A Quick Guide to Budgeting for Camping
By Mariam Khawer
When it comes to holidays, camping is by far one of the best options. With no daily lodging charges, less travel costs, and zero eatery charges, you can make some extraordinary memories without depleting your budget — just by appreciating what nature has to offer!
For the super-savers out there, figuring out how to set a particular camping spending plan can save you a lot of cash. Here’s how you can have a budget-friendly yet enjoyable time away from home!
Plan Your Budget 💰
Your main activity when making sense of an outdoors spending plan is to list everything down. Even when confident that all your costs are monitored and in your head, a clear blueprint of the expenses will make things much easier.
Make sure to factor in every possible necessity that you might need along the way, including your way back: gas, food and camping gear. Don’t forget to account for miscellaneous expenses, as well. They are unavoidable.
Deciding On Supplies 🤔
The first thing to sort out for any camping trip is, obviously, a tent. In the unlikely event that you do not have one, you have two options.
One, you can go to an outdoor supplies store and buy a new one. A quality tent will cost you around $150. For some, this can be too large of an investment for a one-off trip. Second, ask around family, friends, and acquaintances to check whether they have a tent lying around for you to borrow.
You might already own other camping necessities like warm garments, sleeping bags, and coverings. If you are planning to camp on a tight budget, try a careful house search to discover the things you already possess, before hitting up any stores.
Travel light 🎒
Travel light, says Tom Lionvale, a backpacking instructor and assistant faculty member at College of the Sequoias in California. Tom recommends carrying a weight of 20 pounds (9kgs), excluding food and water. Even if you are not backpacking, camping with less means spending less on gear and supplies.
For equipment deals, keep an eye out for online and in-store sales, where you will find discounted clothing and gear. During seasonal sales, especially during October (end of peak camping season), you will traditionally find outdoor gear for much less.
Camp during the offseason 🍃
A lot of the bigger campgrounds that provide fancy amenities usually cost a little less during the off-season (spring and fall). So if basic camping is not your thing, then camping outside of the peak season could be a good alternative.
Food 🍔
Cheap and easy to prepare food is fundamental in keeping your camping budget within reasonable limits. Load up on a couple of the things you and your squad like. Try to choose from the basics- eggs, canned fish, mac n’ cheese and bread. These foods have high nutritional value, so you and your squad can remain full for longer.
There you go! This list should show you that camping isn’t necessarily a unwinding activity that starts off nice and breezy but that which ends up a sweaty affair at the end of the bill. You can always find a way around things and manage the best of your experiences.
So, when are you setting off for an overnight camp? 🚎
This article is part of the bite-size bundle ‘It’s Adventure Time’ on the Finllect app. Find the Finllect app on Appstore today! 💁
