Tags
budget, camp, camping, economy, expense, girly, girly camping, hiking, money, nature, outdoors, saving money
I recently had a reader email me asking to lay out all the camping equipment costs since he was trying to cut down traveling expenses. That inspired me to write a “camping on a budget” blog because lets face it- our economy isn’t so hot and things are so expensive! So here are 7 ways to go camping on a budget:
- Don’t have a stove? Get a fire going! It is totally possible to cook all your yummy food on a fire than a stove! Just make sure to check fire regulations!
- Don’t have a tent? Sleep in your car! If you’re a first time camper, its probably going to feel more comfortable! Or you could always borrow a friend’s! Just make sure to roll it up nicely!
- Don’t have a sleeping bag? Get those blankets out! Especially when you’re car camping, its easy to get away with bringing items that aren’t “camping specific” items.
- Don’t want to pay for a site at a camp ground? Go somewhere else! Campgrounds around San Diego cost about $30/night so skip the fee and go off into the wilderness and set up camp on your own. Yes, you won’t have a flushable toilet with a sink and mirror but you will really test your outdoor skills… and probably have more fun!
- Save money on ice and water. Buy a few bottles of water (or a gallon) and freeze it. Use that as the ice for your cooler. As it thaws, drink it!
- Don’t get all fancy with your food choices! We camp because of the experience and food is definitely part of the experience! We buy cheap hot dogs and roast them over the fire. They last all weekend! No need to buy fine steaks or gourmet hamburgers!
- Join a rewards program like REI- at least if you spend money, you will get 10% back!
Looking over this list right now I’m thinking I need to do a camping budget for campers who need all the gear so stay tuned on the best budgeted products! Did I miss any budget tips? ANNDDDD….. if you ever have any questions about camping or want to suggest a post topic, please feel free to email me, Mandie, at girlycamping@hotmail.com !
Happy Camping!!!
Girly Camping® 
About tip number 5, many of the things that I take on a week long trip are frozen first before I go so that I don’t have to find to buy ice while I’m out in the middle of nowhere. You can freeze milk, if you remove some from the container first to make room for expansion, for example. Instead of taking liquid orange juice, take frozen concentrate and pitcher to mix it in. With some thought and planning, 75% of what I take in my cooler goes in frozen to start, so I typically get by with only one bag of ice if any.
Second hand stores can be good sources for some things, if you can’t find a sleeping bag, you may be able to find blankets and pillows there instead.
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Frozen concentrate is a great idea!! And yes, second hand stores are amazing as well!! Thanks for adding to the list! 🙂
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I should have added that dollar stores are a good source for cheap camping items like silverware, dish towels, etc.
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Another money-saving tip is to shop garage sales, thrift shops and craigslist. Even if you are buying equipment, you can find it cheaper there. Also, ask around among your friends to borrow their equipment in a “try before you buy” mode.
I was a Boy Scout growing up, and I remember that the Boy Scout handbook had instructions for folding two blankets together to make a sleeping bag. A quick check on google came up with several sites with instructions on how to do that.
One other tip, while I am thinking of it. If you are going to use your kitchen pots over an open fire, you might want to smear the outside of them with diswashing liquid. Otherwise you might spend a lot of time scrubbing the char off.
Ok one more….. cooking over an open fire is really hard to do. Learn how to burn your fire down to coals. It will be far easier (but still will take skill), to get consistent results.
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Garage sales, craigslist, and thrift shops are great ideas!! And I’ve never heard of putting dishwashing liquid underneath your pots and pans! Love it! Thank you!
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Soap on the outside of the pan helps for sure. But, you have to remember to put it on the OUTSIDE of the pan. You don’t want to be like the Tenderfoot Scout I knew who got that wrong and spent the day in the latrine.
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haha!
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I read an article months ago in a survival handbook where the guy talks about how he and a camera crew went out to film a Victorian period survival weekend (using period clothing, period camping gear etc), apparently all the camera crew slept in modern tents with modern equipment while the guy himself had to sleep in a period tent made exactly how it would have been made back then, including the materials. After a long blustery night of torrential rain, sleet and snow he woke up perfectly dry in his tent, with no damage to the tent whatsoever, however his camera crew were slightly damp from the nights rain and their modern tent was almost ruined.
Anyway, just wanted to share that little story with you.
I’ve always approached camping like a survival exercise. You’ve be surprised just how little gear you actually need to take, while still being able to have a fantastic time.
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I read an article months ago in a survival handbook where the guy talks about how he and a camera crew went out to film a Victorian period survival weekend (using period clothing, period camping gear etc), apparently all the camera crew slept in modern tents with modern equipment while the guy himself had to sleep in a period tent made exactly how it would have been made back then, including the materials. After a long blustery night of torrential rain, sleet and snow he woke up perfectly dry in his tent, with no damage to the tent whatsoever, however his camera crew were slightly damp from the nights rain and their modern tent was almost ruined.
Anyway, just wanted to share that little story with you.
I’ve always approached camping like a survival exercise. You’ve be surprised just how little gear you actually need to take, while still being able to have a fantastic time.
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Thank you for sharing! Yes, I think you can get a away with minimal goods. One of the best tips I saw was- stop looking at your friend’s gear! Don’t get jealous of what they have. Stick to what you need. 🙂
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A car can be a horribly uncomfortable place to sleep (especially if you’re tall!) but I’ve been telling people for years “we’re not hiking to the top of a mountain, you’re going to carry your stuff 200 feet. Bring blankets and quilts from home.”
I have a bunch of thrift-store cashmere sweaters. They have a better warmth-to-weight ratio than high tech stuff from REI, they’re softer and warmer than wearing kittens, and bring a touch of luxury to the camp site. They tend to cost $5 to $10 each, so I don’t mind getting them dirty.
Dispersed camping on national forest land is legal (unless there are regulations banning it in a specific area) and free. And it tends to give you more privacy than a campground.
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Yes, I feel the car is uncomfortable but I hear from novice campers that the ground is even more uncomfortable! 🙂 And great tip about thrift stores! You can snag a bunch of goodies at a great price!! Thanks for the tips!!
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A girl I knew: “You want to drive 100 miles so we can sleep in dirt?”
I use a Big Agnes air mat, called Q-Core. It’s insulated (warm enough to sleep on a glacier), and it’s as comfortable as my bed at home. Buying one is definitely not the way to camp on a budget … but renting one could be. If you rent stuff from REI, they don’t charge you for the day you pick it up or the day you return it, so if you grab it Friday night on your way out of town and drop it off Sunday night as you come home, you’ll only pay for one day. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t do all that, when I come home I’m usually in desperate want of a shower.
I’m trying to get this lady who’s never been camping before to try it, and will definitely be making it as nice as possible to get her hooked.
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Haha! Nice! Hopefully she’ll like it and want to go more! You know, get the “camping bug”!
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Saving money is a great goal, but one thing to bear in mind is that much of the kit you buy will tend to last a very long time. So once you have got over the initial hump of getting the kit in the first place, hiking or backpacking from that point forward becomes a very cheap activity. After all walking is free!
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YES!! That’s what I tell people in the beginning. Once you buy all your gear, its practically free! Now, we are lucky to just upgrade all our gear going forward so its nice! 🙂
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We have all the gear, for us the trick is just making sure we get out there and use it!
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Love these ideas for getting started! Thanks.
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You are a never-ending wealth of information honey!! So proud of you!!!
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Thanks Mama!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog. And how funny that we are planning a camping trip for next month! Thanks
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A relatively cheap way of camping is going in mid-summer to a naturist camping site.
No laundry for the whole week, no worries about clothing (apart from some cover for the sun). I go a week bush with a group of like-minded people and I pitch a tent, have a sleeping bag and a Campmaster camping bed that keeps me off the ground. I go a day-hikes, either by myself or with a group. Just a small backpack does the trick.
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Very practical and useful ideas.
Being with nature is camping’s reward.
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