These days, with money too tight to mention, time off in another city or another country is more precious than ever. Getting there is one thing, living it up is another. Usually, we’re scrabbling around to find cheap days out and cheeky ways to stretch the budget.

Of course you can go to a number of free museums, walk the city streets, take in the sights from the top of a bus and fuel up on questionable street snacks, but with a bit of savvy know-how, you don’t need to have the bank roll of an A-list celebrity in order to enjoy the high life.

Visit a Casino

Sounds expensive? Not necessarily. Most casinos don’t charge an entry fee and if they do, you can usually offset it against food, drink or even bets.

You don’t have to bet big to have fun at a casino, so you can get just as much pleasure from sitting on a bar stool, dressed up to the nines, watching everybody else. If you are going to bet – and it would be rude not too – set yourself a budget and stick to it. Slots are great value for money – you can have a grand old time for around $20.

Of course the cheapest night out at a casino is visiting one online. Click here to see just how many games you can play, whether you fancy blockbuster slots, blackjack, roulette or even poker. If money really is tight, you can play free Canadian casino games and enjoy all the action with none of the risk. You can also sign up for free spin bonuses so you can try out newly launched slot games or just give them a try before playing for real, and you can even win cash prizes from free spins which is a good reason to give online gambling a try.

Hire a limo

If you’re traveling in a crowd, a limo is not that much more expensive than a couple of taxis. Hire one to take you to the airport or pick you up on arrival. It might seem extravagant, but if ten of you squeeze into a stretch, you’d expect to pay around $20 each from the centre of Toronto to the airport.

Don’t forget, champagne for the journey is extra! (We say it’s worth it!)

Sip a cocktail

We can all go out to a bar and down a few bottles of beer. But for not much more, you can have a glamorous evening in a swanky cocktail bar.

Pick an iconic venue like The Ritz in London where they’ll mix a gold leaf-flecked martini right at your table, or watch the sun set across the square wooden bar of The Four Seasons in Manhattan. Right here in Toronto, you can treat yourself to a perfectly mixed Mojito at the Calvin Bar at the Trump Hotel and Tower – pricey yes, but when the drinks are this good, you only need one.

Dine out in style

If you can only afford one amazing meal out, make it memorable. Dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant will cost you a pretty penny, but you will relish every forkful, and you can still strike a deal. Often there’s a more affordable set menu or you might find a mid-week table at cut price.

Expensive bottles of wine will blow your budget so pick a large glass of something wonderful that you can savour throughout the meal instead.

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