Family Skiing Holidays by Platinum Piste

A family skiing holiday conjures up all sorts of nightmare scenarios for parents. With a bit of careful planning it is possible to reduce your costs and have a stress free time with the family.

There's no shame in being frugal in these hard times and it certainly doesn’t mean foregoing a bit of comfort when booking the family ski holiday. There are numerous ways to make your money stretch that little bit further. Many of these cost cuttings even help reduce the stress levels of the family holiday.

1. Look for late availability on family ski holidays as many of the tour operators are keen to offload ski holidays rather than be left with a surplus on their books.

2. Try and avoid peak dates such as school holidays when going on a family ski holiday. This is easier said than done, parents with younger children should have no problems. However don’t incur the wrath of the school by taking your children out of school early to avoid peak times.

3. Skiing and snowboarding during the low season always helps save the pennies. There are always ski deals to be had but be sure to check the snow reliability or snowfall history of your chosen ski resort before booking your ski holiday.

4. Travel insurance is a must when going on a family ski holiday. The insurance companies are falling over themselves to offer the best deals so shop around. Your bank account may include travel insurance however check that winter sports cover is included. Failure to insure adequately could make your family ski holiday an expensive affair if you have to make a claim.

5. Big name ski resorts often mean spending big money on everything from accommodation to essential family shopping. So check all the ski resorts in the vicinity of the big name ski resort and book a ski holiday in the nearby ski resort. You will find yourself saving lots of money.

6. Ski clothing and accessories are never cheap so shop around on the internet for the best bargains. Even borrow clothing from family or friends that take regular ski holidays.

7. When travelling to the slopes think long and hard about how you get there. Flying is still the most popular option however the costs and the time spent in the air, in queues and on the road quickly mounts up. You’ll also have the cost of transfers to and from Stress levels, both adult and children can easily max out at the airport. It’s possible now to catch the train to many resorts in Europe with little or no transfer time. Taking the overnight train means that you’ll be on the slopes the following day after you and your family have had a good nights sleep.

8. Book your ski or snowboard hire before you go on your family ski holiday and you’ll save plenty of money, some companies even have 2 for 1 offers. Other ski hire companies will deliver the skis to your ski chalet/ski accommodation thus avoiding having to queue for hours at the resort shop. Also booking family ski or snowboarding lessons in advance can help reduce costs.

9. Nobody really wants to cook whilst on holiday but choosing a self catering holiday will mean huge savings on food bills. Restaurants and bars in many resorts have vastly inflated prices, even in these deflationary times, so nip down to the nearest town on the bus, train or tram and stock up on food and wine. The kids will enjoy the adventure of the whole journey as well.

10. Have a family picnic on the ski slopes instead of wandering into the nearest overpriced eaterie. The kids will feel relaxed as they will be able to enjoy the freedom of the open air and they’ll be getting snow in their sandwiches instead of sand.

To get the most out of your family ski holiday a little planning will go a long way. Your ski holiday will be relaxing and you’ll be able to enjoy your time with you family knowing that you didn’t have to break the bank to get there.