Oh my...a topic i can go on and on about...
1. Depending on the hill and your fitness level you can often get up early, snowshoe up partway, then out on skis and stay near the top of the hill all day (past the main lifts) and then ride the lifts all day for free. (Haven't done this since I was a student, yes I know it is illegal, but it is badass enough that the lifties will give you props and probably let you continue even if they catch you.) Has worked at whistler if you hike up to midway station or at cypress if you snowshoe over the top. Alternately for a legal method, deals can be found at 7-11, Costco, and online on lift tickets. If you have a group, deals can be found for bulk lift ticket purchases.
2. rent somebody's place privately. lodging is super expensive near ski resorts. I have a vacation property at whistler. If you rent from me, you get a key to the storage locker which has several older skis and snowboards. You need to bring your own boots to be able to use them, and a screwdriver to adjust bindings. Spend your money on good boots. Economize on your ski/ board.
(Look on Craigslist, vrbo,and Airbnb, plan well in advance, and ask about equipment availability when renting)
3. Buy used equipment & take it with you. Resell after your vacation. (Keep the boots) Or find people who ski a few times a year, share the equipment, and split the cost. Several years ago, i shared a pair of skis with my roommate...we never got to ski together, but we both skied 30-40 days per year. I worked weekends and he worked during the week, so it worked out well. coworkers are another option. the best way to do this is to buy at the end of a season, keep it over the summer, then use the equipment for most of the season, and sell 2/3 of the way through the season. Rental places often sell their old stuff cheaply. If you must rent, the farther you rent away from the lifts, the better deal you will get.
4. Look at weather reports if you are going last minute. 1 good sunny day after a big snowfall = better value for money than several days of overcast skiing with old packed snow. Obviously if you are paying for the day, you need to ski for the whole day. so make sure you get up early instead of starting at 10 like some suckers. Also, most hills have lifts running quite a bit earlier than the stated opening time. ( e.g. Fresh tracks breakfast at whistler- where if you will pay a ridiculous amount for breakfast, you can get up on the hill an hour early before the crowds.)
or you can talk to the lifties nicely and they may just let you go on.
5. if you truly love skiing, consider getting a season pass or multiticket package early as possible.
6. look for last minute deals / packages. But look at them critically because most are not deals.
7. Take a small backpack, pack a lunch and snacks. On hill food is ridiculous for both cost and wait times.
8. Plan next years vacation now. I have several renters that have booked for next year now. They know their dates almost a year in advance, and rent the same weeks each year. They get the best deals because they have locked in at this years prices plus an early booking discount.
Hope that helps.
Ps - I am not actually encouraging anyone to break the law with #1. Just know that there are people who ski for free routinely.