Let's face it, we all want to be warm, comfortable and stylish on the slopes. Usually this combination comes at a price. If you're like me and need to outfit a family including kids that are always outgrowing clothes from season to season, this can quickly burn a hole in your pocket and leave you with less money in the budget for lift tickets than you'd really like.

I've found that bargain stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls offer some great discounts on brand-name gear from Spyder, Columbia, Marmot, North Face and Smith Optics (just to name a few). You've got to time it right (normally late fall is when their winter inventory starts to arrive), and you've got to be prepared to look around. The people in my area generally live fairly comfortably, yet these stores still get picked over pretty quickly, leaving nothing but XS and XXL sizes. Typically if I go to some of the same stores a few towns away, there's often plenty of items to choose from. Using this strategy, I'm able to save between 50 and 60 percent off RRP, and those extra dollars in the family piggy bank sure help to offset the costs of our days spent skiing.

While bargains might be hard to come by this late into the season (late enough to see swimwear appearing on the racks as I write this), be sure to mark your calendars for next fall so you can grab some savings before next winter.

I've even heard of people pouring through the racks at these stores, finding the best deals, and then re-selling the items on eBay for a nice profit. Bravo for their ingenuity - I wish I had thought of this sooner ! Anything to save (or generate) a little more cash for lift tickets is always a bonus in these hard economic times.

So the Beginning of another season and I can only dream it's gonna be a good winter. The weather so far has been somewhat normal,I wish it was a lot colder and the snow guns were firing away everywhere. With that said lets move on to the subject at hand. The Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo at the baside Expo Center. I will be attending this Saturday Nov. 21st. It runs from Nov 19th to the 22nd.

I went last year and grabbed a bunch of discount and free lift passes, not to mention I won a free trip to the berkshires. It is not just for northeast resorts either, there were canadian resorts there, Tahoe region, and Colorado. I brought my 2 and 4 year olds and they had a great time. I cannot say enough good things about the Expo. All I can say is if you are a serious Skier or Rider you needto get there for at least one day. You'll save alot of money in the long run and have a blast while your there.

SO if your in the Boston area this weekend and want to see the hottest new gear, grab some killer gear discounts and possibly lots of free stuff, stop in. You won't regret it.

See you on the slopes folks Bryan

Before I get into the details I'd like you to get to know just where the info is coming from. My name is Bryan and I'm 33 years old. I live in the over taxed state of Massachusetts. Snowboarding is a passion of mine that I try to do as often as possible. With a wife who snowboards and 2 kids, one of which just started skiing and the other who will start next year, finding lift ticket deals is of the utmost importance. Being a blue collar worker I cannot afford to go all the time, but I do like to go as much as monetarily possible. So enough about me.

The beginning of this season my friend Josh, and I were discussing the possibility of finding every excellent deal in the Northeast and trying to keep the total cost of lift tickets for the season under $100. Although he liked the idea he was less eager than me to keep to the plan. We attended the Ski and Snowboard Expo at the Bayside Expo center on separate days. Though we both received excellent swag, each day the resorts offer different gifts. Some resorts had raffles while others had great Ski-n-Stay rates. Other Resorts just gave away free passes. I love free passes.

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I recently discovered the beauty and wonders of a proform. What's a proform? Well, when you work at a ski/snowboard shop, work for a snowboard company, or become a professional snowboarder, you may get the chance to find out.

First off, you receive a card number and a password for logging onto the proform of the brand that you received a card for. In my case, it was Burton. So, I logged on, not knowing what I would find around the corner. Honestly, I was blown away by the prices and options that they offer there. Not only did they have shop series that are exclusive and hard to find anywhere else, they also had AWESOME prices. And when I say awesome, I mean more than %50 off of the retail price. I took this screenshot of the website on December 29th and you can see just how great their prices are.

A $699.95 2009 Feelgood ES sells here for only $324.80 and a $399.95 2009 Blender sells for a mere $185.60--you can't even find prices like these for used boards.

Keep in mind that these are not defective or used or scratched boards; they are brand new, off the shelf boards for a fraction of the retail cost. It is Burton's way of saying "thank you" to their friends, employees, and supporters.

Not only does the proform website have snowboards, they also have boots, bindings, outerwear, baselayers, and gear such as helmets, board and boot bags, and backpacks. Anything you need, you can get there. For example, I had been eyeing a pair of AK Women's Guide Gloves for a while but the price of $109.95 was way too steep. The proform offers the gloves for only $44 and ships them to your house for super cheap, too.

But the proform is not just about getting cheaper gear; receiving access to a proform is a professional honor that allows you to promote a brand, try out new equipment, and feel a little bit more special inside. Yet, it also comes with a level of trust from the sponsoring company. The company extends trust that you will not to sell your card, get discounts for friends, or buy items and resell them for a profit.

Being endowed with a proform card requires that you uphold your integrity. Sure, I could have bought a Feelgood ES and sold it on eBay or something for like a $300 profit, but the person who bought that board from me could have put that money into the industry by supporting a local snowboard shop instead. Ones integrity should be priceless and anyone who has a proform or who may get one in the future should keep this in mind, especially during this economic crisis when small shops are struggling to keep their heads above water.

If you don't have a proform card, this article has probably made you really want one. If you do have a proform card, perhaps this article has allowed you to truly appreciate it and to understand the burden that it comes with. Although it may sometimes feel like one, I think integrity should not be seen as a burden, but instead an opportunity to show yourself who you really are.

So, go out there and work for your local ski/snowboard shop, ski resort, or snowboard company; it comes with great perks and a lot of opportunities!

Yesterday, I did something my chosen career will probably never allow me to do with regularity: I drove a brand new Saab. Actually, I test drove a Saab 9-3 Aero XWD to be exact. And it was nice. But way, way out of my price range. In fact, right now I don't even have a price range; but if I did, it would not have room for a new Saab in it.

So why, then, did I waste the nice Saab man's time? Because they were giving away

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Tons of snow (9 of 10 seasons)and and 8 destination ski resorts! Even if it's a bad snow day - always something to do! The casinos and their games, food, lounges, and shows abound. If not - there's even more in Reno.But remember - if you're looking for money for tomorrow's lift ticket, craps and blackjack have your most favorable odds. Getting there - most major airlines fly into Reno International. From there, if you stay in Reno, casino hotels have cheap rooms during the week, a FREE shuttle to and from the airport, and most of the major ski resorts operate a daily FREE shuttle to the resorts. If you plan to rent a vehicle, get a 4x4. Both Nevada and California strictly enforce chain controls where you will be forced to chain - up or turn around! Even with a 4x4, occasionally over-exuberant troopers may check to see if chains are being carried (the law). You can buy chains at most automotive stores, and if not used can be returned with a receipt for a refund. IF 4x4's ARE REQUIRED TO CHAIN UP - YOU SHOULDN'T BE HEADING TO THE MOUNTAINS ANYWAY!!! AND, REMEMBER - 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOESN'T MEAN 4 WHEEL STOP!!!