The cost of a week’s skiing over Sweden’s sportlov holiday has more than doubled since 2013, according to calculations by Sweden’s Länsförsäkringar bank.

This makes the ski break that many middle-class Swedes take for granted increasingly unaffordable, requiring the average person to splash well over a month’s salary if they want to take to the slopes with their family. 

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about skiing on Sportlov in Sweden

Which costs are easiest to save on when you go skiing? 

According to Stefan Westerberg, a financial advisor at the bank, if you want to take a ski holiday on the cheap, the costs that are easiest to reduce are accommodation, ski hire, ski school, and eating out at restaurants. 

"Try to plan the whole year's holiday at once so that you can calculate roughly what it will cost," she said. "When you see the entire holiday budget in front of you, it is easier to prioritise what you really want to do during the year. It is also easier to know how much you have to save to avoid suffering a fattig månad, [a month of poverty] after the holiday." 

It is possible to get better rates on hiring a hotel or ski cabin if you book well ahead of time and are also willing to accept a longer drive or walk to the slopes. You can also hire out your flat or house on Airbnb while you are away to offset your costs. 

You can also save money by buying rather than hiring your ski equipment. Most large second hand shops in Sweden sell old skis and ski boots, although that might mean using 1980s or 1990s technology. You can also buy second hand ski gear on Blocket, Tradera, or Facebook Marketplace, or on the specialist ski gear website Skidhyllan.