camping - planning and staying on budget (part 3)

Below is my family's list of kitchen necessities, again adapted for my own family's needs.  I think it is very important to keep a list handy and check off as you pack.  It is so easy to forget important essentials if you do not plan for what you need and stay organized.  

On my list I recommend cast iron skillets, these are such an essential for camping because they are so sturdy...you can literally put them in a fire.  They are fairly inexpensive and they last forever.  I have 3, a large skillet, a smaller one and a grill pan (great for pancakes).  To season them for first time use, place them on heat and rub cooking oil all around the inside.  To keep them seasoned I never use soap on mine, I just rinse and scrub them with plain hot water and then I place them on a burner to dry so they do not rust.   Mine are so well seasoned, I can fry eggs on them without them sticking.

My family also always brings camping dishes, these are found in the camping section of stores...plastic dishes work as well too.  You can always bring paper plates with you and while they are easier because you don't have to wash them, just remember you have to haul your trash out of most camp locations and all those paper plates really add up.  I bring one plate, bowl, fork, spoon, and butter knife per person in my family.  When we are finished eating each person is responsible for washing their own dishes, well except the baby.

We brew sun tea while camping as an alternative to soda, so I like to bring a plastic tea jug.  I really caution against a glass one because if you break it, it is really hard to clean up glass out of dirt and leaf debris.  Also we all have a cup, like a sports bottle with a lid on top.  The lid is nice to have because it is not nice to have taken only one drink out of your freshly poured tea and come back to it to find 3 bugs floating in it.  I also bring small mugs for the girls for hot cocoa at night.  But again for morning coffee we have the cups with lids to keep little curious visitors out.  

Our traditional camping night consists of roasting marshmallows and hot dogs if they are for dinner.  There are some nice fire roasters you can buy from the stores.  However, that is something I have not done yet.  We use good old fashioned wire hangers, only wire, no paper or plastic attached to them or you'll have a little fire on your hands.  Take a wire hanger and straighten it out, pliers can help with this.  Slip the marshmallow on the end and hold over the fire and its free if you visit the dry cleaners on a regular basis or someone in your household has uniforms supplied to them. 

Check out the list below.  I hope it gives you some great ideas to help you get started on your camping journey.  Happy camping!!!

Kitchen Supplies:

Cast Iron Skillets                                   Camping Plates                                 Camp Dishes

Ladle                                                         Eating Utensils X6                            Cuppies

2 Spatulas                                                Garbage Bags

Tea Jug                                                    4 Sports Bottles                                 tablecloth

Whisk                                                       Dish Soap                    

Knife                                                         Hand Soap

Carrot Peeler                                       Hand Sanitizer

Coffee Mugs                                         Dish Clothes/Towels

Paper Towels                                        Dish Scrubber

Large Serving Spoon                        Marshmallow Roasters

Can Opener                                         Cutting Board

Dutch Oven/lid                                  Groceries/Food

camping - planning and staying on budget (part 2)

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!