Bargain City

Costco

Here's a deal that just can't be beat. The Costco stores sell a quarter-pound all-beef Hebrew National hot dog with all the trimmings, plus a 20-ounce drink, for the low, low price of $1.50. It's wonderful when you live in America. 801 Pavilion Center, 352-2050, and 801 Marks St., Henderson, 352-2040.

Noodle Palace

Until recently, Las Vegas suffered from a dearth of places for a great bowl of wonton soup. No longer. At Noodle Palace, on the upstairs level of the new Pacific Asian Plaza, you'll get 12 impeccable, juicy shrimp and pork dumplings in a flavorful shrimp-and-chicken broth for just over $6. 5115 Spring Mountain Road, 798-1113.

The District

Huh? Wait, hold on. Certain places in town get an image as being for the Beemers and brie set. But if you think about it, brie is just a cheese, and cheese is really not that expensive—not, at least, on a thick sandwich at Panera Bread, which has a nice-looking place at the District. Just around the corner, there's D'Mustard, a hot dog spot that won't leave you broke. If you're worried that it cost more than a dog from the cart outside Lowe's, think of it this way: You're not buying it from a cart outside Lowe's. You can also grab quick, inexpensive, tasty bites at Tacone and La Salsa, which serve, respectively, Southwestern/Mexican food and Mexican/Southwestern food, right next door to one another. Go figure. Better yet, eat, take a really pleasant stroll, then go figure. You can afford it. On Green Valley Parkway between Paseo Verde and the 215, adjacent to Green Valley Ranch.

Fausto's Mexican Grill

Interestingly, our favorite thing to eat at Fausto's is also the cheapest. That would be the $1.95 sope, or fat, griddled corn cake, which you may have topped with goodies such as pastor, barbecued, spiced pork. Topped with a mountain of shredded lettuce and Mexican white cheese, this is a real meal. Bet you can't eat two. Three Henderson locations, at 2654 Horizon Ridge, 617-2246; 595 College Dr., 568-1220; and 229 N. Stephanie St., 436-5059.

Huntridge Drugstore Restaurant

Located in the Huntridge Drugstore on the east side of town, the Huntridge Restaurant is a companion piece to the historic Huntridge Theater across the street. Established in 1948, the restaurant hasn't added much to its interior in the last 50 years, yet customers still come here for the good food and ultralow prices. The owners are Bill and Doris Fong, who not only serve classic American grill food like burgers and fries, but good Chinese food, too. So be content that you can have either the chicken fried steak with brown gravy, or the shrimp fried rice for lunch. 1122 E. Charleston Blvd, 384-3737.

La Creperie

Our favorite cheapo Strip meal has to be here, where authentic, Breton-style crepes are made to order and then stuffed with savory fillings, such as ham and Gruyere cheese, or sweet ones, like chocolate hazelnut spread. At just under $7, they are delicious tummy-stuffers, and with the Euro at $1.35, probably cheaper than in France. At Paris Las Vegas, 946-7000.

Tacos Mexico

Maybe the best cheap-taco chain in the city. There's no kitchen to speak of, just some hard-working employees scraping together the tacos from a steam table. If it sounds no-frills, you'd be right, but the savings are passed on to you. Just 65 cents for these treats! Now as is often the case with authentic Mexican eateries, English is practically nonexistent here. Fortunately, the menu is numbered, so if you can at least count to 10 you should be OK. Just be tolerant of the Latino disco tracks that come blaring out of a cheap transistor radio in a few of the franchises. 1205 East Charleston Blvd., 385-6806; 3820 West Sahara Ave., 365-7673; 1612 North Civic Center Drive, 399-7953.

Weber Bakery

Weber sells a whole lot of snacking goods for basically pocket change. Now, a lot of Weber's products are gooey, sugary-sweet items, but many are bread products like a single loaf of rye or a bag of kaiser rolls. It's the place to fill your basket on your way to a picnic. 3601 Rancho Drive, 658-4202.

Lotus of Siam

Chef Saipin Chutima has been lionized in the national press as having "the best Thai restaurant in the United States," so what do you think of the idea of eating her bountiful lunch buffet, which contains more than 20 items, for only $7.99? We'd pay that just to eat a plateful of her garlic chicken wings alone. 943 E. Sahara Ave., 735-3033.

A Hodgepodge of Bargain Eats

Golden Gate casino offers shrimp cocktail for 99 cents, cheap deli sandwiches for around $3 and New York steak and eggs for $5. Ellis Island is famous for the $4.95 complete steak dinner. Jason's Deli serves up a good bowl of soup for $2 and soup and a half-sandwich for or $5.25. At Broadway Pizzeria, get two slices and a drink for under $4. The Gold Coast has a 75-cent hot dog from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Terrible's Casino makes you a whole chicken dinner for $5. At Café Ba Ba Reeba's Tuesday happy hour, get two-for-one sangria and $3 tapas. There's a daily free lunch buffet at the Play It Again, Sam gentleman's club. And there's nickel coffee and a 50-cent doughnut at the Westward Ho—can't beat that.

Las Vegas Drive-In

Built in 1960, the Las Vegas Drive-In is still a neat outlet for large groups to see theatrical entertainment. The process is easy. Pay your $5.50 ($3.50 on Tuesdays) per person at the gate, park in front of the screen of the movie you want to see, turn your radio dial to the instructed station and enjoy. Another benefit is that you can bring your own food and drink instead of paying high concession prices at your local multiplex. West Carey at Rancho Road, 646-3565.

Nightlife Passes

If time is money, then Vegas.com's nightclub pass is a jackpot. That's right. It's the bargain of a lifetime, or at least the weekend. A Vegas.com exclusive pass gets you by the line, through the ropes and in the front door every time. It currently sells nightclub passes for all the hottest clubs with more coming on board. No waits. No worries. Sounds like the bargain of a lifetime.

Discount Cinema at Tropicana

Movies for a buck. With small indie flicks, an occasional foreign film, and the recently added The Rocky Horror Picture Show every second and fourth Saturday (withdrawn high-schoolers across the Valley, now is your time to rejoice), this is a good stop for cheap cinema. On occasion, the prints you get for some of the more routine Hollywood fare is less than stellar, but the projectionists are always on their game and the clean bathrooms, comfortable lounge chairs and 50-cent hot dogs don't exactly hurt. 3330 East Tropicana Ave., at Pecos Road, 434-8108.

Free shows on the Strip

The most famous are Sirens of T.I. at Treasure Island and the Bellagio fountains, but there are others: the rain storm at Desert Passage in the Aladdin, the Rio's Masquerade in the Sky, Air Play and the Bird Show at the Tropicana and, perhaps the best bargain, the 3-D movie I Lost My M in Vegas at the M&Ms World in the Showcase Mall, which includes free M&Ms at the end of the surprisingly entertaining animated movie.

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History, UNLV

The current exhibit is Now and Then: A Contemporary View of Historic Las Vegas, featuring scores of fascinating images from the city's history. The exhibit is a reminder, in this centennial year, that Fremont Street once resembled a classic American Main Street ... and also that there were some tough-looking customers around here long before Mr. Siegel. Did we mention it's free? By the way, the polished hardwood floors, once home to squeaking Rebel sneakers and still adorned by the old confederate wolf logo, would be worth the price of admission, if admission had a price. At UNLV, 4505 Maryland Parkway, 895-3381. hrc.nevada.edu/Museum.

Bonnie Springs Old Nevada

Yes, it used to be cheaper. The petting zoo, for instance, was free, save the little donation box out front, and Old Nevada would set you back just a few bucks extra. Now they've packaged the whole experience, including parking, into one fee. For $10 per carload of visitors ($7 on weekdays), you can wander the petting zoo, chat with a llama, check out a buffalo and visit an Old West mock-up that's been a local institution so long that it almost qualifies as the real thing. And this is one of those expenditures that feels right: You keep the animals well-fed and help an old local favorite stay afloat. As everything else in Southern Nevada changes relentlessly, we're thankful that, at this earnest little attraction at Red Rock's base, the only thing that's changed is the price. 1 Gunfighter Lane, Blue Diamond, just off State Route 159, 875-4191. www.bonniesprings.com.

The Planetarium

OK, so there's no Disneyland in the adult Disneyland. No Epcot, no California Science Center, not even—for crying out loud—a Griffith Observatory. Take a minute to get over it. Done? Now, the good news. Off the Strip, Las Vegas has an increasing number of (admittedly more modest) family entertainments that are (gulp) even educational. And, unlike a certain large plot of land in central Anaheim, a trip to them won't set you back a paycheck. Try, for instance, the Planetarium at the Cheyenne campus at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Get a glimpse of the heavens every Friday evening at 6 and 7:30 and every Saturday at 3:30 and 7:30. After the 7:30 shows, take a look upward through the Planetarium's telescopes. All this, and it'll set you back just $5, or $3 if you're over 55 or under 12. The current shows are Destination Universe and Sky Watch. 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave, one mile east of I-15, 651-4-SKY. www.ccsn.edu/planetarium/

Pogo's Tavern

Thirty-seven years running and this charming, cinder-blocked hole-in-the-wall is still tops when it comes to cheap beer (draughts for $1.50) and cheap pool (a mere 50 cents). Best of all, every Friday, 9 p.m. to midnight, a group of old-timers gathers on stage (such as it is) and performs for the local barflies some classic blues and jazz. A bit dark and smoky, but a sultry delight. 2103 North Decatur Blvd., 646-9735.

UNLV Special Collections

A treasure trove filled with endlessly fascinating archival material about the history of our city. Old movie posters of films shot here in the early '50s, blueprints of the first neon sign that went up for the Flamingo in 1949, intriguing photographs of Las Vegas through the years, and much more. From Rat Pack-era chic, to more contemporary clippings of the movie boom that has centered on Las Vegas for the past 15 years, it's all preserved with loving care. If you have even the slightest curiosity about Las Vegas history and you happen to be on campus, seek this place out, it's a free browse. Self-education is seldom this fun. Third floor, Lied Library, 4505 Maryland Parkway, 895-3252.

Tours of the Ethel M Chocolate Factory

Although it sounds more glamorous than it is, the Ethel M factory in Henderson is still a fun way to kill an hour or two. It's not fancy, but you can see actual chocolate treats being made and then consume said treats. You can also wander around the factory's famous cactus garden, the world's largest, and check out its innovative wetlands and water treatment facility. Chocolate and nature, and, best of all, it's all completely free. 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson, 458-8864.

Hot Fun

The website for escort Nikki Avalon (www.nikkiavalon.com) offers this rather unique discount for visitors and locals in select vocations:

Educators: I realize the importance of education and I have great deal of respect for people who have chosen this rewarding and challenging field. As a token of my respect, I offer to educators of all levels, a discount of $100 for my service.

Activists: I believe that time is our most valuable asset and appreciate those of you who devote time to environmental and/or political causes. To show my support and appreciation for my fellow environmental and political activists, I offer a discount of $100 for my service.

Note to political activists: This offer stands regardless of opposing or shared political views, but be prepared for a lively discussion or a friendly debate, whichever the case may be.

Cheap Fun

The Nifty Nickel—the newspaper for the Valley's bargain hunters—is a square deal no matter whether you find and buy something from its pages of items for sale. First, it's free and available on convenience store racks everywhere. More importantly, it's entertaining. From the frighteningly cheap "Red Couch, $25" and "King size mattress & box spring like brand new, $60" to the peculiar "Wanted: Personal Steam Cabinet" to the sad "Jazzy 1120 with 8ft folding ramp, never used due to stroke" to the practical "Camaro hood in box ready to paint, $150" you can't go wrong with the Nickel. Great deals on furniture, autos and services.

Hodgepodge of Bargain Fun

Dylan's offers free country dance lessons at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Gilley's offers free line-dancing lessons at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays. The Green Door swingers club will give you a free tour 1-5 p.m. every day. A gondola ride at the Venetian is just $15. The Crown Theatres in Neonopolis has $5 movies for all hotel and casino employees. For a breathtaking view of the Strip at night, zoom up to the top level of the McCarran International Airport open-air parking garage—take in a skyline second to none, for the cost of a few quarters in the meter.

Nathan Adelson Hospice Unique Boutique & Resale Shop

Sadly, corporately-run secondhand stores have made it difficult to find those vintage treasures. Charity thrift stores are now turning over operations to "experts," so some pretty savvy people run thrift shops these days. They cherry-pick donations to sell in bulk for a sizable profit. The good goods just aren't out there like they used to be, is what we're saying. Thankfully, the folks who run Unique Boutique & Resale Shop are mostly volunteers. Relive thriftings glory days there. You'll find books, clothes, furniture, accessories and all. 4700 S. Maryland, 967-2541.

Tiffany

Yeah, in a bargain story. Think those perky blue Tiffany boxes are out of your reach? Guess again. The classic Elsa Peretti Nugget sterling silver pendant goes for $100. A Heart Tag screwball key ring will set you back $80, but it may also provide an ideal incentive to keep better track of those house keys. For the nature lover, a boxed set of Tiffany Flora and Tiffany Fauna books by John Loring runs $50. That blue box is yours. In Bellagio, 697-5400.

Havana Cigar Co.

Monetarily challenged cigar-smokers can lose those Swisher Sweets forever. Havana Cigar Co. sells hundreds of better cigars—many for under $8. Don't sweat if you really don't know your toe from your tip; the staff is extremely helpful and the café is an ideal spot to sit down to get your cigar on while sipping a fine wine. (It sells great wine too.) The Paradise Road location (4080 Paradise, 732-2828) is lovely, but for that just-about-Cuban effect, take a ride out to Lake Las Vegas' Via Brianza, where you can take a nice view too.

Zara

With 600 stores in 47 countries and a corporate goal of staying hip by making sure its employees stay in the design loop, Zara has eyes all over the place. Twice a week, each store receives shipments of new clothes, accessories and shoes that reflect all the latest and greatest. Separates average about $30, shoes run between $50-$150 and suit sets will set you back a little more than $100. Sure, the price point isn't exactly bargain-basement, but you won't have to wrestle with racks and racks of crap and most of the clothes are so hip, happening and now they may last for several seasons. Inside the Fashion Show Mall, 733-1113.

Buffalo Exchange

This new- and recycled-clothing hot spot just completed a major expansion that brought its total square footage up to about 5,000. Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen, this popular attire pawnshop that pays you for your castaways is pretty much taking over the entire center. The majority of its new merchandise is purchased from other retailers in bulk, but the recycled component means you'll also find quite of bit of designer and vintage items. 4110 S. Maryland, 791-3960.

Catholic Charities Thrift Store

Like the Opportunity Village's thrift Stores, Catholic Charities' outlets have some wicked fashions at ridiculously low prices. We've bought vests, blazers and assorted ties, all for under $6. The best store among the branches is on Main Street, a main artery for antique hunting in the downtown area, but the other two branches, on Rancho and Vegas Drives, are not too far behind in variety, though the stores are a bit smaller than the Main Street branch, and it's a bit more of a slog to find things. It's still worth the effort. 808 South Main St., 382-4604; 1767 North Rancho Drive, 646-2150; 4921 West Vegas Drive, 647-6729.

Cinema Collectors

An excellent place for some great movie memorabilia that's very reasonably priced. Lobby cards, posters, magnets and old copies of film fanzines are all available. It's pointless to give you a range of the prices, since most vintage movie articles depend on age, condition and the popularity of the issue or item. You can get old issues of TV Guide dating back to the '50s, and old lobby cards from the dawn of the talkies for under $10. There's a terrific staff too; extremely helpful in looking up the hardest-to-find titles, sharing your enthusiasm for the material and generally making shopping here all the more fun. 2242 Paradise Road, 369-6916.

Opportunity Village Thrift Store

Although there are a few of these stores around, the two listed below are the best for variety. They're both very well-organized, with broad compartment sections for clothes, appliances, old records and pottery, just to name a few. The old records can be a pleasant surprise—old 33's, and 45's for just a dollar. The best section by far is the clothing. They have a neat collection of off-kilter stuff. Over the years, we've found African afghan ceremonial robewear, navy uniforms, peddle-pushers, beehive wigs and those hip, '60s golf sweater-shirts—the kind Roland Gift wore on all those Fine Young Cannibals' videos—all for under $10. It's not for nothing that other vintage clothing stores will pay headhunters to ravage this place for their own stores, and then jack up the price. 921 South Main, 383-1082; 3528 Maryland Parkway, 486-0100.

Burlington Coat Factory

Finally, truth in advertising. Burlington Coat Factory brags that it's "more than great coats," and, well, damned if it ain't true. You can put together a nice outfit for less than $50—slacks as low as $15; dress shirts, $12—without having to know your Giorgio Armanis from your Vera Wangs. 4750 S. Eastern, 451-5581; 5959 W. Sahara, 247-1268; 570 N. Stephanie, 458-2179.

Ritzy Rags Designer Resell Boutique

Tucked away in a strip mall at Sahara and Rainbow, Ritzy Rags stocks high-end women's clothing at a laudable discount. Stylish labels like Versace, Chanel and Ungaro are well represented. Manolo Blanhnik shoes that might set you back $500 are a steal at $98. Thousand-dollar Chanel jackets go for less than $400. The store stocks furs, leather coats, jewelry and a wide variety of handbags and purses. Rich women selleth, and the woman on a budget can buyeth back. 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd., 257-2283.

Charleston Outlet

Men's and women's clothes starting at $1.98? From respectable brands like Liz Claiborne and Polo? Lead the way! The outlet also offers no-nonsense clothes for girls and boys, plus a small stash of used books, coffee-makers, Crock-Pots and hair dryers. You can buy Pottery Barn lamp shades for $10. You can even find a bargain on airline seats ($9.98 each.) Of course, who needs airline seats, but it's kind of cool to think you could buy a pair on the cheap. And Charleston Outlet opens an hour earlier than the slick shops at Las Vegas Premium Outlets. 1548 E. Charleston Blvd., 388-1446.

Hotel Furniture Liquidators

Inside the warehouse are the spruced-up leftovers of earlier eras of Strip elegance. Many styles are out of date, and the paint-splattered floor reminds you that this is not the Ritz. Still, the furniture here is in good condition, and the deals are tough to beat: Red-leather chairs from the Mirage for $299; solid armoires from the MGM for $799; $49 mirrors from Bellagio, and an assortment of beds, end tables, lamps, night stands, and cheap electronics (20-inch TVs can be had for $50, and microwaves are a steal at $20). 3290 Highland St., 737-2078.

Discount Firearms

Everything the man (or woman) of arms needs. The clerks promise that the best deals are here. Well, of course they'd say that. But you've got your Berettas for as low as $225. Glocks can be had for as low as $489. What one clerk described as the Bentley of guns, the Kimber, can be yours for less than $900. 3084 S. Highland, Suite B. 567-1158