More snow, less dough

6. Get free kids’ airfare. Don’t live within driving distance of a ski area? Look for “kids fly free” deals that provide complimentary air tickets for kids when a family ski vacation is purchased. Steamboat Springs pioneered “kids fly free” deals, but nowadays dozens of resorts are offering them, including Beaver Creek, Vail, Crested Butte, and Jackson Hole, in Colorado and Wyoming, and Whistler-Blackcomb, in British Columbia (see our review ). Freebies often play a part in the well-priced vacation packages and lodging deals on Ski.com.

7. Get your grade-schooler a passport. Many states offer free or discounted skiing to students in a designated school grade. Typically, kids can apply online or through the mail and must provide proof of their current school grade. Each passport is good for up to three free lift tickets at each participating resort. Fourth graders nationwide can apply for the Pennsylvania 4th Grade Snowpass and New York 4th Grade Ski & Ride Passport. Fifth graders are eligible for the Vermont 5th Grade Passport, Colorado 5th Grade Passport, Ski Utah 5th Grade Ski & Snowboard Passport, Wisconsin 5th Grade Passport, New Hampshire 5th Grade Snowsports Passport, and the Inland Northwest 5th Grade Ski or Ride Free Passport, which includes resorts in Washington and Idaho. For sixth graders, there’s the Ski Utah 6th Grade Snowpass.

8. Consult the deal watchdogs. Check Discount Lift Tickets, Liftopia and SkiCoupons.com for ways to save on lift tickets at resorts around the country.

9. Save on equipment rental. Price out equipment rental on your resort’s web site in advance of your trip. Sometimes pre-booking online can shave up to 20 percent off the overall rental cost. Weigh your resort’s rental prices against the discounts you find on SkiCoupons.com. For example, if you’re headed to Vail/Beaver Creek, SkiCoupons.com offers over a dozen printable coupons for equipment rental at local outfitters with savings of between 10 percent and 25 percent. Also, consider investing in your own helmets. Youth helmets can cost as little as $40 but frequently rent for up to $10 per day.

More from WeJustGotBack.com Kid-friendly Ski Resorts Smugglers’ Notch Copper Mountain

10. Follow the locals. True ski bums never pay full whack. They know that supermarkets and local ski shops in mountain resort areas sell lift tickets for up to $10 per day less than what you’d pay on-site. That’s a savings of $40 per day for a family of four. Consider investing in the coupon-filled Entertainment Book for the area you’ll be visiting. Inside the editions for Denver, Utah, and Vermont, for example, you’ll find discounts on lift tickets, ski equipment rentals, dining, and many other amenities that travelers use. A skiing family could easily recoup the cost of the book in a single day.

Additional reporting by Amber Nolan

Don't miss these Travel stories from msnbc.com   The top-rated travel photos of 2009 America’s wildest winter adventures   Popular ski playgrounds around U.S. Offbeat holiday celebrations Best places to spend Christmas

MORE FROM FAMILY

Family Section Front

Strike closes Louvre, other Paris museums Pet policies of top hotel chains Christmas trains from coast to coast Top four ways to enjoy the Bahamas as a family Dad to baby: Happy 1st birthday, world traveler Taking the kids this holiday season Best hotel kids’ programs Taking the kids to Yosemite National Park Stress-free Thanksgiving getaways Pet packages for the holidays Family Section Front   Add Family headlines to your news reader: