For many people, times have been better.
For some not so long ago, winter was the best time of the year; a chance to visit their favourite Alpine resort to enjoy the best of what their annual ski trip had to offer.
Now though, with money not so hard to come by, those trips are checked by negative bank balances and the strong Euro.
So does that annual ski trip have to be banished to just a pipe dream, or is there a way? Outdoormania's Graeme Holmes finds out.
If you're in the UK, a standard European six day ski trip can cost many thousands of pounds per person.
Not only have you the cost of the holiday itself, but you've everything else to factor in.
French lift passes are often in excess of £200 for a week on the slopes, then there's ski hire, beer at £6 a pint not to mention exorbitant prices both on the mountain and in the resort.
But there are ways you can save.
If you do it right, those potential thousands of pounds can be reduced to just a few hundred, making the winter holiday a valid proposition even in troubled times.
Gear A couple of tips, when you're buying ski clothing avoid the brands.
Sure if you want a jacket with a certain logo on the shoulder, you can expect to pay five or six hundred pounds.
The fact is that most ski jackets and other ski clothing items come out of the same Chinese factory despite the brand.
Check that it's breathable and waterproof, avoid the brand and you can buy a complete clothing set up for less than a £100 if you shop around.
Hardware-wise, hire can cost a couple of hundred quid alone.
Check eBay and buy second hand.
When you get home sell it again.
I know people who have actually re-sold snowboards, skis and ski boots at a profit, helping to recoup some of the holiday cost.
Booking With more and more taxes, airport parking, taxis and with airlines now charging extra for baggage and skis, the extras can soon boost what appears to be an okay deal, to something that begins to look expensive.
Sure certain last minute packages can be cheap but today, largely speaking, ski package holidays are more expensive than ever.
Get on the Internet and search for chalets that are being rented direct from the owners.
Second look at driving.
Ferries are cheap during the winter months and most Alpine resorts are within 600 miles of Calais.
That's one good hit with two people sharing the driving or a cheap overnight in an Ibis or Formula 1.
If there's four of you sharing, you can be there for less than £100 each.
At the Resort Don't rush out and buy a week's lift pass as soon as you get there.
Chances are that, unless you're in training and tee-total, you're not going to be up on the fist lift and down on the last every day.
Most resorts offer discounts for after 11.
00am and after lunch.
Go for these and day passes and you will make some big savings on a weekly ticket.
An obvious one, eat in and drink in.
Sure go out for a beer but last season French resorts were charging up to 10 Euro for a half litre of beer.
That gets expensive if you have a session in mind! If you're going to go out drinking, have a few 20p French bottle first, then go out! Mountain restaurants are about as expensive as anywhere you will find in Europe.
When you're skiing take a rucksack or hydration pack.
Make sure you fill your hydration bladder with an energy drink every morning and pack a few snacks and a flask.
If you're a couple, this alone could save you as much as £40 a day.
Think about where you go Lastly, a probably the greatest potential for saving you money, is think about the country you're visiting.
France is getting ridiculous in terms of cost yet still remains the most popular ski destination for Brits.
This against a strengthening Euro make some of the prices out there border on the extortionate.
Sure it has some of the best ski areas but they're often some of the most crowded so you don't just spend more time in queues and less on the slopes, but you pay for the privilege as well.
Think about other countries which are less expensive; Italy, Bulgaria and even Austria can end up saving you a small fortune, especially if you're a group or a family.