Heading out to a quite expensive resort this weekend. Here are the details:
Friend's wife's co-worker's vacation home (right on the slopes, walking distance to everything) = $0
Carpool with friend, he drives, I pitch in for gas = $30
Food brought from home (included in normal monthly food budget) = $0
Lift tickets (I have my old college ID, friend has a coupon, I have a gift card to the resort from Christmas) = $50 (for two days)
Incidentals/beverages = $20
My snowboard gear (had since living at home back in high school) = $0
So ~$100 for an awesome ski weekend. My friend and I do a "guys weekend" once per year and always try to keep it low cost. This year a typically high priced activity worked out to be dirt cheap, so off we go on Thursday!
Cost with no free place to stay/no discounts/buy every meal?
Hotel on slopes = $200/night = $600, split two ways $300
Gas = $30
Food = ~$150
Lift tickets = $100/day = $200 for two days
Nearly $700! Probably more if we were buying $10 beers at the lodge.