Camping is a great way to experience holidays on a budget. The initial outlay might seem expensive, especially if we get carried away buying everything we think we need, so I have put together my tips for having a thrifty camping trip.
Borrow borrow borrow
Getting everything you need for your first camping trip can be expensive.
Do you have friends and family members who enjoy camping? Or even friends and family who bought all their camping equipment with good intentions, but now it is sat unused and unloved? See if there is anything you can borrow from them – there might even be items that they have outgrown and can be gifted to you.
Plan your meals
Meal planning is one of my top tips for saving money, and it can be applied to camping too! It can be a little trickier trying to plan meals when you won't have access to your fridge and stockpile, but planning ahead means that you can still cook delicious camping meals on a budget. If you are looking for some camping meals to try, why not check out my delicious camping food board on Pinterest. Warning: it will make you hungry.
Store your food correctly
Without access to a fridge, you are limited in what food and drink items you can bring with you. By having a cooler bag or box and ice blocks you will be able to keep your food stored correctly. Ice blocks will last longer than those bags of ice you can buy, and they can be used over and over again, saving you money in the long run. Learn more on grizzly coolers vs yeti at Overlandsite.com.
Pack the right items
Wet wipes, sunscreen, bug spray and plasters are items that are often forgotten about when it comes to packing for a camping trip. Missing items can either make your trip miserable or turn out to be expensive when you need to find a convenience store to replace them. Some items that you might not have thought of packing include rubbish bags, hand sanitiser and bottled water.
Look after your tent
Tents can be quite a big outlay at the start, so it is important that you look after them well. Try to pick a flat pitch when you are setting up your tent, and make sure the tent door isn't facing the wind. Keep your muddy shoes outside of the tent or even consider using a welcome mat (you can pick them up cheaply in Poundland!) outside your tent. Most importantly, make sure that you dry your tent out before packing it away – if you are packing it away in the rain then set your tent up in your garden on a sunny day to dry it out. When choosing what tent to bring, check out some of the large camping tents that are more on the affordable side, so you'll have plenty of room for everyone and it won't cost you an arm and a leg. But you may decide that a campervan or a caravan suits you better.
Don't be put off by the rain
A rainy camping trip might have you reaching for expensive activities or a nearby hotel, but these tips for camping in the rain will help you to still have a great time!
What tips do you have for enjoying a thrifty camping trip?
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