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 #1 Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 04/02/2010 @ 21:55 |
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Essentially I want more time to play in the snow or escape from the 'real world', one week a year just isn't enough, but I am not made of money...
I am trying to work out which would give me most ride time and balance it against financial impact, I reckon the list below is a good summary of each. How do you think they compare? Any experience of either? costs etc? Anything else to consider?
Option 1 - month holiday
Take paid annual leave for 4 weeks
Snowboard every day
accomodation required
liftpass required
Option 2 - do a season
quit job
get seasonaire job paying minimal wages
snowboard when possible
accomodation incl
liftpass incl
Thanks!! |
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| #2 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 04/02/2010 @ 21:57 |
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| In reply to post #1
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well that all depends whats job you get. Some and full time and you only get to ride one daya week, some are part time only afew days a week and some are onyl a few hours a day meaning yoy get out on the mlountain every afternoon. |
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| #3 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 04/02/2010 @ 22:10 |
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Be a ski/board bum... no question. |
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Gloucestershire |
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| #4 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 04/02/2010 @ 23:24 |
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| In reply to post #1
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or do what i did and cleverly combine the 2 options in the Mega Option - save like mad all year, pay for accommodation for the entire season well in advance (got a discount for booking so early), quit job, take out credit card, buy season lift pass.
then ski bum for whole season, rinse said credit card, have best 6 months in the history of months and come home to no job, money or home, but with a large amount of debt 
I'll admit, as long term plans go, this was a stinker, but you only live once, and it was worth every penny!  |
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LibTech Neversummer DC Burton Ride Union & more... |
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| #5 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 05/02/2010 @ 09:23 |
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| In reply to post #4
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QUOTE (polaroid - 04/02/2010 @ 23:24) or do what i did and cleverly combine the 2 options in the Mega Option - save like mad all year, pay for accommodation for the entire season well in advance (got a discount for booking so early), quit job, take out credit card, buy season lift pass. then ski bum for whole season, rinse said credit card, have best 6 months in the history of months and come home to no job, money or home, but with a large amount of debt I'll admit, as long term plans go, this was a stinker, but you only live once, and it was worth every penny!
this is what my mate did the first time he went out to canada...... had an amazing time, came back a different person, better for the experience and with the most incredible collection of memories. a year later he's back out there instructing 5 days a week with no intention of moving back to this country! i miss my friend but he's having an incredible time 
being a bum was amazing but running out of monye was always on his mind, working still gives him the chance to ride more than he ever could in this country and there's a bit more security.... he was lucky that he got a visa to work as an "essential worker" or something like that. |
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Phil - "Tomorrow holds no promise, live life while you can" |
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| #6 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 05/02/2010 @ 10:17 |
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Work a season, it will be a lot better, not that I've worked any of my seasons. |
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| Posts: 114 |
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West Yorkshire |
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| #7 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 05/02/2010 @ 13:21 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 05/02/2010 @ 13:22) |
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I've done both, and the decison should be based on what you want to do afterwards. I saved up and quit my job, was a bum for 3 months, but always with the intention of working this season. If you only want to do one season, and you have options of going back to your job and stuff, I would bum the first month. If you then decide that you cant bear to go back to the rat race, look into working. You'd have to have a sh*t load of cash to sustain season after season as a bum unless you either have a massively paid, flexible job, or you work within a resort. It cost me about £4000 for 3 months, and in hndsight I wish I'd worked, coz then I'd still be doing seasons but also with cash in the bank.
Working is hard, but if you find the right job you can still get plenty of time out, and with stuff included. Myself and my fella chalet host for an indepedent company, and we get an apartment (not a studio) all our meals, wine, lift pass etc included with our job. Ok its a pisser on days like today, when its dumping and tomorrow is gonna be an amazing powder day... i have to do a full chalet clean and will be working 15 hours.... no riding for me then 
But! I am getting paid and able to save coz I'm not at happy hour every night. You do miss out on some things, but you also experience new things too. You could do both like I did, do your first season as a month or whatever, check you lie it, and if so get a job. We've been offered our jobs for summer, which I am extremely chuffed about, and our employer is talking about involving us more in the business... I have a future here now. Maybe I was lucky, but good things can happen if you get off your arse, stop dreaming about it, and do it!
I've been on this forum on and off since I started boarding, which is 3 years ago at the end of this month. I used to have an office job and dream of mountains, I used to come on herewhilst at work and read other people stories and wish it was me. Now I live in Chamonix. It can be done.
Live the dream.... |
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One day I'll rename myself steezyrider....... |
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| #8 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 07/02/2010 @ 13:06 |
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| In reply to post #7
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Echoing what Sleezyrider said!
After doing a few season when we were young, then heading back to the UK and had 'proper jobs' for a while, we came back out with the intention of taking a 5 month sabbatical and not working for the season. We had been offered jobs in a chalet within days of getting here and took them basically cos it was a good way to meet people and get a bit of beer money. Now, we've got our own chalet business (and luckily were on first lift this morning for a great powder day as our changeover was yesterday ) )
If you just fancy a break and want to go back to the same job, then why not just bum for a month. If you want to make your money last longer and aren't honestly bother about going back to the same job, get a job! |
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| #9 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 08/02/2010 @ 21:24 |
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You'l regret not doing an entire season when your retired and can't work or board |
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| #10 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 08/02/2010 @ 23:33 |
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| In reply to post #1
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depends if you're there for the skiing, or for the lifestyle too...
go for 4 weeks and you're a glorified punter...stay for a season and you'll really get to know people |
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| #11 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 09/02/2010 @ 08:14 |
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| In reply to post #10
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I would be there to progress my riding primarily (resort not terribly important so long as there is a source of gluhwien / vin chaud somewhere!), one week is not allowing me to catch up with the other half and I feel like I am missing out. Although I am still pretty much beginner level, I have the bug and dream of white stuff the rest of the year away.
I am hoping if I commit enough time, my riding will feel the benefit and I will stop missing out each trip being left in ski school / on the greens / stuck on the flats. Seems a shame spending so much money to spend my time on mainly two runs...
I really want the maximum possible time on the slopes for this reason, so confused whether one month no work would give me more snow time than say Chalet Hosting to fund a whole season?
Hoping a bit of progression might get a bit more value for money out of subsequent couple of weeks a year trips.
Thank you to those of you who have already offered opinions, so useful to hear from those of you who have made these choices... |
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| #12 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 09/02/2010 @ 14:30 |
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| In reply to post #11
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if you want maximum time on the slopes, do the season. even if you get a couple less hours a day you'll still get loads more than if you did one month. just choose the job carefully |
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| #13 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 09/02/2010 @ 22:25 |
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do the season mate - you can go on a week or two holiday any time ( so a couple more weeks isnt that big a deal), but once your better half decides she wants to get married, have kids, etc, there will be no chance to spend a season on the snow...trust me!!! |
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| #14 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 10/02/2010 @ 08:25 |
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| In reply to post #13
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Hey, I am the 'better half' and worried that 'time is running out' before marriage / kids, so yeah this might be my last chance to do a season. Funnily enough it is persuading my man to do a season that is the problem, he's more career minded than me, but coming around to the idea... His boarding is not that bad, so I am always left behind.
I want to get up to a reasonable level so I can keep up once I am down to one or two weeks and year at best, with kids. |
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| Posts: 114 |
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West Yorkshire |
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| #15 Re: Opinions please - work a whole season / save and be a ski bum for a month? Posted 10/02/2010 @ 11:31 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 10/02/2010 @ 11:32) |
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If your future plans involve staying in the UK and having kids and stuff, and you have a decent job that you can both take a break from, do a month or so. That way you will get lots of time on the hill and will still have some security to go back to. In these times, I think it is fairly foolish to quit a goood job, only to have to go back and try and start again. When I left England, I left a very highly paid job and all my mates thought I was insane, but I wasn't happy in that job or living in the UK, I knew there was something else I wanted to do, so I left everything behind. But that could have backfired on me terribly... imagine if I got here and then realised that I didnt want to do this forever (and lots of people do that - I know 3 couples here who did what we did but have now quit and gone back home co they couldn't cope with the work) Starting again would be pretty tough when there are fewer jobs.
So as I said in my first reply, you have to seriously think about the rest of your plans. Doing a season working is perfect for me, but perhaps a month would be better for you and allow to get in the time you want without forsaking your life in England. Plus your man may be more convinced by a long holiday!!!
Good luck xx |
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One day I'll rename myself steezyrider....... |
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