How to have a Vegas birthday, Cheapo style

Casino Boy is helping one of his BFF's celebrate their birthday today, so in between tossing back shots and dancing like their lives depended on it, he thought he'd extend some pointers to the rest of you Cheapos celebrating a birthday - or any big celebratory event - in Vegas. 

Whether you're planning your own birthday soiree or someone else's, you can have an awesome birthday in Vegas without spending your life savings on a few nights you probably won't even remember. As a Vegas birthday veteran (he's had all eight of them in Sin City), Casino Boy knows how to have fun as a Cheapo, and he doesn't mind sharing his guide to Cheap Vegas Birthday Basics 101! For starters, you'll want to ...

Put 'em up in a nice room: Yes, this might sound pricey, and for most people it is. Luckily, Casino Boy has deals with some pretty great rooms at some pretty great hotels. Lots of the hotel packages you can get will include a discounted room, plus meals at some of the restaurants in the hotel, shows, pool packages and spa deals. Some of our favorite hotels with packages and deals are:

• Paris: For planning a special romantic birthday for your significant other, how about a birthday wedding? Eh? Ready to make that leap? No? Well, don't get too romantic on her this weekend then. If you aren't looking for a Vegas wedding, there are still plenty of other fun and romantic things to do while staying here. 
• Hard Rock Hotel and Casino or Planet Hollywood: For young friends just trying to have fun. Definitely don't miss out on the show and pool packages on these ones. And by pool, we mean go to one of the topless pools and we'll see you there! *nudge nudge* If you're wanting to maintain that bikini-ready body you worked so hard for, check out our tips on staying fit while in Vegas. 
• Flamingo: This one's great if the birthday girl or boy doesn't even care about staying in a hotel because you'll be out and about the whole time (i.e. it's cheap and in a great location), and you'll probably end up sleeping in someone else's room, anyways. Wishful thinking? Yes. Realistic? Not really.

Wine 'em, Dine 'em... Eh, that's all you have to do. Just don't be that friend that buys your best girlfriend dinner at the buffet downstairs and sneaks out dessert in your purse for a seemingly "special" breakfast tomorrow. Besides, the only thing girls should be stuffing in their mouths on their birthdays is cupcakes and vodka. Anything else is just not birthday material.

Maybe take them out for one nice meal at an upscale Vegas restaurant for one meal, but the rest of them don't have to be super fancy. They get one birthday meal. Come on birthday-ers, don't get greedy! For all your other cheapo meals, booze her up, take her day drinking, and feed her appetizers during happy hours - half off apps, anyone?

But, to sort out all the Vegas restaurants and find the best one, at just the right price, use this restaurant comparison chart to find one. And don't let them get away with not giving you a birthday dessert either, because most of them will!

Go Clubbing:  This is the good stuff you've been looking for, the Vegas clubs! The only clubs we like! (Other than club sandwiches. Maybe golf clubs.) Whether you're looking to celebrate a birthday at a nightclub or a strip club, we can't blame you and we don't judge. This is Vegas, so enjoy all of it's assets!

• Nightclubs: XS Nightclub and Surrender at Encore, Tryst at the Wynn, and Moon at the Palms are probably the best nightclubs to slap on some heels/loafers/whatever and dance the night away with a bunch of sweaty strangers who might just buy you drinks if you play your cards right. Like, tell them it's your birthday. This sounds like a really good time, right? Most of the best clubs have promo deals to get you discounts, waived covers, all that jazz. Walk the casino floor of the club you have your eye out to find a promoter to get you in free or on the VIP list. That's the way to go. You can pop champagne like you won a championship game, or like it's your birthday.
• Strip Clubs: Our favorite strip clubs in Vegas are the Sapphire and Spearmint Rhino. (Bold statement, right?) If you're celebrating your buddy's birthday, one of these spots is a definite must. Get a free ride (who doesn't want a limo ride on their birthday?) and free cover to some of these clubs using promo codes, that way everyone can get sloppy drunk! That's just what every strip club needs, a group of sloppy drunks celebrating a birthday!
• Boring bars for those of you not trying to get buck-wild. Whatever. Okay, they aren't boring, we want you to go crazy, so we're not even going to send you to bar with no dancing, drunk messes or anyone in the house with an blood-alcohol level under .08%. Slap on some heels, take a few shots and go meet someone! Or at least do something to celebrate the fact that you can still walk. Which you can't do sitting down at a bar.

Daytime activities: Well, when you aren't sleeping off your hangovers or nursing them with more booze and soaking up the sun, you can't go wrong with days like these.

• Golfing for the Day: Oh, what? This isn't cheap? Some of the best golf courses in Vegas offer discounted tee times if you book online. Bali Hai, Royal Links and Desert Pines are some of the best in the city, so why would you pass up the offer to getting you and your boys in, especially when it's one of your birthdays? 
• Spa Day: She'll probably need one after you liquored her up last night! Or the tolls of getting another year older. You know. Many hotel packages, like at the Luxor and New York New York,  include spa treatments. Save on your hotel room and have a relaxing day, sure. If she doesn't want to, Casino Boy will gladly take her place. Especially if it's a group massage. Hellloooooo, ladies!

There are a million other cheap ways to spend your birthday in Vegas. Just uh... be safe and don't get anyone arrested or pregnant. Unless they deserve it. (The baby, not the arrest.. Wait, what?) Everything else is fair game, we'd say! You can also save a few bucks by checking out our list of great places to eat and maintain a $30 a day budget for food. Tell us what your favorite cheapo things to do for birthday weekends in Vegas are in the comments section below, and have a happy birthday, Cheapos!