There are literally thousands of people that want to go camping, but never have the money to do so. Fear not my good friends, there’s no need to withdraw your life savings yet.
When I first started camping after I moved out of home, I hardly ever had any money, yet I still made do with what I did have.
I am sharing these ideas with you – so you too – can have the freedom of staying out with Mother Nature, without having to break the bank every time you want to sleep under the stars.
1) Go Camping With Others
This is one of my huge money-saving camping tips, hence why I placed it at the top. You will then be able to share all costs, gas, food, campsite fees.
What I like to do the most though, is check with the campsite and see how many people they will accommodate with you. If they allow you to share 1 campsite, your fees have drastically been lowered.
2) Camp At The Closest Campsite
You will save a huge amount of money. Since additional costs can really start adding up when you go on a longer road trip. You tend to buy more snacks/food on the way, you pay for extra gas money too.
Energy drinks are also expensive, yet a lot of people still buy them.
3) Consider Borrowing
Of course this only applies to the ones that have a family that camps often. Not many people lend their camping equipment out, but if you have a family that will help, this will save a huge amount of money.
And then if you realize that you and your family/friends really love camping outdoors, THEN you can purchase your own gears.
4) Consider Sharing
This is different from the method mentioned above. You and your friends or family can go halves, maybe even quarters in purchasing camping equipment.
When one group is finished with everything, you can then use it, and hand it over to the next person after that.
5) Prepare Your Meals A Week Before
Or at least a week before rather. This is so you can have snacks or food items on the way to the campground, and it will also help determine what foods you will need at the campsite.
Instead of just going for a huge grocery shop a few hours before departure, you should prep your meals at least a week beforehand.
Then there will be no need in going to the grocery store and spending another $100 on food, just because you weren’t prepared enough.
6) Plan For A Rainy Camp Too
It might sound counterintuitive, but it will help you save money down the line. Just because the weather is claiming to be 7 full days of hot summer weather, that doesn’t mean it will stay like that.
If you are prepared for rainy days, you can avoid packing up and spending money at the movies or spending a night out for dinner in a nearby town, simply because you weren’t prepared and didn’t bring an extra tarp and rain coats.
7) Have A Camping Checklist
You may be thinking why? For the simple fact that, if you forget an important item or two, you can avoid going out to the nearest town to purchase another one.
This will not only make you spend more money on travel costs, but you will also have to purchase the item for a second time, or maybe 2-3 items.
8) Camp In A National Forest
These will work perfect for those who are close to one. They are completely free, as long as you follow the rules.
The rules can vary, so I would suggest you call the local ranger and ask about any rules and requirements, then you can decide if you want to camp there or not.
9) Roughing It in The Wilderness
Or go camping in the wilderness, these are completely free and will save you money on accommodation costs. Keep in mind though, there is no running water and no toilets.
This is not really for the faint hearted, but a great idea if you want to get a feel for what the real Mother Nature has to offer. Which is indeed bears – if you are in bear country 🙂
10) Last But Not Least – Camp In The Backyard
I know you’re probably thinking this isn’t the best choice. However, I beg to differ. Camping in the backyard is EXTREMELY affordable. There’s no commuting costs, no preparation needed, you still get to sleep under the stars, you get running water and a working toilet.
You can’t go wrong with backyard camping, and if you have kids it’s 10x better. They don’t know the difference between the wilderness and your backyard, all they care about is sleeping in a tent 😛
There are some awesome outdoor activities you can do with them and they will love every moment of it.
Not a lot of parents camp out with their kids, but they are truly missing out, and especially their children. See exactly how I camp in the backyard with mine!
And all you need is a tent, that’s IT. You can take your own mattresses and blankets outside.
See My #1 Tent Recommendation For Backyard Camping
My Final Thoughts
Camping is a great experience, and doesn’t always mean you have to spend your life savings just to experience the great outdoors.
There are literally thousands of ways to help you save money on your next camping trip, however I find that the ones I have outlined in this article are good for cutting huge costs in half, sometimes even more.
Of course there are other little tweaks and tips you can do to make your next trip even more cheaper than ever. These ones on Bargainbabe.com work wonders.
If you enjoyed this article, or found some useful tips to help you save money on your next camping trip, please let me know in the comment section below 🙂