You might think that spending a holiday outdoors instead of at a hotel would be a good money saver, but you could be wrong.
If you look at all the supplies people bring for camping trips and all the preparation they must go through, it can become just as expensive. Camping can get quite expensive, especially when you need to buy or rent new gear to have all the things you need.
There are ways to conserve money when you take a holiday outdoors, though, and we have a few tips that may help you.
Use Natural Resources
If you are going to be outdoors, then make use of what is all around you and in of the environment. You can find food in the wild, you can purify the water nearby to make it drinkable.
Finding food in the wild is not as hard as it may seem, if you use a field guide, which you can buy or find online. This guide will point out what berries, leaves, bark and other plants and plant parts are edible and which ones you should stay away from.
You can also fish for your food, if you prefer, but check regulations about fishing in the area you are staying.
Rent instead of Buy
While serious campers will buy expensive equipment to make their camping excursions go smoother, you don’t have to go through all that expense. A lot of outdoor shops will allow you to rent equipment. You might be surprised at how cheaply you can get great camping gear so long as you return it in good condition at an approved location.
Some gear rental services will even ship the gear to you and let you ship it back to them when you are done. You can have the full camping experience without all the expense of purchasing your own equipment.
Share Resources
If you invite some other people to come with you on your trip, you can split the costs and share your resources. One person may have a large tent they can share, while another may have cooking supplies or extra food.
You can use the resources you have at home and pool those resources to create a low-cost camping trip that benefits everyone. Find out who wants to come on your trip with you and then find out what they have available, and you can create a plan and a shopping list from that.
If someone has a nice camper to bring along, then that can serve as your bed and bathroom and save everyone on equipment. You may find that there is little you need to buy for the trip, if you pair up with the right people for your trip.
You don’t have to spend a lot to have a great time, and if you use our tips, you should be able to cut your costs considerably.