Places to get camping supplies on the cheap

Now that you have a list of the items you need for a successful and enjoyable camping experience, I'll discuss places you can purchase cheap camping supplies, and what you can get where.

For tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, cooler, and screen house/canopies:

Craigslist.org: Go to this website and find the city closest to you. If you're looking for free stuff, look under the free listings. If you're willing to spend a few bucks, look under the Sporting Goods listing. You could also post under the Wanted listing.

Freecycle.org - Find your local chapter at the web site. It's free to join and once you do, you can place a post seeking camping supplies. There's no guarantee you will get them, but it never hurts to try.

Classified ads - Check the classfied in your local newspaper. You will want to search for the $100.00 or less" and/or the "Sporting Goods" headings.

Clearance sales - Towards the end of summer, stores will sometimes clear out their camping supplies to put in back to school or fall merchandise. In the spring, new models of tents will come out, so last year's models will be put on clearance.

Words of warning: If you buy or receive used tents and/or screen houses/canopies, be sure you receive the assembly instructions! A cheap tent or screen house isn't any good if you don't know how to put it together.

For food preparation supplies:

Discount stores such as Dollar General or Family Dollar - A good place to find cheap pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Yard sales or garage sales - A good sourch of used pots and pans and cooking utensils. You don't need brand new stuff if you're going camping. You're not trying to impress anyone - you just need stuff that will work.

For the large plastic storage totes, try Garden Ridge or Old Time Pottery. If you have neither one of those stores near you, go to Wal-Mart or Kmart. You may also be able to find them and the yard/garage sales mentioned above.

Miscellaneous supplies:

Dollar stores - A great place to buy aluminum foil, paper plates, matches, etc. Take a little time and explore at the dollar store - you can find some great stuff there.

Super cheap ways to get camping supplies:

Borrow supplies from friends. If they aren't going camping when you are, that means that they're not using their equipment. If you tell them that you're trying camping for the first time and you want to see what it's like, they may let you borrow their equipment.

You can also bring things from home, i.e., substitute blankets for sleeping bags, and your own pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Next week at this time, my family will be camping! I can't wait! If you're going camping next weekend, leave a comment and tell us where you'll be camping. Next time, I'll discuss food preparation and planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping equipment list - Outdoor Living

The next 3 posts will contain lists of vital things you will need for a fun and successful camping trip. The lists are outdoor living, food preparation, and miscellaneous. Each list will be covered in a separate post. The first list is Outdoor Living.

Outdoor Living
Tent
Screen house or canopy
Camping chairs
Radio or CD player
Air mattresses
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Duffle bags (for clothes)
Towels
Large plastic totes with lids for storage
Folding table
Flashlights
Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton (optional)

===============================================
Tent - Before you purchase a tent, you will need to know how many people are going. When you look at tents in the store, you will notice on the box how many people will fit in the tent. That doesn't leave much room for clothes, so you may want to get the next size up.

Screen house or canopy - A screen house will keep your supplies dry and the animals out of them. They will also provide shade if your campsite has no trees.

Camping chairs - You really don't want to sit on the ground, do you?

Radio or CD player - Self-explanatory.

Air mattresses - Unless you want or prefer to sleep on the ground (not me - I have hips), these are essential.

Sleeping bags - Check the temperature rating. If you're going to sleep outside in the winter, you will need a bag with a temperature rating of 0 degrees. Any other time of the year, a 32 degree temperature rating will be fine.

Pillows - just grab yours from home.

Duffle bags - You have to have somewhere to keep your clothes. Luggage is too much and grocery bags are not enough.

Large plastic totes with lids - These will keep your food and food preparation safe and dry.

Folding table - If you are at a campsite without a picnic table, you will need something to eat on.

Flashlights - You need to find your way around in the dark, especially after going to the showerhouse or the latrine.

Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton - Not absolutely necessary, but fun to play with the family.

The next post will be on food preparation items. Until then, happy camping!

Diane