Comments on: Go camping on a budget http://www.frugalvillage.com/2010/08/16/go-camping-on-a-budget/ Frugal Living by Sara Noel Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:43:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brenda Poole http://www.frugalvillage.com/2010/08/16/go-camping-on-a-budget/#comment-40470 Brenda Poole Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:07:31 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/?p=4101#comment-40470 I've camped all my life. It's a great way to connect with family and friends.I've learned to put a tarp (cheap) under the tent, if it gets real dirty throw away and a more heavy duty tarp on top. It beats packing up a wet tent. Large rubber maid containers help to keep thing together. WE have 2 that stay packed dishes etc in one and the other rope bungees cord stakes matches etc. Making a list of what to take and add as you add to your camping gear. It helps to not get some place and then find out you forgot something real important (first aid kit) bug spray Cards or small game boards in case of rain:( just turn your :) around and enjoy. So get out go camping meet new friends and see the world. I’ve camped all my life. It’s a great way to connect with family and friends.I’ve learned to put a tarp (cheap) under the tent, if it gets real dirty throw away and a more heavy duty tarp on top. It beats packing up a wet tent. Large rubber maid containers help to keep thing together. WE have 2 that stay packed dishes etc in one and the other rope bungees cord stakes matches etc. Making a list of what to take and add as you add to your camping gear. It helps to not get some place and then find out you forgot something real important (first aid kit) bug spray Cards or small game boards in case of rain:( just turn your :) around and enjoy. So get out go camping meet new friends and see the world.

]]> By: Karen http://www.frugalvillage.com/2010/08/16/go-camping-on-a-budget/#comment-39006 Karen Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:17:53 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/?p=4101#comment-39006 We have camped as a family for many years and I would consider some type of sleeping pad/air mattress a necessity. The ground can be very cold and damp at night, even in summer (especially if it rains!). We love the Therm-a-rest style sleeping pads - they're very insulative, self-inflating and roll up tight for easy packing. The actual Therm-a-rest brand is pricey, but you can get similar ones made by Woods or other companies for much cheaper. I agree with the comment above that a first aid kit's a necessity when camping, too. Two other things I would not want to go camping without are my Coleman lantern and two-burner stove (both run on propane). We do cook things like pancakes while we're camping. We make the mixes up from scratch at home and pack them in plastic bags or containers then just add water and eggs when we're ready to cook. I make up homemade noodle mixes for side dishes too. Dry mixes are lighter and easier to transport (don't require refrigeration so leaves more space in the cooler for other things). We pack our meat frozen and use it up in the early days of our trip, making more vegetarian stuff in the later part of the trip. If you're just getting started camping, watch for clearance sales at the end of the season (like right now, lol!) We got our dining tent for free by waiting until it was marked down 70% then using store rewards (Canadian Tire money) to pay for it! Almost everything you need for camping will be drastically marked down right now. With proper care, your equipment can last for many years. All four of us love camping and do at least one trip every summer! We have camped as a family for many years and I would consider some type of sleeping pad/air mattress a necessity. The ground can be very cold and damp at night, even in summer (especially if it rains!). We love the Therm-a-rest style sleeping pads – they’re very insulative, self-inflating and roll up tight for easy packing. The actual Therm-a-rest brand is pricey, but you can get similar ones made by Woods or other companies for much cheaper. I agree with the comment above that a first aid kit’s a necessity when camping, too.

Two other things I would not want to go camping without are my Coleman lantern and two-burner stove (both run on propane). We do cook things like pancakes while we’re camping. We make the mixes up from scratch at home and pack them in plastic bags or containers then just add water and eggs when we’re ready to cook. I make up homemade noodle mixes for side dishes too. Dry mixes are lighter and easier to transport (don’t require refrigeration so leaves more space in the cooler for other things). We pack our meat frozen and use it up in the early days of our trip, making more vegetarian stuff in the later part of the trip.

If you’re just getting started camping, watch for clearance sales at the end of the season (like right now, lol!) We got our dining tent for free by waiting until it was marked down 70% then using store rewards (Canadian Tire money) to pay for it! Almost everything you need for camping will be drastically marked down right now. With proper care, your equipment can last for many years.

All four of us love camping and do at least one trip every summer!

]]> By: Ian Kurz http://www.frugalvillage.com/2010/08/16/go-camping-on-a-budget/#comment-38999 Ian Kurz Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:28:00 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/?p=4101#comment-38999 All that you've mentioned above are great tips, especially your advice on planning ahead when it comes to food preparation. I also think along the same lines as yourself in that regard and like to properly prepare my food well in advance as well. I've actually found that by preparing my my food and dehydrating it I can make my camping trip into a more successful outing. Dehydrated food is advantageous for a number of reasons. One is that you don't require a cooler to keep it fresh and from spoiling, another is that with the water removed, food weighs considerably less and is therefore easier to carry. I would also not forget to bring a first aid kit. When you're camping you may be in a somewhat remote location and it.s nice to know you're prepared in the event of "an emergency". Well done... IK All that you’ve mentioned above are great tips, especially your advice on planning ahead when it comes to food preparation. I also think along the same lines as yourself in that regard and like to properly prepare my food well in advance as well. I’ve actually found that by preparing my my food and dehydrating it I can make my camping trip into a more successful outing. Dehydrated food is advantageous for a number of reasons. One is that you don’t require a cooler to keep it fresh and from spoiling, another is that with the water removed, food weighs considerably less and is therefore easier to carry.

I would also not forget to bring a first aid kit. When you’re camping you may be in a somewhat remote location and it.s nice to know you’re prepared in the event of “an emergency”.

Well done…

IK

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