Visiting Las Vegas can be a lot of fun because this city is full of excitement and entertainment around the clock. Where else can you find a like-minded crowd of party-goers at 3 o'clock in the morning in the middle of the week? The downside of this city, of course, is the drain it can have on your wallet. You really have to keep track of your money while visiting Las Vegas because otherwise you'll wind up spending a lot more than you anticipated.
Don't gamble. This may seem like a bizarre idea considering Las Vegas has built a huge reputation as a gambling city, but if you look at the odds surrounding your chance of winning money as opposed to losing money, you'll soon discover that the chances are you'll walk away from the tables empty-handed. If you do want to gamble--simply for the entertainment value, of course--then set a strict budget to make sure you don't spend beyond your means.
Don't go during peak times. If you try to get a hotel room in Las Vegas during the busiest times, you'll wind up paying a lot more. For example, Valentine's Day is usually very busy because of the wedding chapels, and New Year's Eve is usually a peak time because of the great parties that take place on The Strip. Hotels also increase their prices for 3- and 4-day weekends.
Look for entertainment values like matinees and happy hours. Most of the great shows on The Strip have matinees that cost much less but are just as good as the evening versions. Nearly all of the bars in the area have happy hours offering free or reduced prices for food and drinks. Women have a particularly easy time finding "Ladies Night" events in Las Vegas, which offer women free admission, free food and free drinks.
Mind where you eat. Don't just wander into any restaurant to eat unless you have a blatant disregard for the cost of the meal. A good number of restaurants located on The Strip and within the hotels are considered quite high-class and have prices to match their reputation. Check out some of the buffets offered in Las Vegas, keeping in mind that buffets off The Strip usually offer better prices.
Avoid shopping. Hotels like Caesar's Palace have impressive shopping areas with designer labels and high prices. The excitement of the scenery may entice you to browse through the stores and maybe even make a purchase. Rest assured that anything you buy in these shops is marked up considerably. If you need to buy some new clothes while visiting Las Vegas, take a trip to the Meadows Mall or the Boulevard Mall, which are both relatively close to The Strip.
Don't take your credit cards with you when you go site-seeing around the city. You may have the best intentions to follow a strict budget while in Las Vegas, but if you have a credit card in your wallet with an available balance, then you may wind up using it even though you hadn't planned on it. Keep in mind that even the casinos accept credit cards, and the last thing you want to do is finance a gambling binge.
