Everyone is looking to get the bast value from just about everything now and I have found that one way of keeping the cost of a ski holiday down is to book an independent Chalet Holiday. France and Switzerland offer a large number of Chalets, but they tend to be quite expensive. Chalets in Italy are fairly rare but Austrian Chalets Holidays are often better value and usually offer character and charm.

Going independently means that you often can book direct with the chalet owner which has a number of advantages, one being that you can ask any relevant questions you may have about the location and accommodation. It also often means that your accommodation is cheaper because the owner is not paying commission to a booking agent.

You will probably have to book your own flights which gives the advantage of being able to choose to fly from either your nearest airport or find the cheapest flight for your chosen dates. You also have the option of driving over, which for a family can be a great saving on flight costs and even an added adventure!

Chalet Board generally means Half Board plus extra, such as afternoon tea and possibly also if you are lucky free drinks during your evening meals. Often there is one night a week an evening meal is not served which means that you have the opportunity to try a local restaurant. This means that you have less extra costs and you can relax a bit more.

Most Skiing holidays are for 7 nights and just Saturday to Saturday. If you book direct this could be more flexible, providing another advantage.

A chalet holiday is often an option favored by groups but this does not have to be the case. It is a misconception that it is necessary to book an entire chalet as this is rarely the case.

On a chalet holiday you can expect the chalet owner or host to really take a genuine interest in making sure that you have the best holiday possible.

As far as which areas to ski in, the best value for money can be found by avoiding the really well known resorts where just the name adds a premium. They can also be very busy with lift queues that cut down on your skiing time.

Have a look at the less well know Austrian areas such as Styria which has an excellent snow record. The Ski Amade is the largest area there and also in Austria, with an amazing 860 km of piste on one lift pass which covers 26 resorts! This is not such a well know resort area to the British but very popular with Austrian and German skiers.

The World Cup resort of Schladming is part of this area along with Ramsau am Dachstein which is higher than most resorts and has the Dachstein Glacier where you can ski all year and also has the Burton Superpark which is a mecca for snowboarders.

Chalet owners are often a mine of information when it comes to finding the best value ski hire and best areas to ski, where to park or catch the ski bus.

If you choose to fly you then have the option of hiring a car or organising transfers either through your chalet or with a local company. The best option will depend on the location of your accommodation. A car gives the most flexibility and allows you to make the most of an area, especially if your lift pass covers more than one ski area. Ski buses in Austria are very efficient and usually free with a lift pass.

If you are learning to ski, Austria offers full day ski school lessons which will speed up your progress and the instructors usually speak excellent English.

Children can join the ski school from the age of 4 with some ski schools also providing lunchtime supervision. Creche or nanny facilities are often available for younger children.

In my experience once you book an independent Chalet Holiday you are likely to do so again and again.