attractions

Those are very popular in Las Vegas and are visited by most visitors. They are also very expensive, so here are a few savings strategies:

• There are always free shows somewhere in Vegas.
• Get the Explorer Pass and save on various shows.
• You can buy tickets for the same day and save a lot if you can be flexible.
• Look for coupons and check out Groupon.
• Go to cheaper shows in the hotel where you’re staying.
• Participate in a timeshare presentation, get free food and drinks, collect your freebies, and do not buy a timeshare.
• Enjoy free music and shows on Freemont Street.

General savings

Finally, there are a few other things to save on while in Vegas:

• Gambling is what Vegas is all about, so don’t go crazy, but set a budget and stick to it.
• Gamble during the day to get lower table minimums.
• Best of all, don’t gamble at all.
• Stay on the strip and save on transportation and time commuting.
• Don’t go to a spa, but choose O2 bars instead for a reinvigorating massage and oxygen treatment.
• Shop at outlet malls – take a bus to the outskirts of the city and pay a fraction of the price for designer brands.
• Don’t skimp on tips and you will be rewarded with perks.
• Do not touch anything from your room’s mini bar.
• Stay away from penny slots as they are money making machines for all casinos.
• Don’t get cash from casino ATMs.
• Gamble with My Player’s Card for perks and points.
• Take a casino lesson and know how to not lose money.