Nestled snugly amid the glitz and glamour, the Eiffels and the towers, the fountains and shrines of empires past, not to mention the destination resorts and their restaurants, a community of Las Vegas locals thrives in the very shadow of the Strip.

They work the plush palaces as bellhops, valets, waiters and bartenders, and when lunchtime calls, they flock to an almost-hidden network of grills, bistros, coffee shops, joints and even food courts for their simple but very good and filling fare.

Discover this network, and you can stretch your vacation dollar to the max.

Here, with some help from locals, are five steps to staying within your budget in Las Vegas.

More.