How to...maximise your tips

Got your ski job sorted in the Alps for winter? Now the burning question is how much money are you going to have to spend on beer and new ski or snowboard gear each week?

People don't work seasons to get rich but you should find the whole package of board and food and cash adequate, hopefully. See our page on how much you can expect to earn here: How much will I get paid for a ski season job

However, thanks to the age-old custom of tipping, the best chalet staff can frequently earn their wage again in tips every week. Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules as to what to do to guarantee maximum tips, but focus on offering little extras, and do your job well throughout the week, and you should be in the money.

Here's a few ideas to get you started:

Deliver a great welcome speech, and if you don't know where something is in resort, find out

If you're a chalet host, make sure you find out as much as you can about the local area/resort

An honesty bar is a great way to make a bit of extra cash - if the company you're working for allows it. Buy beer and chocolate bars from the cheaper supermarket down the hill, then sell them for 1€ each to your guests

Children's books, pens and toys are often popular if you're working in a child friendly chalet

Smile - 90 per cent is about attitude. If you try your hardest and are keen, then even if things don't go quite according to plan the guests will be on your side

If you're a chalet host or a rep, go out skiing with your guests one day. If they see you as a person rather than just "chalet host" or "rep", then they're far more likely to tip - plus lots of restaurants will give you a free lunch if you take a certain number of guests

Another for a chalet host - if a guest in your chalet is celebrating a special occasion, birthday, anniversary etc, then make them a really nice cake, put their name on it and maybe get them a bottle of bubbly

Don't - talk about the tip you did/didn't got last week!

Check out the Natives chat room for further money-making ideas. It's a great resource to speak to experienced season workers about how to maximise your earnings. Browse it, or join in the discussion and post your own questions: Chat room

If that's not enough, uncover your entrepreneurial skills and come up with other ways to make money in resort. For a list of ideas to get you started, consider some of these: A bit on the side

And finally, read all about living and working in a ski resort with our book, the Natives Guide to Working in Ski Resorts. Buy your copy for just £8.99 from our shop: Online shop.

NB We under no circumstances guarantee that following this advice will make you richer. Guests are unpredictable, some will tip, others won't.

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