General Supplies:
Firewood Bug/Sun Lotion Toiletres
Lanterns Towels Toys for baby
Batteries Stove Heart Burn Med.
Wash Clothes Flashlights Nasal Strips
First Aid Kit 3 Sleeping Bags Pain Medicine
Blankets Tents Children's tylonel
Fishing Poles Tackle Benodryl
Cot Pads Axe Broom
Camping Chairs Propane Gas Canisters Ipod
Toilet Paper Dog Dishes Books
Games Pillows girls sleeping bags
playpen Grass Rake Bibles
Shovel Note pad/pens Dust Pan
Tarp Air Mattresses Baby harness
Stake & Rope for dogs Door Matt Water shoes
The above list is a personalized list for my family of general supplies we need to take to camp. Gathering your general supplies such as your tent, tools, sleeping bags, lanterns, flashlights, camp stove, and camping chairs can be costly at first, but once you have them, they really last for years and you can continue to add to. If you really want to camp, but don't have a large budget to buy all the supplies you need here are some suggestions to get you started.
Family - see if any of your family members will let you borrow some of their camping gear...some family members are very particular about this and may not be comfortable about letting you borrow...but you never know, if you ask someone may offer to let you have an item they don't use anymore.
Freecycle - join your local freecylce (you can find these groups on yahoo.com's group section)...watch the everyday ads and let everyone know what you are looking for.
Ebay - Find what you need on Ebay. You can find items new or used for great prices. We recently picked up a GREAT tent for a great price off Ebay...just be really cautious of shipping fees, if you aren't careful you can pay more than you would at the store new because shipping fees can be so expensive.
Yardsales and Thrift shops - these are great places to find deals on camping gear...the only problem is they may not always be plentiful, but definitely keep your eye out.
Shop the Sales Ads -Be on the look at when sales ads come in or do searches online. Starting in the spring time the stores will start carrying camping gear and you can really find some good deals if you do your homework. I also do a lot of comparative shopping when I'm looking for particular items, I visit all the large stores and Amazon and compare their online prices to find the best deal, if you don't want it shipped many of the sites let you know if it is carried in their stores.
Be Resourceful! - This last tip really has helped us save money. We always try and bring firewood with us when we go camping, however, while camping we make it our goal to not purchase anymore campfire wood. We always go during the week when there aren't as many people, normally arriving on Sundays. Because many of the weekend campers have left by the time we arrive we ALWAYS go and look at all empty sites for firewood left behind. We almost lasted the whole week without buying firewood our last camping trip.
Plan - This is so important...if you do not have a plentiful budget you are not going to be able to just pick-up and go camping anytime you want. I suggest you get your calendar out and calendar any and all camping trips so you can PLAN AHEAD. This will help you save so much money! Make yourself lists of items you need and a menu (see my last blog), make a weekly budget that can go towards purchasing supplies and food. Figure how much gas, ice, and firewood will cost you. There is nothing worse than getting to your campsite and realizing you don't have enough money to keep ice in your ice chest.
Be on the look out for Part 3 of planning and staying on a budget...next I will cover the kitchen needs and supplies, plus some great camping recipes to come!
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