Can I afford Vegas?

[underwaterrhymes]

Yes. You totally can.

[Deleted]

If you don't gamble or shop, yes.

[emsumm]

I'm doing it in Feb, so, yes :-)

[emsumm]

And by feb I mean April.

[Deleted]

Oh yeah.

[lucky513]

its doable

[Deleted]

The drinks are expensive. They'll give free stuff at the slot machines but its crap. The good drinks can be in the $18-$24 range. I always like at least one spa day. And then dinners are usually $50-$100, depending on whether you are drinking. Plus shows, which are anywhere from $30-hundreds of dollars. So $600 spending will be fine, but I would stay away from gambling - I can seriously lose $5K in a night, so gambling to me is a big no if you are trying to do a semi-budget trip- and the shopping is just really expensive. Think rodeo drive expensive.

[pantsparty]

Buy your own booze when you get there (or pack a bottle if you're checking luggage). Drinks in your room before you head out can save you a bit

[mrsjuleshs]

$600 spending cash? Yes, you can totally do it. I did it on far less when I went.

[agnes]

Totes doable. I'd even gamble $100 of it. I usually win a few hundred, but if I lost $100 it wouldn't be a big deal.

[RoxMonster]

Yes. H and I did Vegas on the cheap back in '08 with the exception of one semi-expensive show.

You can find cheaper places to eat, skip shopping, skip shows, and have a very affordable trip. Or you can live high on the hog and drop thousands for a luxurious getaway. That's what I like about Vegas. You can tailor it to your needs/wants.

[prettyinpink]

Totally. When I went in '09 with girlfriends we got all of us in one room ( there were 5 of us, one slept on the floor), we drove because we could but other wise we left the car and walked. We took a cab once because we had tickets to a show and needed to get back to our hotel to get ready. My shopping is really where I spent money. Have fun!

[Deleted]

@otterama and I did Vegas for fairly inexpensive (H and I saw one show so we had a little added expense). I think total we spent about $600 on food/drinks/light gambling.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2013 23:16:49 GMT -5 @guernica said:

@otterama and I did Vegas for fairly inexpensive (H and I saw one show so we had a little added expense). I think total we spent about $600 on food/drinks/light gambling.

That was a great trip!

[gretchenindisguise]

Note to self: don't go to Vegas with Elle until I win mega millions tomorrow.

[Moe]

Yes.

[angelaa73]

are you fucking serious? drinks are free and food is almost free. you can totes do vegas on $1000.

here's a tip

head down to the tables your first night, and toss $50 on first 12. it'll hit and then you have $100 free & clear. whut whut!!

[annyong]

You can totally do it! You'll get your drinks paid for, I'm sure. And pitas. Easy! I'm so excited for you!



Also, I want to go to Vegas. pantsparty

[polka]

You can make that happen!  Have fun

[auberge]

Vegas is a destination you can do extravagantly or dirt cheap. You can easily make that budget work. You'll be fine, have fun.

[Deleted]

Dec 17, 2013 1:39:17 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Absolutely not. Unless you're doing it at 22 years old, college style. The whole point of Vegas is to have fun and indulge.. I say hold it off for a year and bring another 1-2k to the trip. Don't do shit halfway. Wait and do it all the way. That's where the fun is.

ETA Listen, Que?, don't listen to these people.  Do whatever you can and save up extra for this trip.  Vacations usually come with surprise costs.  It doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, but I would set aside at least a $500 cushion.  You'll thank me.. you don't want to be the person always saying "Oh, but I can't afford X.. why not Y?"  Because sometimes X will win out and you won't have $$ for the rest of the trip.

Eh I disagree. Before I was tied down to a family I would have been tooting this horn, but unfortunately sometimes the timing is the hardest part of a trip to get together. You may have more money in a year, but the girls/the childcare/the free weekend may not happen. Also there is a lot of value in the getaway. I did a budget Vegas weekend in June and while it wasn't everything Vegas had to offer, it was a desperately needed weekend away from diapers, night wakings and responsibility. When you have a chance to do something for yourself, you strike while the iron is hot.

[McGavin]

Dec 17, 2013 1:39:17 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Absolutely not. Unless you're doing it at 22 years old, college style. The whole point of Vegas is to have fun and indulge.. I say hold it off for a year and bring another 1-2k to the trip. Don't do shit halfway. Wait and do it all the way. That's where the fun is.

ETA Listen, Que?, don't listen to these people.  Do whatever you can and save up extra for this trip.  Vacations usually come with surprise costs.  It doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, but I would set aside at least a $500 cushion.  You'll thank me.. you don't want to be the person always saying "Oh, but I can't afford X.. why not Y?"  Because sometimes X will win out and you won't have $$ for the rest of the trip.

But the opportunity is now, not a year or two away. Plus, she said she could spend more if she has too.

Go for it, Que. Have a blast!

[Saint Monica]

Can you afford not to go, that is the question

[pantsparty]

Dec 17, 2013 1:39:17 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Absolutely not. Unless you're doing it at 22 years old, college style. The whole point of Vegas is to have fun and indulge.. I say hold it off for a year and bring another 1-2k to the trip. Don't do shit halfway. Wait and do it all the way. That's where the fun is.

ETA Listen, Que?, don't listen to these people.  Do whatever you can and save up extra for this trip.  Vacations usually come with surprise costs.  It doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, but I would set aside at least a $500 cushion.  You'll thank me.. you don't want to be the person always saying "Oh, but I can't afford X.. why not Y?"  Because sometimes X will win out and you won't have $$ for the rest of the trip.

I'm LOLing that you absolutely NEED to have $1-$2k in Vegas to have fun. Maybe, if you're absolutely set on a cabana and bottle service every night. But those things aren't required to have fun - especially with a good group of friends.

[gretchenindisguise]

nicbreeful I love you - but your 1% is hanging out in this thread.

[flex]

Dec 17, 2013 10:04:14 GMT -5 nuggetbrain said:

Dec 17, 2013 1:39:17 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Absolutely not. Unless you're doing it at 22 years old, college style. The whole point of Vegas is to have fun and indulge.. I say hold it off for a year and bring another 1-2k to the trip. Don't do shit halfway. Wait and do it all the way. That's where the fun is.

ETA Listen, Que?, don't listen to these people.  Do whatever you can and save up extra for this trip.  Vacations usually come with surprise costs.  It doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, but I would set aside at least a $500 cushion.  You'll thank me.. you don't want to be the person always saying "Oh, but I can't afford X.. why not Y?"  Because sometimes X will win out and you won't have $$ for the rest of the trip.

The whole point of Vegas is whatever you make of it.  I've done it with $5000 and I've done it with $1000 and I had fun both times, just in different ways.  

This, this, this and THIS!!!!!

[Deleted]

Dec 17, 2013 11:10:38 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

nicbreeful I love you - but your 1% is hanging out in this thread.

Aw I don't think its a 1% as much as it is being a fabulously child-free woman living a fabulous life. Lol. Before kids, I traveled for the sake of travelling, seeing different places. It was worth it to me to save up and do it right.

Now, like Que? I presume, I travel to get the fuck away from my children. lol. 

[sunshineluv]

You can also find great deals to some of the shows (the shows were my favorite part of vegas). Travelzoo usually post some deals.

[gozf]

Listen to me. I am the queen of the low-rent good time, and you need to know something about Las Vegas.

You need to spend a night at the bar at Ellis Island. It might be the worst casino in Vegas, and you'll need a cab, and it's in a terrifying neighborhood. But once you get to that bar... They brew their own beer, and it's good. it's also about $2.50 for a 22 ounce glass of it. They have karaoke, but it's a lot of David Bowie and Donovan and Dusty Springfield. It's a really fun crowd of mostly locals and pilots and flight attendants. It's friendly and fun and awesome. I was there all damn night, and it cost me next to nothing, and it was hands down my favorite night in Vegas. It's so not fancy, and it smelled a little bit like milk, but you will get over the milk smell and have a blast.

www.ellisislandcasino.com/brewery/beers.html

[gozf]

Dec 17, 2013 11:44:10 GMT -5 Que? said:

Dec 17, 2013 11:27:52 GMT -5 gozf said:

Listen to me. I am the queen of the low-rent good time, and you need to know something about Las Vegas.

You need to spend a night at the bar at Ellis Island. It might be the worst casino in Vegas, and you'll need a cab, and it's in a terrifying neighborhood. But once you get to that bar... They brew their own beer, and it's good. it's also about $2.50 for a 22 ounce glass of it. They have karaoke, but it's a lot of David Bowie and Donovan and Dusty Springfield. It's a really fun crowd of mostly locals and pilots and flight attendants. It's friendly and fun and awesome. I was there all damn night, and it cost me next to nothing, and it was hands down my favorite night in Vegas. It's so not fancy, and it smelled a little bit like milk, but you will get over the milk smell and have a blast.

www.ellisislandcasino.com/brewery/beers.html

Wanna come?

I do!  Very badly!