How to Save Money on Your Next Family Ski Trip
An international ski trip can cost a lot of money. But there are definitely ways to cut back on expenses here and there, so you can still make that dream trip.
I try to save money where possible on our family vacations for three reasons:
We can put the ‘saved money’ to something special – enjoying mulled wine after each ski day, or doing an extra experience like luge rides or ziplining, etc.
We can go for longer. If we save money it means our holiday can last longer!
It feels good to be deliberate with our spending so we can really enjoy our time away, knowing we aren’t wasting money or getting into debt for a holiday.
Here’s how we saved money on our recent family ski trip to New Zealand, and how you can too:
17 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Family Ski Trip
Bought second hand gear off Marketplace
Borrowed heavy winter coats and snow ski gear from friends (it’s amazing just who in your circles has snow gear!)
Buy packages for discounts – e.g. ski lesson package which includes a lift pass and skis, poles and helmets.
Booked a long time in advance to save on prices (there are usually discount offers before the snow season begins)
Take your own food to the mountains and on daytrips
Go with friends/family and share things where you can – accommodation fees, lockers, meals, etc.
Borrow as much as possible
See if you can get a lift to/from the airport to save on airport parking fees
Pack your own foods for the plane to keep the kids happy in between meals
The people we travelled with saved on bus fairs by getting lifts in our vehicle car
Do free attractions like finding local playgrounds, going for drives, picnics, walks and exploring the town.
You can often save money on flights and accommodation if you are booking outside of peak times.
Accommodation packages are sometimes offered for longer stays. You might get a discount if you stay 7 nights, for instance.
Try to stay within walking distance of everything, to save on having to hire a vehicle.
Accommodation is one of the biggest expenses. Consider sharing with friends/family, or looking for cheaper options further out of town. If you have a hire vehicle, this won’t be a problem and could save you heaps. (If you’re not hiring a vehicle, this will make life harder with younger kids!) Another option is to change accommodation throughout the trip – have half or more of your time in cheaper accommodation, then finish up with one or two nights somewhere special, instead of spending the whole time in the more expensive place.)
Destinations matter. Not all skiing destinations will cost the same to get to, or to stay in. There are skiing destinations all over the world. Choosing somewhere close to home is going to be way cheaper than flying to an expensive ski resort across the world. We’re based in Brisbane, so our closest options were skiing within Australia or going to New Zealand. If you’re in the USA, you don’t need to go to Switzerland or Japan. It might feel disappointing to go somewhere close, or not as flashy, but flip that thought: if your family has the best time, wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to go back again and again?
The cheapest ski destinations in the world might be Bulgaria and Slovakia, but not if it costs you thousands of dollars to get there. Equally, don’t assume going to the closest resort will be the cheapest – do some research, it could save you thousands.
I hope some of these tips have helped you start to think about how to save money on your family’s next ski trip.
Your Turn
If you’ve done a ski trip, share your best tips for saving money below! I’d love to heard them and so would our other readers.
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