Subscribe
The Daily Grind Video
CLOSE

It’s finally Thursday! You managed to get over the week’s hump and here you are – one day away from the weekend. We realize that you aren’t there just yet, but we have a couple of great things to help you ease into the weekend, especially if you are free of a budget. In today’s installment of Dollars & Sense, we have a couple of awesome things that you can do in Las Vegas. Check it all out below!

Eat At Aureole

Vegas is full of dramatic restaurants, but where else can you dine within sight of a four story, 4,500-bottle wine tower, up and down which float harnessed wine angels, fetching your choice on demand? The food, orchestrated by Charlie Palmer and overseen by Vincent Pouessel, is also a delight, with seasonal American dishes including caramelized Sonoma duck and fennel steamed Alaskan salmon. Megan Romano’s ethereal sweets make breaking your diet well worthwhile.

[pagebreak]

Ride Big Shot, X Scream & Insanity

If you’re afraid of heights, stay away from the 1,150ft (350m) Stratosphere Tower. And even if you don’t suffer from vertigo, you might want to steer clear of the resort’s thrill rides. The Big Shot will rocket you 160ft (49m) up the tower’s spindle under a force of four Gs; at the top, you’ll experience a moment of weightlessness before free-falling back to the launch pad. X Scream will propel you headfirst 27ft over the edge of the Tower and then leave you there to dangle. And during Insanity, an arm will extend 64ft (20m) over the edge of the tower and spin you around at a terrifying rate. Best save dinner for later.

[pagebreak]

Financial Tip Of The Day

Don’t Borrow Against Your 401(k).

When you borrow money from your own 401(k), you usually must pay back the money with interest over five years. This sounds like a good idea because you are paying yourself the interest. There are a few drawbacks. If you leave your current employer for any reason, you will probably have to pay the loan back immediately or face the fees of an early withdrawal. The money you withdraw will also no longer be appreciating in value so you lose the impact of compounding interest. The money used to repay your loan is also not tax sheltered. A primary advantage of a 401(k) is the tax shelter. When you repay your 401(k) loan, those payments are made with after-tax dollars. Then when you take withdrawals at retirement, you pay taxes again.