you can get super good deals if you look around hard enough at clearance shops, factory sales and steep and cheap/ebay etc. and believe me, I'm stingy. but it seems like every year I need something new (due to breakage, loss, wrong size, or taking up skiing)
I get brand new hardgoods from the previous or current year almost every season, but almost all my gear is discounted because I search endlessly and I buy something when it's a killer deal even if I don't need it at that moment. so for example this year I spent about $400 online plus mounting at the shop on a park ski setup which would have been at least double that price regularly!
I'd rather have last season's unused, high quality goods at discount price, than this season's mid-range goods at a preposterous price
another tip, just take a year off school after you graduate and get a job at a snowboard factory. soo much fun