I’ll tell you what I did and you could take a hint. It all began when I got into a timeshare program and had collected a few air miles. One can blow up a lot of money in Vegas but I had been saving up for sometime. I exchanged my timeshare points for a week’s stay at a hotel located off the Las Vegas Boulevard - which is less expensive. Vegas Downtown also has some cheap accommodations. If you can plan your trip for a mid-week stay, it can save you some money.

I used my credit card miles for air fare. You can get cheap airfare if you book at least three weeks in advance and have flexible traveling dates. No-frills airlines like Southwest can lower your flight cost. After reaching the Las Vegas McCarran Airport, I took a shuttle for $8 to my hotel. For traveling around Vegas, I rode the double-decker bus at $5 a ticket. This allowed me to hop on and off, all day, without having to shell out more. The mono rail is another cheap transport option.

I had breakfast in my room, lunch outside at fast food joints, and went easy on dinner. Post dinner I found myself on the casino floor. It takes a lot of self control not to rush though your remaining money in one burst of gambling frenzy but the trick is to set a daily spending limit - and stick to it. I find it easier to gamble small amounts of money many times than to throw away everything in one rush. I had free drinks while I was playing and gorged on snacks I had bought from seven eleven – in-house shops charge almost double. I played nickels slot machines though such machines are getting increasingly difficult to find. I had some free entertainment with the coupons for freebies I collected at the Tourist Information office located on Paradise Road.

I had a blast and yet not felt the pinch. Let’s hope you have a ball, as well !!!