Thrifty Thursday: Consider Camping

For the first twenty years of my marriage, every vacation we took was a camping vacation, because frugality was a necessity and not just a choice. Then our incomes went up and airfares came down, and we abandoned camping for another twenty years. A few years ago we decided to try it again, and now we're hooked.

If you haven't camped for years, you have some pleasant surprises in store. Tents are more lightweight and easier to put up than ever before. Air mattresses or egg-crate pads have replaced the camp cots that we used to sleep on, with a great improvement in comfort. LED lanterns are cool to the touch, and the classic Coleman stove now operates on propane cylinders so there's no more pumping.

So much for ease and comfort. What about price? About.com's Guide to Camping David Sweet estimates that you can equip a family for camping for $500 or less, and if there are just two of you, the price goes down. Free or low-cost campsites are plentiful, mostly in national or state parks, national forests and similar areas. Campers save a bundle by preparing their own meals, and food tastes fabulous in the outdoors, so no one complains about the menu. If you're concerned about gas prices, search for campsites near your home. I bet you'll discover some natural areas that you didn't even know were there.

One more thing: if you take the grandkids camping, you'll qualify as the best grandparents ever.

More Thrifty Thursday Hints from About.com Parenting Guides: