After returning from the infamous ‘America trip’ people kept asking me how I could afford life and I mean after that trip, I couldn’t really afford life but it made me think about what the PEOPLE want, i.e. you.
You want those all-important insider tips to save money. I GOT YOU, which is why I have created this Boujee on a Budget section. First edition: VEGAS BABY.
I’ve narrowed it down to 5 top tips that’ll help you live the champagne lifestyle in Vegas but on a prosecco budget; including, how you can stay in a Vegas penthouse for £30 a night, how you can eat a 3-course meal at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant for under £50 and how to get free drinks in one of the most infamous hotels. So here we go:
- STAY IN A PENTHOUSE FOR £30 A NIGHT
You’re planning your trip and for most people it’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime event. I mean, c’mon it’s Vegas. You’re thinking if I’m going to do Vegas, I’m going to do it properly but properly doesn’t mean you have to empty your savings for a suite at Caesar’s Palace or The Venetian.
What I’m telling you is that you can get a penthouse in the MGM Grand for £30 a night. Do you know who has a residency there?! Calvin Harris baby. Do you know what else is there? Hakkasan Nightclub. It has one of the biggest casinos in Vegas, a million restaurants and bare pools. It even has travelators so you don’t have to walk. If that’s not luxury, I don’t know what is.
So, you want to know how you can stay in not just the penthouse but the upper penthouse for £30 a night? Simple. Book your stay through Airbnb instead of through the MGM Hotels website. It sort of looks like a bit of a con when you do it but I swear to God it works a treat and the pictures look exactly like the place. Don’t worry you still have access to all of the hotel’s facilities just like a regular hotel guest but at a fraction of the price!
- SCORE FREE DRINKS ALL NIGHT IN CAESAR’S PALACE
Sorry lads, this one’s for the girls. If you’ve ever been to a club in Mayfair, London you’ll know what I’m going to say. Promoter, promoter, promoter.
Get yourself a promoter for a club. It shouldn’t be hard, we ended up with about 10 promoters’ numbers between us by the end of our stay. A promoter will basically get you into the club as a ‘VIP’ if you pick the right one. You’ll get free entry, queue jump and free drinks all night.
As long as your group has majority girls, then it’s more than likely the guys with you will also get free stuff so I mean this one depends on your morals. I have none so was perfectly happy living it large in Caesar’s Palace.
- ACCESS THE NATIONAL PARK FOR UNDER $5
If you’re planning a road trip in that part of America then this one is definitely for you. Vegas is essentially situated in the middle of nowhere. Drive out of Death Valley and you’ll soon hit the bright lights of Nevada. The fact that it’s in the middle of a desert is a blessing if you’re into nature. Hit up Death Valley and look at some aesthetic rock formations.
It costs $15 for an individual to enter the park and this access lasts for 7 days or alternatively if you know you’re going to other national parks on your trip, e.g. Yosemite, The Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Monument Valley then you should buy the annual National Park Pass.
You wouldn’t think that buying access for a year would be cheaper but it is. The annual pass costs $80 but you can put two names on the card and it’s valid for everyone in the vehicle with you. We visited 5 national parks during our two-week trip so it worked out at around $4 each for entrance to each park. Bargain fellas.
- CHOOSE YOUR OWN RENTAL CAR FOR HALF THE PRICE
Trust me on this one please. I spent many sleepless nights researching the BEST rental car company in America for 21-year-olds. It’s Dollar.com. FOR SURE.
There were 4 of us on the trip and we managed to get a good 4×4 for just under £200 each for 15 days. That included paying a surcharge for being under 25 and all insurances. They even included another under-age driver on there for free.
Although, the best thing about this company is that it was so easy to pick up the car and return it. No hidden costs, no time delays and you are able to simply go out into the parking lot and choose the car you want. They’re all out there with the keys in. Get in one, take it for a little drive round the car park, don’t like it? That’s fine, put it back and pick another.
Lucky for us, we were able to switch cars after we realised the one we initially chose smelt like piss.
- EAT A 3-COURSE MEAL AT A GORDON RAMSAY RESTAURANT WITH NO RESERVATION
Ok, so this one is not really that budget friendly but it’s boujee af and you need to try it. For some reason my guilty pleasure is Gordon Ramsay and you know, I wanted to fulfil the dream of eating his fine, fine food so found out that there was a Hell’s Kitchen restaurant in Vegas.
I tried calling the restaurant to make a reservation but I wasn’t getting anywhere so we decided to don some nice clothes and try our luck as a walk-in. Turns out if you go to a fancy restaurant in Vegas at lunch, you’ll probably get in. Everyone else in Vegas is either still asleep, too hungover or have already started drinking.
You can choose from Gordan’s signature dishes including the infamous beef wellington that is produced time and time again on his show. They will try and give you the normal lunch menu but it’s all about the ‘express three course lunch’, which you can get for about $60. I know I know it’s a lot but it’s THREE COURSES and worth it. That’s under £50.
So, there you have it. Those are my top tips for getting by in Vegas whilst still being a boujee lil’ bitch. Got any questions? Seriously, I’m all ears and love sharing my tips and experiences.
In a bit xo
Just Jenny Lamb 