Written
by Tiffany Milligan – A Vegas Local
Budget conscious individuals need to plan ahead in order
to do Vegas on a budget. Entertainment
can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be! “Budget Vegas” is just as fun as the “nonbudget”
Vegas. It’s kind of like a game to see if you can manage your time and direct
your money to the things that interest you the most! What can you do for $100 a
day in Las Vegas? What can you do on $200, $300, $400 a day? You’re about to
find out! This budget excludes lodging. You see, we’re assuming if you’re a
budget conscious person you’ve already used points or Priceline or some other
discount site to book your room in advance. Am I right??
$100 a Day
Digging change out of the sofa cushions to pay for your Vegas trip? $100 a day will afford you the basics and the freebies!
There are LOTS of freebies so you should be plenty entertained and you
definitely won’t starve! Did I mention it’s all about planning? Look up cheap
places to eat before you Vegas on a budget doesn’t have to be harsh
by any means! Treat yourself to one of the cheaper shows in Vegas for under $50
and you won’t be disappointed. Just because it’s not a headliner doesn't mean
it’s not good! Enjoy some time at the pool (just don’t order drinks out there
because you’ll pay dearly and wreck your budget)! With your last $20, find a
quarter slot and live it up a little! The booze is free while you’re playing
and the excitement is worth it! Who knows… you might hit a jackpot allowing you
to throw your budget out the door!
come to Vegas. If you plan well, you’ll be able to eat
for under $10 a meal! Assuming you eat three meals that leaves $70 for some
other activities! Walking is free and our bus system is cheap so plan on
staying on the Strip and perhaps venturing to Fremont Street at some point. On
the Strip you can walk and ogle over the massive hotels and casinos… the grand décor
and individuality of each, the flashy signs, and the street performers. The
Bellagio Gardens, the Bellagio Fountains, and Fremont Street Experience Canopy
Light Show are just a few mentionables. Peruse the other VegasDaze blogs for an
entire list of FREE things to do in Las Vegas!
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| Photo Courtesy of Dan4th Nicholas |
$200 a Day
Budget Vegas with
$200 a day and you don’t have to be as careful. You can eat on the cheap but
then allow yourself a nicer dinner – look up menus in advance so that you’re
prepared! Preparation is KEY! Budget yourself $75 for the day for your meals. You
can go see a mid-priced show such as Absinthe (my favorite) or Carrot Top’s comedy
show and keep it under $75. Still do all of the free stuff because it’s a lot
of fun and super entertaining! Still spend some time at the pool but on $200 a
day you can have a drink (plan on $15-$20 PER DRINK…yes, it’s crazy). Take that
last $20ish and play the slots! Do you see a reoccurring theme? I don’t believe
you can leave Vegas without gambling – it’s just WRONG!
$300 a Day
Vegas on a budget of
$300 a day allows you to do so much! Pool time is still a must. Eating is still
a must and you can just follow the $75 allowance for that. Treating yourself to
a show is still a must. But now…now you have time for a helicopter
tour! They’re not cheap but you can see the Strip or do a flight out to the
West Rim without landing for around $150 – not too shabby. The views are
amazing and it’s an experience of a lifetime! Depending on which helicopter tour you choose you can determine which show to book for the night…you might even be able to
afford a headliner or a Cirque du
Soleil show like Ka!
$400+ a Day
I’m not sure I’d
consider anything over $400 a day to be “Vegas
on a budget” but who am I to judge?! You can partake in all of the aforementioned
entertainment and then some! You can gamble a
little more or a lot more! You
can see an extra show if you don’t mind sitting for so long! You can take a more involved helicopter tour
(my recommendation)! If you want to spend $400 a day you’ll have no problem
doing it here in Sin City ;)
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| Photo Courtesy of 401(K) 2012 |
Tips and Tricks
There are places on
the Strip that sell same day tickets to shows for a discounted price – take advantage
of this! Get on your smartphone or tablet and look at websites for discounts
while you’re here because you just never know when something will go on sale.
Grab a visitor’s guide and use as many coupons as you can but no more than you
need – in other words don’t do an activity just because it’s a good deal. Did I
mention research, research, research ;) ??? No matter what your budget, you’re
going to have a rockin’ time here in Las Vegas!
