 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Kel wrote: |
How do people do this  .
My circumstance ;
Age 45.
1.Reasonably well paid job with excellent benefits including car and personal fuel etc.
2. Nice 4 bed house and mortgage free.
3.Wife also is in a well paid job
4. children, one semi dependant (lives at home, but does not contribute, but on the same score doesn't really cost us that much to keep him) one at College studying A levels intending going to Uni.
5 I would have is going to my MD and asking for 5 months off.
6The reason I am well paid and have a company car etc, is because I am needed at work and cannot just take 5 months off.
So come on Guys how do you do it. |
1. Quit the Job.
2. Sell up, half the sale would pay for a few seasons to get you started.
3. Divorce & hook-up with a local younger girl who has connections (property, etc) in the Ski Town of choice.
4. There on there own now.
5. Refer to Point 1.
6. Everyone says that, no one is indispensable.
Your 45 do you want to do the same thing for the next 45 yrs................. ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
stanton, fine apart from point 3 - possibly he quite likes his wife. People often do, you know. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
fatbob,
I actually have more than 25 days, but cannot carry over, in fact I have lost holidays in previous years.
Lizzard,
No it's Can't. I would love to do it and would and could make the financial sacrifices, but the fact is I would loose my job as a result. I have only ever worked for one company and I have been treated very well over the years, but the fact is I am an integral part of the running of the company.
pam w,
There is a reason for this. He is only 19 and skipped the usual A-level, Uni route. Instead he was fortunate enough to get employement from school as a trainee accountant. He did the 3 year AAT course in 2 years and is now studying for his ACCA qaulification and YES I am very proud of Him.
Had He gone down the usual route He would have just started Uni and would have been costing us a fortune. As it is He is saving up for a deposit on a house as an investment in this depressed market, if the market dramatically pick's up, I might even end up lending him the shortfall of a deposit myself. Believe Me if He was Pi$$ing it up the wall, He would be paying Board & Lodgings. I am even taking him to Les Arcs for Xmas, that's the type of guy I am
My parents did the same for Me and I/We actually bought our 1st house outright back in 1986
Maybe my lifestyle is just too materialistic to allow me to take 5 months out nad I will have to wait until retirement like You, hope the knees hold out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
No it's Can't. I would love to do it and would and could make the financial sacrifices, but the fact is I would loose my job as a result. I have only ever worked for one company and I have been treated very well over the years, but the fact is I am an integral part of the running of the company.
|
That's still 'won't'. It might not be the best thing to do, certainly, but the world would not implode if you went off and did soemthing else with your life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
hope the knees hold out.
|
No need to do 5 months. Do early Jan - early Feb (4 weeks) then 4 weeks back at the job, then another 4 weeks early March - early April. You get the best of the season that way, with no stupid crowded holiday weeks.
|
I couldn't do that. I get Xmas and this year will probably be the last time at least for the forseeable. A week at the beginning of Feb and a week in March. My work will not allow me to absent for 4 weeks, even when I am away I have to take the Blackberry (don't make assumptions) to answer important emails from my customers.
Anyone who works in a manufacturing environement will know my predicament.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| aldoyle wrote: |
| silver spoon / right place right time / luck. (like most of the skiing society to be fair) |
yep how right you are...... just wish I could find the spoon.............................!!  (see my previous post on my last 12 years)
In all seriousness.... you could easily justify not doing a season (23 and £50k of reasons) but ffs how much will your "career suffer" if you quit for 6 months?
and it needn't cost you a penny......
If we take everything you've said on face value; you have no mortgage, you have no financial commitments, you have no ties, you want to do it... SO JUST COME AND DO IT.......
There are people with bigger reasons, bigger commitments and older who have done just what you claim you would like to do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Kel, If you have to take your work on holiday then there is something wrong with your company set up. If you solved that you could take longer ski hols.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
| Quote: |
This is about priorities. For someone whe earns twice the national median and has no mortgage millstone to say that he can't afford to ski for a season is ridiculous. It would be more accurate to say that he doesn't actually want to or isn't prepared to make the necessary sacrifices. Both of which are fair enough, but not the same as 'can't'.
|
Which is blunt but accurate. Barriers fall into two categories: one are anchors that you don't feel are worth dumping in order to ski (jobs, partners, mortgage etc.) the second are things that you probably could dump but are too frightened to. Throwing the job and the pension up, especially right now does feel like a stride into the abyss. I know as I did it.
On the practicality front, certain careers/skillsets favour the skier. IT consulting is one. Market research is another. Basically anything that allows you to do contract work for a decent day rate. Due to a little good fortune and no small amount of hard work, within three months of returning from LDA this year I was good to go again (1400 rent, 800 ski pass, 200 insurance). Transport = Swirly's car which cost about 75 quid and on which the most expensive things are the tyres. I reckon I've spent another k on gear but nothing too silly.
One final point, 50k is into the top income decile in this country. Somewhere around 91-3 per cent of the population earns less (it is Saturday, I am not going to go trundling through the Family Resources Survey in order to work out exactly where 50k sits). If you're earning that and cannot work out how this is done then something is not right.
| Quote: |
Ha ha. April road trip in the camper van was fine.
Though it night be a different story in mid January when its -20 outside.
|
Solar shower + telepherique car park in Jan = chilly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kel, how many years service have you given them??
Becoming all the vogue in manufacturing industries at the moment to give long service members a sabatical... they return more motivated and loyal than ever (not that either seem to be an issue in your case)!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
You could alway decide to work a little, then find some altruistic friend of snow heads to help you out. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| gorilla wrote: |
On the practicality front, certain careers/skillsets favour the skier. IT consulting is one. |
Except during recession, when apparently the market swallows itself and dissapears entirely 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
gorilla, are you back in the alps again this winter then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| marcellus wrote: |
Kel, how many years service have you given them??
Becoming all the vogue in manufacturing industries at the moment to give long service members a sabatical... they return more motivated and loyal than ever (not that either seem to be an issue in your case)!!! |
28 Years, it aint going to happen. If I was someone who worked on the shopfloor, then yes it would be allowed, but my position will not allow this and besides it comes with perks and an appropriate salary to ensure I stay put. I get long service, priv days etc so my total leave is 38 days annually, but I cannot take this in one chunk.
I am a slave of Blairs Britian 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
| riverman wrote: |
| Kel, If you have to take your work on holiday then there is something wrong with your company set up. If you solved that you could take longer ski hols. |
When the MD is on hols, I frequently get an email forwarded to myself with the message "Sort this Thank's" unfortunately the arrangement is not reciprocal.
I do not spend a vast amount of time, but some do have to be answered on the day to confirm agreements etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Lizzard, yes. We're going to be in Nendaz. Aside from some minor admin things we're almost ready to go. Looks like there is going to be a good crowd out there. We were considering ADH/Vaujany but the exchange rate and accommodation issues kind of militated against it.
DaveC, fair point but not entirely accurate. One major IT consultancy has got more work than it can currently staff and is re-hiring the people it just made redundant.
I'm fortunate from the self employment point of view as my client mix is across the public and private sector. Right now no one is hiring people like me permanently as they don't want the risk but things still need to be done. Maybe it will not last but from the skiing point of view things are looking pretty solid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Kel, I would go on holiday where there is no mobile reception. They would soon sort some body to deal with things when you are not there. The other option is to get rid of your MD
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I think it cost me 15k for a family of four, we lived in a chalet next to a gondola. I did'nt work but rented my house in the UK for 6 months (to a nutcase but thats another story). The biggest problem was visiting mates who wanted to eat on the hill every day and not eat last nights leftovers from our fridge. Another problem is that once you've done one season you want to do another and then its really expensive....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Frosty wrote: |
| ......The biggest problem was visiting mates who wanted to eat on the hill every day and not eat last nights leftovers from our fridge. Another problem is that once you've done one season you want to do another and then its really expensive.... |
There's the truth!!! We reckon each year costs c£25k and when friends come to stay (It's amazing suddenly how many friends remember their friendship) you have to be disciplined with who you "allow" and what the "rules" are!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Kel wrote: |
fatbob,
I actually have more than 25 days, but cannot carry over, in fact I have lost holidays in previous years.
|
awful isn't it. I get 20 days holiday a year and have hardly taken any so have 14 days at the moment. I have to take it all by 31.12 so have booked 3 weeks off and will get any balance accrued as cash.
I'm just waiting for my Christmad holiday to be cancelled. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
lynseyf, i am aware that there are people who live on 850 a month, and lots of them.... however, if you remember my ORIGINAL post on this subject, it was along the lines of 'how is it done' AND 'what do they do with themselves whilst in the UK' - meaning their standard of living / lifestyle.
pam w, in what way could i possibly feel sorry for myself or hard done by? and when did I say I was hoping something will change for me?
I was questioning how there seems to be so many people claiming it to be perfectly feasible to have such a disposable amount of cash floating around, and one or two people insinuating that it can be done on 7months salary - by 'working your tits off'.
Look, the figures dont stack up, as i previously explained.
Therefore, I stand by my comments / questions, as do many other people in this post and probably people who have read this post and not commented, that there HAS to be more to it than certain people are letting on - what those things may be, I don't currently know, but a bloody huge salary / minimalist lifestyle are the first two that spring to mind. But after reading the responses by these people, and the attitudes expressed in them, i do think there is certainly more to it, and I am now starting to see why the general public tend to look at the skiing community as a bunch of stuck up, arrogant toffs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
aldoyle, I have tried to help you............. there is no magic answer.... you could do it........... to do it you need £0, £zero, nothing, nil, nowt, bug all apart from the desire to do it...... no where near the £14k some have quoted so don't be blinded by the number.......... there is nothing else.........
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
aldoyle, I think working very hard for 7 months may be the most usual way of people funding their habit
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
marcellus, i already realise that I could do it without any money. THAT was not my question, not at any stage in this post. My comments were around HOW so many people seem to claim 10-14k as being realistic + also these folk's standard of life by saving such an amount of money throughout the year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
aldoyle, you've had the answer already, and indeed you've repeated half of it yourself - minimalist lifestyle.
Given your income and lack of obligations, I can't quite see how you manage to avoid having 14K sloshing about, to be honest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Lizzard, the reason being as explained previously - 50k per year gives 850 a month putting 14k away in the bank......
and also, no one has yet said that they simply have a minimalist lifestyle to afford these figures.....
my statements / questions were purely asking how people (of which there seemed to be a fair few) actually have those sorts of sums 'sloshing about'.
it just amazes me how there seems to be so many of them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
How much do you think food/average partying / drinking / general resort expenses would cost for 6 months? I have free accomodation/liftpass/insurance from my job which is working 3 days a week... So I have 4 off to ski but really have no idea how much things are going to cost when I'm out there. Would £50 a week for food be about right assuming there are cooking facilties?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Depends on how often you are prepared to eat lentils and lardons 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
MWG_Thomas, that should all cost about as much as a piece of string is long.
Food - depends on how good/economical a cook you are and what sort of facilities you have. I can eat pretty well for under 30€ a week when I want to.
Drinking - case of Marche U own brand stubbies about 5€. Drinkable plonk 3€ a bottle, minging plonk about half that, utterly undrinkable paintstripper under 1€. Bars variable depending on where you go and how much of a regular you are.
Other expenses - like what? Can't think of any essential ones other than toiletries. Make sure you sponge cleaning products and washing machine time from your colleagues in chalets. Ditto cake and other left over food. They are also likely to feed you peoperly in return for favours like clearing snow etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
aldoyle, there you go, WesTaylor, has your answer. Though he probably lives with his Mum, which helps quite a lot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Cheers Lizzard, sounds like £4k should be enough to last the season then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
MWG_Thomas, £50 p/w puts you in the potentially tasty but budget category. Foodwise the main cost is meat, closely followed by fresh vegetables. If you cut out eating meat you will be able to cut the cost of eating substantially. Otherwise, obtain a pressure cooker and cook cheaper cuts of meat. At the risk of sounding uber geeky I'd also ensure you take a decent knife and steel with you. Do not neglect opportunities to go down and shop in the valley, especially if you have a freezer. Grenoble for instance is much cheaper Briancon, which is much cheaper than Bourg d'Oisans, which is much cheaper than resort.
Assuming you're in France, as Lizzard points out, Bien Vu beer is the cheapest going. This is the biggest exception to the "things are cheaper in the valley rule". Chill it to freezing point before attempting to drink it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
defo think a little working is in order as will save you loads on seasonaires liftpass etc. worth far more in monetary terms that a few hours paypacket a week! (but i'm sure you will manage to enjoy the wages too!!) good luck and enjoy your season if you choose to do it!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
A few of the ski bums/board bums are vets...
Locum at say £300/day for the non skiing months, accommodation and car provided. All you have to pay for is food and entertainment. If you want to make more, work nights/weekends for one of the grouped out of hours providers. Only works for small animal vets though - sadly for me. For a salaried position, working weekends only can earn 30k+/year, and you have your weekdays free to work for someone else if you so choose. Locum rates, especially for antisocial hours, are better than this!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
..
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sun 15-11-09 14:27; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
). I don't think you do kids any favours shielding them from the cost of keeping a roof over their heads; they get to think that their pay is for having fun with, or saving up!!
) including living money out there £12000.
If you can't live on £200 a week you're spending too much on Russian hookers. 