Saving Money in Las Vegas while on a Convention

1. See a Las Vegas Show - From the Jersey Boys to Cirque du Soleil's "O", Las Vegas offers a plethora of entertainment to fill up a night while you're here on convention. I highly suggest waiting on purchasing your tickets until you have checked into your hotel room. Las Vegas Casinos are often generous with Complimentary Tickets for gamers, you can also find 1/2 off Ticket shops throughout the Las Vegas Strip.
2. If you're a golfer, book your Las Vegas Golf Packages early -   I can't stress enough, how often people make the mistake of waiting until they get here to book their golf rounds. If you're a high-roller, and want to put in some rounds, check with your Casino Host in advance! Golf courses in Las Vegas are quite popular during the Fall and Spring, failing to notify them in advance can end up in bad tee-times. I also recommend using a service such as Las Vegas Golf Adventures, These guys are very well known in their industry, and have always provided the best golf packages to Las Vegas - check out their golf packages page if you don't believe me! Some of these are too incredible to believe!
3. The Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio - If FREE is a word you love, then a visit to the Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio is a fantastic idea. 
4. Join the Club! - If there is anything you need to do, it's joining the Casino Card Club, these clubs offers a way for you to be rated, and determines your comp level - if you play enough, you can earn, free meals, movies, shows, rooms etc... The best card club in Las Vegas is the Club Card at Green Valley Ranch, here you can turn your points into gaming money and depending on your rating, you can earn some incredible complimentary meals. 
5. Stay off-Strip - The Hotel and Casino's off the Strip offer incredible savings. Look into, Green Valley Ranch Resort, South Point and the Rio!
6. Book early if you have a large group! Although room rates have dropped, occupancy levels are still high! So make sure you contact your choice of hotel early for large groups (4 or more rooms)! This will ensure you have your rooms at the great low price advertised!

Las Vegas Going Green

Plans are underway to build more than 100 million square feet of new construction to the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program. 

These projects include:

Fontainebleau Resort with the first paperless hotel room. The room will feature an Apple iMac complete with all information normally found in in-room brochures. 

Boyd Gaming's Echelon, recycles building waste by using materials left over from the Stardust resort which was imploded to make way for the Echelon. Some of the waste to be used include concrete and fountains. 

The Palazzo pools and water in the guest rooms are heated through Solar Power.

The CityCenter by MGM Mirage has built it's own energy generator to provide 1/5th of the power to the new building. The generator will be used to warm the water in the planned 7,400 hotel rooms and condo units, along with shops, restaurants and other amenities planned for the CityCenter. 

For a city with a rep as a huge waste of energy, it's wonderful to see some of the top names in the Hotel and Casino industry taking the leap to go green. 

Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth

Growing up in an abusive environment, left many scars that I still struggle through today. Looking back, I can't recall what exactly I had done, or what had influenced me to move past the emotional setbacks that was sure to dictate my life. What I do recall is the hatred I had harbored, the fear and the distaste for authority, but at some point, I put that all behind me and grew into a confident and independent woman living in one of the most popular cities in the world. 

For years, I have contemplated leaving behind a legacy, one that will make an impact in the world and it was always centered around our youth. I have not given up on this goal, and will do everything I can to build my legacy - a home for youth on the run. This morning, while watching the news, I was excited to learn of a such a program right here in Las Vegas. 

The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth offers a safe haven for children under the age of 18, complete with a library, sleeping accommodations, food and computer center. I have decided that any and all efforts I make from this point forward will go toward my legacy as well as supporting the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. 

Join me in making an online donation to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. 

Las Vegas Hotel Rates Drop as Low as $19.99

Are you still looking for a room in Las Vegas? According to the Las Vegas Advisor, room rates have dropped as low as they were 5 years ago. Based on a survey they conducted, by contacting local hotel room providers, Las Vegas Advisor reports that half of the 84 casinos surveyed offer July rates of $49 or less per night. This is great news for those of you planning a trip to our famed city, but not so great news for the hotel industry.

For the past few years, room rates in Las Vegas have increased annually, but due to the rising costs of gas and the current slump in the housing industry in Las Vegas, the hotels are now swallowing their pride and breaking out some incredible deals. All you have to do is be savvy in your search to find deals in Las Vegas.

The survey shows the following best rates in Las Vegas for July:

• Palace Station $19.99
• Monte Carlo Hotel $60
• Hard Rock Hotel and Casino $69
• Treasure Island $76
• The Mirage $81
• The Rio All Suites $99
• Loews Lake Las Vegas $103
• Caesars Palace $110
• The Bellagio $159
• Palazzo $159
• Trump $196
• Venetian $199
• The Wynn $199
• Four Seasons $275

Best Ways to Save Money On a Trip to Las Vegas

Shop those Hotel Rooms Online

The rising costs of gas doesn't mean you need to bow out of a visit to Las Vegas. In fact, it's perhaps your best opportunity to visit the famed city. Right now, the prices on hotel rooms have dropped significantly - with that in mind, you have many options to make up for the costs of gas. Take the MGM Grand for example, this hotel is normally reserved from the mid 100's to 400's depending on your choice of room, right now - savvy shoppers are able to find rooms at the MGM, Hard Rock, The Mirage, Planet Hollywood and even more Las Vegas hotels for under $100 a night - some might even score bigger savings such as the Palace Stations offering rooms at $19.99. I advise that you shop online for any and all rates before booking your hotel, it's your dollar, and every hotel in Las Vegas recognizes the value of your visit a lot more than they have in the past - so shake it up and do some shopping before you book.

One particular website to utilize when shopping online is TripAdvisor.com, utilize their forums, check out how others have found incredible deals. Call the hotels direct for any specials you might have missed, look into hotels.com and by all means get them to make you a deal.

Gamblers Should Never Be Charged for a Meal

If you are like most visitors to Las Vegas, you are looking for some fast gaming action with hope that you can turn that extra cash into some fast money. Here's a tip for you, if you are gambling at any casino in Las Vegas, make sure that you check the Pitt for any comps you might have earned during your gaming time. Most casinos offer a buffet, with price ranges from $5.95 to $31 a head! With the average table game at $15 a hand in Las Vegas, you're sure to be surprised at how quickly the staff is willing to host you at the house buffet. You'll never know until you ask!

Of course, you shouldn't expect everything comp'd unless you're in there betting big - for me, I never pay a dime for a meal at a casino I play at. Mostly because I play at $50-$200 a hand, earning me a rating where all my meals and rooms are complimentary.

Join The Club

No matter what hotel or casino you choose to play at, make sure that you apply to be a member of the house club. The clubs usually offer a card with free play attached to it, this ranges anywhere from $3 to $500 and even more, depending on the Casino. There's no fee to enter, but what this does, is allows the hotel to record your play throughout your stay, at the end of your stay, depending on your play average, you may qualify for additional comps such as your room stay at no charge, future invitations that include free rooms and many other offers.

Stay away from Taxis

Taxi rates are increasing due to the cost of gas, so if you can avoid them, do so. If you are staying on the strip, there is absolutely no reason to utilize taxi services if you can help it. The Mono-Rail is a much cheaper option, and the Deuce is as well. Most casino's offer shuttle services to sister properties - take advantage of this! If you plan to stay at the Rio or the Palms, both these casinos are off-strip, but both do offer a free Shuttle service to the Strip - use them!

Take Advantage of Package Offers

I enjoy golfing, and there are many great golf courses in Las Vegas to choose from. Price shop and you'll be surprised at what you might find. I ran a search this morning, and found a great deal for this winter, the top 3 golf courses in Las Vegas for just $599 with my hotel rooms free - the offer comes out of Las Vegas Golf Adventures! Now I know those rates are just amazing, especially for the dates the package is good for, you're talking about 3 Amazing golf courses which usually rate at $200-$400 a round at an incredible deal, plus I can stay at Harrah's which is right on the strip FOR FREE! They did all the work for me! Fantastic!

There are many ways to save on your trip to Las Vegas, my advice is to shop online before you make your final decision. After all, it's your money, and the hotels in Las Vegas are very aware of the value of your dollar, everyone's willing to take that extra step to insure you have an enjoyable visit to Las Vegas.