The clouds are beginning to part and the sun is starting to shine a little longer each day, and you know what that means…Camping Season is almost upon us! If you’ve ever planned a camping getaway you know that surviving the great outdoors can be a pricey adventure. Between campground fees, tents, sleeping bags, food, fishing gear and firewood you can spend a bundle if your not prepared. Well although this dame prefers a day at the spa I am married to a fishing enthusiast and my son fancies himself a four year old Davey Crockett. With multiple camping trips on the horizon this summer here a few frugal tips to make camping fun and affordable.
1. S’More Please!
S’More coupon season is almost upon us! Just before Memorial Day weekend check your Sunday papers for the very best S’more coupons, but hold on to them until the Tuesday after the long weekend to score the best deals post holiday. Stock up when prices are low and coupons are plentiful so you never have to pay full price for those delectable treats. Do you love the taste of a S’more but not the hassle? Try melting the chocolate and pouring into a small bowl, place a bowl of gram cracker crumbs and you can dip your roasted marshmallow in the chocolate and gram cracker to get all the flavor with none of the sticky factor.
2. Camping Gear Goes Green
If your camping gear is crumbling or your wee one has out grown their sleeping bag it’s time to start cruising the neighborhood for yard sales. You’ll be keeping old camping gear out of landfills and you’ll save a enough to pay for your fishing license. When buying used camping gear like sleeping bags and tents be sure to take it to the laundry mat for a good clean. The laundry mat usually has a few industrial or over-sized machines that will do the trick better than your machines can at home. Plus you don’t want to bring any creepy-crawly’s from another’s garage into your own…
3. Where to Go, What to Do
Now that you’ve have your S’mores and your gear where are you going to pitch your tent? You can usually find great rates during the week since even though the kids might be out of school the mommies and daddies are still at the office. Call around and see what amenities are available and look for reviews left from past campers. You’ll also want to make sure if you have little ones your not so close to the water or the woods that you’ll spend your whole trip stressing over safety. Packing a portable play yard or short fence can be a life saver. I also recomend the book “The Daring Book For Boys” which is full of fun activities like knot tying, identifying plants and animal tracks, how to build a fort, and how to play chess (in case of rain).
Have a safe and happy camping season!
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