For a fantastic winter break, why not consider a skiing holiday in one of Europe’s top destinations? Most mountain resorts offer beautiful landscapes and superb apres ski fun. European ski resorts are notoriously expensive, and even budget skiing holidays are hard to come by. Rather than going for the conventional package deal, try booking the holiday yourself. Here are five suggestions to help you get started:

1. Search for an ‘alternative’ ski resort – When looking for a ski break in Europe most people only consider the French Alps and Austria. You may or may not know that it’s also possible to still have a great skiing holiday in many other European countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia and Scotland. It’s worth considering these alternative destinations for your break as they will almost certainly offer you better deals.

2. Think outside the box – You will need to think laterally if you are going to save money on your ski break. Try using the internet but whatever you do don’t go for the companies on the first few pages on your search engine. They will most likely to be the major tour operators and are best avoided. Instead search for independent accommodation lists and directories such as holiday home rentals. Once you have found a holiday home rental list find the properties that are in the ski resort of your choice and of course the closer to the centre of the resort the better. If you book through sites like this you could potentially save hundreds.

3. Rethink your transport – Many vacationers believe the only way to travel to the ski resort is by flying and then sitting out a long coach journey. If you already live in Europe make sure you also look into travelling by train. The Eurostar Ski Train and the standard Eurostar are options to consider. Once at a European city you can always catch the coach or even share a taxi if there is a larger of group of you (this can actually work out cheaper than buying a coach ticket each).

4. Work out the cheapest travelling times – Another money saving tip is to travel at off peak, anti social times. Very early or late journeys are often cheaper than the more conventional travel times, but be sure to find out check-in times at your destination, or you could be in for a long wait before unloading your gear! You might even want to stay at a hotel near your departure station or airport the night before you travel, to ease the pain of that early train or flight.

Don’t get caught out on the variable price policies that most flight and train operators work on. Prices will go up as demand goes up. To get the best deal make sure you book as soon as you have found the cheapest price – don’t dither and lose out! Chances are the price will have gone up the next time you look.

5. Find ways to save money on ski equipment – Skiing equipment is one of the biggest costs of the trip, so get your kit sorted as wisely as you can. Shop around online before you go, as buying at the resort will always cost you more. Better still, buy your ski gear in the sales the year before you go for great discounts! Be sure to get your lift passes online before you leave, to avoid higher costs and queues at the resort.

Follow these tips and you could save yourself hundreds per person on your European skiing break – even in exclusive resorts such as the French Alps. Have a fantastic time!