Frugalish Saturday

We got back from a fabulous ski trip last night, and are in the process of unpacking, laundry & getting ourselves ready for the week ahead. While I would never describe a ski vacation as "frugal", we did try to do a few things to limit the cost. Here's how we did:

• Priced out the cost of renting skis vs bringing them. By limiting our other bags to just one carry on each (that was no small feat, with all of the ski gear), we were able to make each checked bag the ski/boots for each person. I have status on United, so the first bag for each person was free. The logistics of getting the skis from the car to the airport counter, multiple times was not for the faint of heart. We saved about $300 doing this. 
• Stayed in a condo & bought groceries. We rented a condo, and also had an extra bed, so my parents were able to join for a few nights, which was so much fun. My nephew also came with my parents, & it was great to see him. We weren't able to spend much time with him this year due to trips with his dad, etc, so it was really great to get the time, and for him to hang out with the boys on the slopes for a few days. 
• Made a menu. My mom brought frozen meals (lasagna, taco meat) & my nephew brought soup. We then bought just what we need to feed everyone. Given we had seven people for most of the meals, the menu was critical.
• Packed a sandwich & snacks for lunch on the slopes. I ate a packed sandwich every day but the last one, and my nephew did as well. The other boys purchased lunches, but also had a sandwich, because... teen boys. ;-) I was very pleased that the food at Whistler was cheaper than Tahoe resorts - by about 20%. 
• We apres skied at the condo. We had wine & beer, a small happy hour, & just relaxed & enjoyed after our time on the mountains. The boys made popcorn & then went off to the game room. It was perfect!
• Priced out Uber vs parking our car at the airport. This was particularly important, given we'd have all of the skis & most Ubers can't take that much gear. In the end, it was cheaper to drive ourselves & park at the airport. 
• Made the most out of our ski passes. We had season passes this year, and were able to ski four days at Whistler. The weather was incredible, and we feel so lucky that we were able to maximize our time. We were up in the morning & out the door when the first lift opened, and back around 3:30-4 the first three days. I bailed around 1:30 the fourth day, but only because I had some nagging knee pain from all of that skiing. 

We debated this trip long & hard, because the logistics of leaving the country, coordinating with seven people, bringing all of your gear, shuffling it around, etc is tricky. But, it was so worth it & we had the best time. And, a photo of the three boys, enjoying the slopes.

I'm off to do the rest of my chores. I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday!