9 Best Tips for a Budget Winter Snow Holiday ...

Unless you are an absolute ski aficionado and very picky about your slopes, one of the best ways to bag a budget winter snow holiday is to avoid the most popular and the most exclusive resorts. If you’re in Europe, avoid Switzerland – it’s expensive, full stop. If you’re in North America, don’t be lured by the charms of Aspen, Lake Placid and Whistler. If you look for lesser known resorts you will be pleasantly surprised by how good they are. You won’t have crowded slopes and long queues for ski lifts. Restaurants won’t be so full, yet the atmosphere will still be great. In Europe, check out lesser known destinations such as Bulgaria and Romania. In the USA and Canada, the choices are endless.

Smaller resorts are cheaper and if you combine small with lesser known, you might well get a very low budget ski holiday. Two of the main costs of a winter snow holiday are accommodation and lift passes. They are both much cheaper in small resorts and more intimate too. You’re more likely to stay in a traditional, family run establishment in a small resort. Also, in the European Alps, you’ll find freebies like kid’s lift passes- if you’re checking out North American small ski resorts, look for similar offers.

If you are a sizeable party, self catering is a great way to cut the cost of a ski break. Self catering chalets and lodges usually offer more space than hotels and you certainly have more freedom. You can stock the fridge with good food and cheap beer and wine and throw your own après ski parties.

Like every type of vacation, there are peak times when prices are their highest. Avoid these. So don’t expect to find great deals and budget winter snow vacations around the holidays, New Year, school half terms in Europe and Easter.

More with respect to timing – if you are going to go early or late season, when costs are considerably lower, destination is important. One of the reasons for the lower cost is the greater risk of conditions not quite being up to par. This risk can be reduced by going further north or by choosing resorts at the higher altitudes.

This is another of the expenses that you have to address if you want budget winter snow holidays. Having a winter snow wardrobe of specialist items you only wear once or twice a year is expensive. Borrow and beg ski wear from family and friends. Make sensible choices. Buy a padded jacket from a budget store which is half the cost of a “proper” ski jacket but wear plenty of warm layers underneath. Have plenty of socks and gloves too.

When working out your budget, factoring in the cost of equipment is essential. You need to decide between buy and hire. Check hire prices at your resort and work out if it is cheaper to buy. You can consider buying secondhand. Also, if you do decide to buy new (why?), you can sell it on eBay or Craigslist after your holiday.

If you aren’t taking a package holiday and are booking flights, take care to factor in all the costs. Budget airlines' prices look great value until you check the small print and all the additional costs. Don’t miscalculate by missing taxes, luggage fees and check for costs of flying ski equipment. Check out this article on budget airlines too. travel.allwomenstalk.com

Do you have to fly? Driving to your resort or going by train is one of the easiest ways to cut costs of a winter snow holiday. If you are going to drive, you have the advantage of having the car when you arrive at the resort. If you are so off peak season that there are days when you can’t get out on the slopes, at least you’ll have the car to go exploring the area. Remember to fit your snow chains!

Some experts say that by factoring in everything I’ve detailed above you can save up to 50% on the cost of a package ski deal to a big resort in high season. That’s a significant saving. Are you looking for a budget winter snow holiday this year?