Comments on: 5 Ways To Save Money When Camping

By: Ozark Trail Tents

Ozark Trail Tents — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:37:37 +0000

Great idea with bringing the frozen dinners with~ How do you prepare those? Just pop them into a frying pan over the fire?

By: Oahu vacation rental guy

Oahu vacation rental guy — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:27:47 +0000

Here’s a great tip if you’re every camping in Hawaii on the beach. To camp in Hawaii, you need a permit. But there is a law that says you can spend the night at a beach without a permit if you are fishing. So if you didn’t plan ahead (permits are almost impossible to get last minute), swing by a store and pick up a fishing pole. Most places will have an inexpensive one for under $20. Don’t forget some bait and you might have some fun too!

By: earthmother

earthmother — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:42:38 +0000

for fire wood check out the nearest lumber yard often they have scrap peices from building truss’s and other things. We can load up the pick up for a total of five dollars. Which gives us plenty of wood for cooking and the bonfire.

By: Cox4

Cox4 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:41:29 +0000

I fill empty milk jugs with water and put them in our freezer for camping. You can then take a hammer and break them apart and use ice chunks, and/or stuff the whole gallon or 1/2 gallon frozen jugs in the cooler and when it has thawed out pop it back in the (camper) freezer for later use. I don’t like to waste money buying ice I can make at home!

By: Monroe on a Budget

Monroe on a Budget — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:55:19 +0000

Before you transport firewood, look up the firewood restrictions.
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/firewood.cfm

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:32:22 +0000

Great post, Kyle. I haven’t been camping in a really long time. And good idea on the frozen meals, except how did you actually cook them? Did you just bring frying pans or a grill and put them on an open fire? We used to just do the marshmallows and hot dogs (er, not together…) thing. Oh and potatoes too! Wrap ‘em in aluminum foil and just toss em in the fire for a good hour or so. Amazing! Now I”m starving. Great. Thanks….

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:02:46 +0000

I grew up in a family where “vacation” was synonymous with “camping,” mostly because it was what we could afford to do, but there’s also a delightful simplicity to it.

One recommendation I’d make, based on my own experiences decades ago and my own practices now, is if you can, stop at some of the small farm stands and buy what is local and grown on the farm (since many farm stands supplement their picked-that-morning produce with the same shipped-from-Chile crap you get at the grocery). Many farms will allow you to visit the farm (go to http://www.localharvest.com to look up farms in the area that you’ll be) which can be lots of fun for kids. And while not every kid is the same, in our family those vegetables that we got right from the farm were a lot more appealing than when they were served at home – and in most cases, they truly were more delicious. While this is not necessarily “frugal,” in the end it can instill a special love for fresh foods and an awareness of where our foods come from, which can help promote an appreciation for a more frugal and sustainable lifestyle.

And I want to second all of your suggestions, especially your “close to home” one — camping allows you to develop a much deeper appreciation even for places that are only a few miles away from your home.

By: Lynnae

Lynnae — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:23:28 +0000

If you’re tent camping, invest in a good air mattress, or you might not be able to move in the morning. LOL

I wouldn’t know that from experience or anything. It’s not really frugal, but it will make your trip more enjoyable.