Las Vegas: Money & Costs

• Currency

  Name

  US Dollar

  Symbol

  US$

  American banknotes (bills) often confuse visitors: they're all the same size and the same colour. Be especially careful not to hand over too much cash, and always check your change carefully. Be careful not to accept incomplete or severely torn notes, as they can be refused; small rips are usually not a problem. Bills come in denominations of 1, 2 (rare), 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars.

  Coins come in 1 (penny), 5 (nickel), 10 (dime), 25 (quarter) cent and 50 cent denominations; there is also a dollar coin.

• Changing Your Money

  Major credit and debit cards, including the Visa Cash Passport Card, are widely accepted. You can also access your bank account using US ATMs which are ubiquitous. Travellers cheques are easily converted to cash at any bank. You'll probably need to take your passport along to prove your identity.

• Money Tips

  If you camp or stay in hostels, catch buses and cook your own food, you could feasibly explore the country on around US$50 a day. Staying in motels and eating at modest cafes will mean you'll hit the US$100 mark, and enjoying the convenience of a rental car will push your daily budget up to US$150 .

• Sample Price Guide

  movie ticket

  US$ 9.25

  souvenir t-shirt

  US$ 9.99

  cocktail at Wynns

  US$ 12.00

  gallon of gasoline

  US$ 2.19

  buffet breakfast

  US$ 10.00-15.00

  cup of coffee

  US$ 1.00

  pair of Levi's jeans

  US$ 55.00

  steak and eggs graveyard special

  US$ 5.00

  ticket to see Cirque du Soleil

  US$ 95.00

  Average Room Prices
  Low	Mid	High	Deluxe
  US$40-70	US$70-120	US$120-300	US$300+
  Average Meal Prices
  Low	Mid	High	Deluxe
  US$8-10	US$10-25	US$25-45	US$45+

• Tipping

  Many people employed in tourist-intensive service industries are poorly paid, and rely on tips to bring their incomes up to decent levels. However, tips should only be given as a reward for good service. If you receive exceptionally lousy service, leave a poor tip or none at all; to do otherwise defeats the purpose of tipping, which is to provide a financial incentive for superior service.

  The following is a guide to customary tipping amounts in Las Vegas. Tip bellhops from a minimum of US$2.00 - total to a dollar per piece of luggage, depending on the distance covered. Bartenders: 10% to 15% per round. Change persons: 10% of winnings when a hit on a slot machine pays off for you. Cocktail servers: if drinking for free in a casino, US$1.00 per drink. Concierges: up to US$20.00 for securing tickets to a sold-out show (no tip needed for info). Doormen: US$1.00 - US$2.00 for summoning you a cab, depending on the weather. Hotel maids: US$3.00 a day, left under the card provided each day. Limo drivers: 15% of the total fare, or US$5.00 per person. Room service: 15%, minus any gratuity already charged. Skycaps: at least US$1.00 per bag, minimum total US$2.00 . Taxi drivers: 10% to 15%, rounded up to the next dollar. Valet parking attendants: US$2.00 , paid when the keys to the car are handed back to you. Waiters: 15% of the total cheque, up to 20% if the service warrants it. Who not to tip: cashiers, and ticket vendors working in booths.

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