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Vegas on a Budget…

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I’m sure it will come as a complete shock when I say that: Graduate students are poor.  *shock and awe* Well, that is true for my school friends and I.  BUT…it is also true that after a year of graduate school, and three particularly insane weeks of summer classes, “self-care” is needed and a vaca is justified!  So, one Friday afternoon, my friend Andrea and I found ridiculously cheap flights to Vegas from Minneapolis.  Well, one thing became another and the flights and hotels were booked with in a matter of hours!

vacation-fund_300Our 3 days, 3 nights, and in total cost around $450.  Not bad, eh?  Any vacation (that includes a flight) that is less than $500?  I’ll take it.   Only one of us had been to Vegas, and it as for a mission trip (so a very different side of Vegas is explored), so we didn’t really know how to make this happen.  We were able to keep our vacation budget friendly while doing a lot of fun things!  Here are some of the ways we saved:

1. Get a cheap flight.  Both Andrea and I are signed up to receive emails when cheap flights are posted online.  This is how we originally found out about the flights to Vegas.  Our flight was not ideal, but in the name of being affordable, it worked out great.  We went with Spirit Airlines and flew out late Monday night, and took a redeye flight back Thursday night.  Our flight there was delayed by 45 minutes, but that was the only real issue we had.  Spirit does have a reputation for not being a great airline, and I would have to agree.  If you want to travel in comfort, this is not the airline to fly with.  If you want to save money, this is the best way to go.  Some things to know about Spirit:

  • You have to pay for all luggage.  This includes a carry on!  Price start at $25/trip and go up from there.  Make sure you pay for your luggage before you get to the airport, or prices will double!  We decided to pay for 2 checked bags and have two people share one.  The checked bags were $30/trip, so it was an extra $30/person for the trip.  More and more airlines are having customers pay for this amenity so it is important to read the fine print before booking!
  • The times offered are weird, but it does have some advantages.  Both times that we flew there was hardly anyone else in the airport except for those flying with Spirit.  It did cut down on the available people watching, but allotted us a place to sit and less craziness at security.  Flying out at night or over night isn’t ideal, but if you plan accordingly for sleep, it isn’t that bad.  If you’re going to Vegas you are going to have to catch up on sleep either way!
  • Nothing is free. Literally.  You have to pay for everything they give you on the flight, including water.  So, buy some drinks or food before you get on the flight so you aren’t tempted to pay their crazy prices!

2. Book your hotel when you book your flight.  When we were scouring the internet for the best possible deal, we originally decided to get our flight through Expedia and then book our hotel through Hotwire.  We were a little leary of getting our hotel through Hotwire because they don’t tell you what hotel you will be staying at until after you confirm your purchase.  You get to check the general area and the “number of stars” you want, but don’t know specific.  Well, the strip is pretty long and there a bunch of different areas you can be by.  But, our weariness was answered when we booked out flight.  Right after we confirmed our purchase of the tickets, REALLY cheap hotels came up on their website.  We were able to pick out exactly which hotel we wanted to stay at and got such a great deal- $45/night.  We decided to stay at the Flamingo because it was by all of the “cool stuff”  (Eiffel tower, Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, etc).  We loved it there and I would stay there again.

* Be careful–  Almost every resort has a “resort fee” for the internet and gym.  I think it is a bunch of crap and you shouldn’t have to pay it, but no one listens to me.  For the Flamingo it was an extra $20/night that we paid when we checked in.  Almost every hotel has this, so be ready!

3.  Go grocery shopping.  Once you get the, find the closest Walgreens, CVS, or liquor store.  There are a couple of them throughout the strip and not hard to find.  When you are there stock up on food, water, and liquor that will last you throughout your trip.  We were lucky that our hotel (the Flamingo) had a fridge in the room.  We bought stuff for sandwiches, bagels, pretzels, yogurt, and TONS of water.  Having food so that you don’t have to eat out for every meal will save you lots of money (and lots of calories!).

4. Bring food/drinks with you.  I am not going to get into specifics because it is “against the rules” but use your creativity to find ways to bring food/drinks with you.  Specifically…the pool area! Drinks and food down there are crazy expensive and will eat up your budget in a flash.  Find ways around it… :)

5. Check out Groupon.  I will post more about this in the future, but we found a really fun and inexpensive Club Crawl that was one of the best parts of our trip.  Groupon has tons of different options including: restaurant deals, cheap shows, excursions, spa passes, and many more.  Check that out before you head to Vegas and it will give you ideas of fun things to do.

6. Don’t pay to park at the airport.  I am always amazed at the cost to park at the airport.  I have seen people pay up to $30/day.  Ummmmm…we paid that much for our hotel room that night, no thank you!  If at all possible, find someone who can drop you off at the airport and pick you up after.  It will save you a lot of money and time!

In the next couple of blogs I will tell you more about the specifics of our awesome vacation!!

What kind of travel tips do you have for those who are on a budget?

-Allie



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