Money saving tips

[ski diva]

It's godawful expensive to take the family skiing these days. One sure way to cut costs is to pack a lunch.

Any other ideas?

 

[Snowbird]

If you can possibly arrange it, mid week and night skiing (if available) is always cheaper than weekends.

 

[Molly]

I'm all for midweek, but night skiing's too cold!

 

[jkrie]

Get a job at your favorite or home resort. I have 4 kids and they all ski and race. Each year I earn an extra dependant pass. I had so much fun teaching my son decided to do it too. This year (only my 3rd working for my home mtn.) I only paid for 1 season pass. My pass is included, my son earns his own, I receive 2 free, and my husband uses the 4 free tickets and 20 discounted tickets that my son and I earn. This year approx $780 on passes instead of $6,000 !

 

[ski diva]

Wow! That's a fantastic savings! What a great idea!

What's your home mountain?

And welcome to the forum!

 

[ski diva]

Here's another idea: join a ski club! Lots of clubs offer terrific discounts on day lift passes as well as trips to destination resorts. I did a trip a few years ago with a local ski club to Aspen, and the cost was quite reasonable.

 

[Lisamarie]

Get a job at your favorite or home resort. I have 4 kids and they all ski and race. Each year I earn an extra dependant pass. I had so much fun teaching my son decided to do it too. This year (only my 3rd working for my home mtn.) I only paid for 1 season pass. My pass is included, my son earns his own, I receive 2 free, and my husband uses the 4 free tickets and 20 discounted tickets that my son and I earn. This year approx $780 on passes instead of $6,000 !

Absolutely! I work one or two days a week as a skier surveyor at Copper, and my husband teaches at Breck. We don't pay for ski passes anywhere!

 

[Marigee]

When we ski out west we always check VRBO. You can get a better deal on lodging that way. It isn't a huge savings - but every little bit counts.

 

[Jilly]

For a weeks vacation check out Skican. For anyone that can fly into Toronto, its probably cheaper. I agree that things are getting expensive to ski. Its not the equipment - its lunch, lifts and gas to get there. We take lunch too, but buy soup on the mountain. Locally I teach so don't pay for tickets. We also travel with a friend who owns a ski shop, so sometimes the lifts are free or at least cheap. Often I throw out my instructors card and see if there is a discount at a hill. At Tremblant this year, they have a really small discount to buy your pass as a couple, like $40 off the thousand you need. (yipee!). I was still able to do this even thought the other 1/2 is considered senior. Also season passes get you discounts at the resturant on the mountain. Like most I suspect you buy season passes at the cheapest time in the summer. Also keep an eye out for midweek deals - Owl's Head has a deal for Tuesday - $15.00 lift ticket. I'm sure there will be others.

 

[jkrie]

Hey there just logged back in and saw your note. I teach at Okemo.

 

[ski diva]

Hey there just logged back in and saw your note. I teach at Okemo.

That's my home mountain, too!

 

[ski chick]

Many states have a "4 for free" program that enables a 4th grader to ski free with a full priced adult ticket. For some states it is 5th grade, for some, 3rd grade. Also, some resorts have their own mini-programs like this (Catamount in NY, for example). These programs usually require advanced registration (you can do it now even, in October!) and charge a nominal fee for processing the registration. You get a passbook with about 5 lift ticket passes, discounts on rentals, and even coupons for free sodas at the snack bar. Not all resorts in a state participate, but in New York there are many! Try typing in "4 for free" or "4th graders ski free" and see what you come up with in a search.

 

[ski chick]

Also, our local Mobil gas stations (in Dutchess County, NY) offer free lift tickets with 4 fill ups (8 gal min.). Present your 4 receipts inside the station and they will attach it to a coupon good for a free lift ticket at participating resorts (there were so many!). When I see the promotion again I'll post more here.

 

[Calgal]

I will be taking advantage of my daughter being in Gr 5 this yr! She will ski a very nice resort all year for only $10 !!!
I really hope I can get her out often so she gets a ton of use from it.
I bought a card that gives 1st, 4th, and 7th days free, and discounts on days in between, plus discounts on other things.

 

[ski diva]

This is an old thread I thought might be a good one to get started again.

Anyone have any input?

 

[Little Lightning]

More ideas here!

The Nov/Dec issue of Women's Adventure magazine has 30 ways to take a budget ski trip.

There are ideas on how to get cheap lodging, lift tickets, rentals, lessons, apres ski and packages.

There's lots of ideas, to many for me to quote.

https://www.womensadventuremagazine.com/

 

[ski diva]

Little Lightning, was there an article in there on tuning your own skis? Our own Altagirl and Volklgirl were interviewed by a freelance writer who was putting together an article on this for the magazine.

 

[Little Lightning]

Yes, that's the issue.

The only woman the author mentions is from Sandy, Utah.For actual ski tuning the author quotes a guy from Durango and one from Bend, Oregon.

 

[ski diva]

That must be our Altagirl!!!!