 Poster: A snowHead
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In monetary terms that is.
If you went from say mid December until mid April how much would that 4 months cost?
Besides guessing (which i'd like to hear as well), anyone actually done it and kept track of the bottom line? If so, where?
NB This is a complete hypothetcial for me :(
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think Bertie Bassett said it came in around 10k for his season in Peisey Vallandry - he did an end of season wrap up thread
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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?
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nbt, was there a break down?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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£11.5K actually..but it's 5 months skiing not 4.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=46330&start=253
but you could cut the cost significantly if you shared the flat with friends etc. I had a 1 bedroom all on my own, no sharers so the full cost c.5K I had to bear. Lots of flat shares around for say £2K or rooms in a hostel (eg. PH1 in Peisey) for 2.5K (and catered in that cost), definitely a good option if you've got a good mate that wants to season it as well. Don't forget the cost of lift pass (close to 1K in big resorts) and insurance (say 300-400 quid)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I actually sat and worked this all out one weekend when I was very bored. I totted up how much it would cost to rent a studio apartment for the season, feed and water myself, season lift pass, flights/transfers there and back together with the cost of paying mortgage/council tax and stuff back home plus paying someone to look after my cat. It came to a shocking £14k. But compared to a week's ski holiday costing approximately £900 it just about makes sense. If only I had £14k to squander so foolishly... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Peter Leuzzi, PM me your e-mail address and I can send you some numbers.
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£5k if you're smart about it. That's what I spent, anyway, when I bummed a full season.
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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.
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Dont forget to deduct the costs you would have to pay if you were at home eating and living anyway, that should knock enough off to make it well affordable.
Plus all the money you would have to pay for days out if you were at home and bored- taken care of. - that would include a few over priced trips to a fridge to get a ski fix.
Fuel for the car.
Take off the cost of a couple of hoildays.
Right I`m off. I`ve worked out it will save me money - it makes sense to go........ 
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Ooh, interesting question. What happens if you live outside of the resort, and drive up each day. Any thoughts on whether this would make it cheaper?
DaveC, and if you take off the cost of living at home (as Dek says) then you're basically better off skiing bumming the season. Right, time to draft that resignation letter... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hmmm, however not living at home doesn't save all that much as I'd still have to pay insurance, rates, standing charges for gas, water and electriciy, oh and that pesky mortgage :S
still a good few years off for me, this dream of doing a season
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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.
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| ChrisWo wrote: |
Ooh, interesting question. What happens if you live outside of the resort, and drive up each day. Any thoughts on whether this would make it cheaper?
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Generally cheaper - e.g. brides les bains is 4k for a flat c.f. 7.5 for veryhell.
But if you can speak french well enough and figure out who to ask in resort - you can probably find places for a bit less from locals rather than using an anglo-agency e.g a buddy of mine paid 650 euro per month on a 5 month deal for a place in plan-peisey last year - not as nice as mine and 50 odd steps up to the lift each morning, but a saving of around 1.5K stg.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've long since realised that all this is going to have to wait until I've paid the mortgage off and can afford to work for myself remotely. Then I can pack up and move somewhere driveable to the mountains, work from home when I need to and ski in winter, ride motorbike in summer and generally have a fabulous life.
Everyone needs a dream, right? 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hmm, so the key is not having a mortgage then...good job I'm renting then, isn't it 
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Poster: A snowHead
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If you can rent out your UK place, that'd make a big difference. One of our winters we got £750 a month rental, from an insurance company - woman we knew in the village whose house was going to be uninhabitable, because of repairs for subsidence. She needed a two-bed place, and so we charged the relevant rent for that, rather than the whole house. She looked after the cat too - she adored cats! We co-habited with her for the four school hol weeks when we come back, but for two weeks of that she was off on a holiday to East Africa anyway.
To rent normally means vacating for six months. But you could ski for four, then do 2 months travel throughout Europe? Most people could get enough rent for their UK home to pay their basic costs abroad. Our season passes cost 345 euros. Food costs about the same as home. So does electricity, water and phone.
This coming winter our daughter and son in law are going to live in our house - various reasons - they're saving up for a deposit. They will pay £400 a month rent. Way off the economic rent but helps with our costs and is a huge saving for them on their previous flat in Hove, where rent alone was over £1000 and they had to pay Council Tax.
Having a big house empty four months of the year is not a good use of resources. We also have converted one downstairs room into a self contained studio - rent for that, £400 a month. We could not afford to spend all winter in the Alps without making our major asset - the UK house - earn its keep.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hey, anyone like me thinking of selling up and moving to the mountains like me??????????? 
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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?
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Cost about £6k for 5 months maybe a bit less as that included my car insurance and tax which came up during that time. That was in a big place, albeit one of the cheaper big places, in France too. Reckon (hope) this season should be a bit cheaper...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am about to find out the answer to this question...
Two of us are heading off on December the 3rd for a season without working. It could be financially ruinous, and returning to work on May the 1st will probably be seriously painful, but on the other hand I'm sure it will be more than worth it - it could just be the time of our lives!!
Have never done it before, but after years of dreaming about it we've finally taken the plunge and I can't tell you how excited I am - all the standard build up to the usual yearly ski holiday (checking forecasts, webcams etc. hourly), but multiplied many times over!
I'll let you know the answer when we get back....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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im not enjoying this thread, wish i was going too. Godd luckl Billy M, , you never try you never know get out there and get it done it`ll be a blast i`m sure.
Peter Leuzzi, only ever half looked at rent but they seem to start about £2.5k eat a tin of beans each day and drink turps each night to keep you warm sorted. (you see i`ve planeed it all out
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I agree with Dave C - you could happily bum a full season for about £5000.
For the 14K quoted above I would expect russian hookers as extras
The secret is simple - live somewhere cheap (perhaps a little out of town), shop at the supermarket and dont spend all of your money on booze. Minimise your expenses back home - by renting out your flat / house (dont be house proud) and sell your car if required. Once you have a season pass and accomodation then you dont need that much money to live in resort every week ?
Working has benefits though... Many alpine jobs will pay you in accomodation. Plus you also get staff discounts around the resort, a cheaper season pass and its probably the best way to meet other people in resort.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 14-11-09 10:13; edited 1 time in total
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Some stupid figures being bandied about here. £14,000? You think the typical scruffy skibum in his 20s has that sort of money? Be sensible.
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In St Anton it will cost you between appx €4500 for a small apartment (out of town) with cooking facilities, TV from begin Dec to End of April.
A season lift ticket is around €695
If money is not an issue then you can eat out but you can soon get bored & very Fat . To save money it would be essential to have your own cooking facilities for Breakfast, Dinner but also to make something for lunch. You can save a fortune using this route.
Obviously if you can find some honest people to share the price drops dramatically.
| DaveC wrote: |
| £5k if you're smart about it. That's what I spent, anyway, when I bummed a full season. |
The question is ....(and not work a day)? Ski Bums work.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sat 14-11-09 15:42; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
I'll let you know the answer when we get back....
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Don't wait that long, Billy M, we'd love to hear how it goes. 
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Lizzard,
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You think the typical scruffy skibum in his 20s has that sort of money? Be sensible.
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No, but Mummy and Daddy do.....
Most people 'living the dream' have to have a job out here
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| bertie bassett wrote: |
| - you can probably find places for a bit less from locals rather than using an anglo-agency |
oi oi not all anglo agencies are the same you know 
The secret to getting a really good deal on a seasonal property is to plan early!!
In almost all resorts there are relatively cheap properties, most of which are tied down by some company or other on a rolling year on year contract and sold on a 1st come served basis.
Examples;
Bourge St Maurice - 1 bedroom - £2500.
Tignes (Val Claret) - studio - €2850
Morzine - studio - €2950
Val d'Isere (Hameau) - studio - £3000
Bride les Bains - €3350
Les Gets - £3500
ValFrejus - £3500
les Arc (2000) - £4000
As always with everything location costs as does leaving things to the last minute!
With regard to total cost of the season, all in I would be surprised if it cost you much more than £6k if doing it alone but not double if a couple!!
Mind you this year is an "odd" year for seasonal properties everywhere so there are some good deals still out there if anyone is tempted to pack their bags let me know!!
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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.
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chaletglacier, but not all of them by any means. I know plenty of people who bum the season, and none of them spends more than about the 5K that DaveC quotes.
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I know....call me old me old fashioned but 'doing a season' means working not just an extended holiday. Its usually more fun and you feel more part of the place, make more friends....anyhow, perhaps I'm just bitter as its never been a choice thing for me!
Reckon 8k gets you fully catered in most chalets all season!!
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You know it makes sense.
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chaletglacier, I think in these days of "sabaticals" and people not having "jobs for life" that more and more older people are taking 5/6 months out and "doing a season" without actually doing any work at all... that said there are also an increasing number of more mature people becoming what you'd consider to be a true "seasonaire"
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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chaletglacier, the minute I win the Euromillions, I shall cease to sell lift tickets and ski all the time instead. Sod all this 'true seasonnnaire' garbage.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If I could afford it I wouldn't work too....but, if it was a choice of a job in the alps and skiing every day, or not being able to afford it and not being here
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NB This is a complete hypothetcial for me 
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then think a job is how most people manage it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lizzard, £14k includes the £5k it would cost to pay my mortgage and bills on my house in the UK whilst away, so I was working on about £9k for being in the Alps for a season. £5k to rent studio, £1k for lift pass and £3k for flights, insurance, spending money, bills, etc. That's how I got to £14k.
It would be a very remote possibility to be able to rent my house out for 4-5 months plus the rental income would not cover the mortgage, but obviously it would save me in the region of £2-3k.
However, it's all pure speculation. I haven't got £14k nor anything like that amount, and giving up my job would be extremely foolish (yes, FOOLISH Masque!).
I'm sticking to plan A. Work hard, pay off mortgage, then move abroad permanently and hopefully be able to work freelance remotely to generate enough of an income.
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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?
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queen bodecia, you're over-budgeting for pretty much everything there. Unless you live on a diet of lobster and fillet steak, obviously.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Many years ago a dentist friend of mine used to say that his ski holidays cost him £3,000 for a week: £1,000 for the holiday and £2,000 in lost earnings 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Lizzard, probably true, but better to overbudget than underbudget.
In any case, the point of the exercise was to prove that it's not possible unless I receive an unexpected windfall (probability factor of zero!). Far better to work towards my original goal, but I would have to be able to buy a home mortgage-free as I wouldn't be able to earn enough to pay rent/mortgage on top of living costs.
You can see I've spent a long time calculating these things, lol!
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Mouth, that is a BIG number...how much of that is the 3 weeks in Canada (maybe you don't want to think about that either!)
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| marcellus wrote: |
<snip>
In almost all resorts there are relatively cheap properties, most of which are tied down by some company or other on a rolling year on year contract and sold on a 1st come served basis.
Examples;
Bourge St Maurice - 1 bedroom - £2500.
Tignes (Val Claret) - studio - €2850
Val d'Isere (Hameau) - studio - £3000
As always with everything location costs as does leaving things to the last minute!
<snip> |
Hmm. you;ve got me thinking now, damn you! must note your contact details for future reference....
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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.
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£5k upwards depending on where you go what you do, how much personal space you need assuming you don't count sunk costs at home as part of it. Surprisingly N America can be cheaper than Europe (once you've got over the initial airfare and increased cost of insurance) due to affordable season passes and generally lower rent & supermarkets.
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Chamonix
Small studio 2500 (1250 sharing)
pass 500
there and back 200
food 500
beer 15000
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