Camping is a frugal vacation, cheaper than spending money on hotels and eating in restaurants, certainly. But if you’re not careful, camping comes with hefty start-up costs to sleep comfortably in the great outdoors and protect yourself from the elements.
Whether you’ve never gone camping or you’re a seasoned pro at sleeping in the woods, here are 22 ideas to save money on camping this season.
1. Stick close to home to save money on gas. Punch your zip code into ReserveAmerica to find available campsites nearby. ReserveAmerica can also help you compare campsite costs for your selected dates. Clicking on a few of the options for sites near me (in Orange County, CA) showed a wide range, from $20-45 night.
2. Invite friends to share the cost of campsites, gas, and food. Check the details of your campground, but many tent campsites can accommodate 6-8 people comfortably in up to 3 tents. Even if you only split the site with one other couple, your costs are halved.
3. When camping in a group, assign group meals to one person or couple. It’s not much harder to cook spaghetti for 6 than for 2 or 3; it saves money and space on ingredients, and it means everyone gets the luxury of enjoying someone else’s cooking part of the time!
4. Plan your menu and pack foods before you go, to avoid paying small-town convenience store prices. Bring spices and condiments in small plastic bags or old film containers. Let me know in the comments below if you have a modern substitute for film containers, which can be hard to find now.
5. Bring a separate cooler for drinks and foods. The drinks cooler will be opened more often, so this saves money on the ice needed to keep your foods cold in the second cooler.
6. To save further on ice, use block ice rather than cubed. It stays frozen longer.
7. Freeze meats and other cold foods at home before you go; they’ll stay cool longer and act as secondary ice blocks.
8. Shop in the bulk food section for dehydrated items (beans, fruits), and mix with water or cook on your trip to avoid paying for fancy pre-made camping meals. You can also usually find granola or trail mix in the bulk section for snacks.
9. Consider substituting couscous for rice in menu planning. While rice takes 20-30 minutes to cook on the stove, couscous cooks up in 5 minutes off the burner, saving fuel costs for your camp stove. And as an added bonus, couscous cleans out of the pan in no time! Take that, sticky rice!
10. Retail price is definitely for suckers when it comes to camping gear. Before you pay full price, check out discount gear websites like the REI Outlet, Campmor, or GearTrade.
11. Better yet, don’t buy new gear! Scour local garage sales, Craigslist, or eBay for gently used camping gear, or borrow from friends. For durable items (cooking gear, backpacks, sleeping pads), don’t worry if they’ve been in someone’s attic for a long time. When I’m car camping I still use items my parents camped with in the 60s! Just test the item first if possible. Track down the next date for an REI used gear sale, where you can save 20-80% off gear that has been returned. You must be an REI member to shop at a gear sale; if you’re not currently a member you can purchase a lifetime membership for $20 at checkout.
12. If you camp infrequently, consider renting gear such as tents, stoves, and sleeping bags. If your local outdoor store doesn’t rent gear, they should know where to refer you to.
13. Use general equipment from home rather than buying a camping-specific version, particularly for car-camping where size and weight are less of an issue. Kitchen pots and pans, plastic coffee mugs, pillows and blankets, and tableware will easily do the trick.
14. Stock up on warm clothing at Goodwill. Skip the Patagonia fleece and pore through the racks for a good, thick wool sweater or pants. It will keep you just as warm and nobody cares if you match! Hats, socks, gloves, scarves, and fleece jackets are other common finds.
15. While you’re at Goodwill, snag any cheap, lightweight kitchen items you can find: pots/pans, travel coffee mugs, knives, unbreakable plates.
16. Consider staying in a National Forest if you live or travel near one. While there can be fees for developed campsites (think picnic tables and bathrooms), you are allowed to camp or backpack FOR FREE anywhere in the forest as long as you follow established guidelines (including staying more than 300 feet away from trailheads and displaying an appropriate parking pass, if required). Call a ranger station in your local National Forest prior to camping to confirm the rules and requirements.
17. Besides National Forests, there are four other places where you can camp for free, though most of them are more remote than typical developed, car camping sites.
18. If your camping will take you there, consider purchasing a National Parks annual pass for $80. With fees up to $20 for entry, the pass can pay for itself in four trips. If you’re 62 or older, a lifetime pass is just $10, purchased at the recreation site, or $20 through the mail. The Access pass for US citizens with disabilities is free. You will still need to pay for developed camping separately from entrance fees in national parks, where available, unless you are backpacking. The senior pass offers up to a 50% discount on camping and other park fees; check individual park for details.
19. Look into the KOA VKR (Value Kard Rewards) program if you’ll be staying frequently. The $25 annual membership saves you 10% on every stay, lets you earn points toward future stays, and other perks (including 15% off gear purchased at Coleman.com).
20. Consider working in exchange for camping! Being a Workamper or Campsite Host allows you to stay for free (and sometimes earn a salary) while volunteering to help run or preserve the campground. Some programs are RV specific, others are not. Search for “campsite host” at campgrounds in your area or contact a park’s ranger station to ask about programs and opportunities.
21. If you’re new to camping or have young children, consider camping in your backyard. This is a great way to give camping a trial run, and if anything goes wrong, you can run inside.
22. And last, but definitely not least, bring duct tape! You’d be amazed at what you can fix with duct tape to avoid a costly drive to a costly store for a costly part. I’ve used it to patch tents and backpacks, keep wind out of zippers and sleeves, keep a sole on my shoe for 23 miles, prevent blisters, and even construct a makeshift spoon.
Have fun camping, and let us know your tips and tricks for saving money while camping!
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
Used pill bottles are great for spices and they are dark to protect the spices from the light.
Another good reason to put the food and beverages in separate coolers is that the drinks cooler is opened more often thus allowing the more warm air in. Keeping the food separated will prevent the cold from escaping and prevent food spoilage for a longer period of time. Also, since cold settles, put cold packs or ice both on top of the food (and below if you have room). Pack so that the items that you will eat first are on top to minimize exposing the rest of the food to warmer air.
@Myke Thanks Myke! I have not used old pill bottles for spices, but I turned two into maracas for my daughter by filling them with rice. She loves it!
Measure only what you will use in dry goods (sugar, cereal etc.) in labeled ziplock bags, no need to bring the entire box. Plan your menus for each meal each day, and think of meals that use little preparation. Use condiment packets from fast food meals, less mess and easy to use. I like to marinade meats and freeze them, they act as a another ice pack.
If traveling with other families, divide and conquer. Assign others to bring certain items, everyone doesn’t have to bring a jug of syrup or a huge container of oil. If you are bringing only one camp stove, everyone doesn’t have to bring pots and pans etc.
Certain things I get near the campsite wood for instance, because they take up too much room (but carry enough for one day and night with you). I also have a camping binder with a prepared list of items needed so I can amend it based on where we are camping and what the weather will be. You do not want to have to run out and buy sweatshirts etc. because everyone is cold, that is expensive. It acts as a checklist for packing up as well and to make notes on anything that needs to replaced/repaired. The binder also has brochures about the camping area and general info, hospitals, restaurants, laundry etc. And I take notes on what would enhance the camping experience, one year I added a small broom to the list to help keep the tent clean. Another year it was a small stool to sit on outside the tent to make putting shoes on and off easier. Those things are small but they make camping more enjoyable!
@ActiveMomma You must camp a lot! I’m impressed with your camping binder. Sounds like an organizer’s dream! We don’t camp often enough to make a binder worth it, but I agree with you that little improvements – that brush, that stool – do make camping more fun.
Last time we camped, my husband kept waking me up because he was cold. My sleeping bag, thank goodness, was warm. The second night he slept with a silk liner and it made all the difference! Apparently, silk liners add 10 degrees and they are extremely light and compact. Definitely recommend them if you’re worried your sleeping bag is not going to be warm enough.
One question for you – we are considering camping out with our 15 month old daughter. What’s the best way to keep the little ones warm at night? Seems like she’s too young for a sleeping bag.
Since we prefer rice instead of couscous — make the rice ahead of time and freeze it. I use the plastic tubes that seed beads come in for my spices.
We used a blanket sleeper with our daughter. Also she slept in an inflatable baby bathtub as her air mattress — the rounded and higher sides kept her in place and she slept warm and cozy.
@Pattie, thank you for the tips! Those are handy tips for the rice and the bead tubes. Also, along with Bargainbabe and her little one, we’ll be taking our 6-month-old daughter camping soon and the bathtub is a great idea!
@Julie Hills Ohhhhh, where are you going camping? And what are you going to put baby to sleep in? If we had a gargantuan tent, I would set up her pack n play in there, but our tent is too small for that. I’d rather not buy a special smallish camping crib, but worried about her rolling around among our sleeping bags.
i put my 18 month old in bag with me on my chest we slepr fine. On a different note, here is a cost saver we use camping. Since we are always going to be less than 4 hours and always with electricity at the sight, I bought a 20 dollar dorm refridgerator from a pawn shop. We never buy ice.
@ActiveMomma, great tips! One thing to watch out for though, especially if you are in the NE, is that you may not be able to bring firewood over state lines or from one area to another due to quarantines/restrictions, to prevent bringing bugs from one area into another (to prevent damage). Make sure you check your local firewood restrictions if you’re traveling to camp. But if you’re close to home, yes, bringing your own can be a great way to save money.
Camping gear can also easily double as emergency disaster / survival gear as well. Those of us living in southern California live in prime real estate for significant earthquakes; the most recent being the 1994 Northridge earthquake 19 years ago. Buying high quality products can not only make a difference between life and death, but odds are that once you’ve purchased these items, you probably won’t have to worry about replacing these items during your lifetime if they are stored properly and maintained. Chance favors the prepared mind.
@The Unethical Mind Great point! I never thought about camping gear doubling as survival gear, but it certainly does.
@Unethical Man, I agree about the emergency gear! I keep all my camping gear organized in bins and ready to use if needed for cooking, light, or warmth in case of earthquake here in SoCal… my husband and I like to joke that we are prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, too!
In support of the “Unethical Man’s” post:
Camping and Outdoor gear are definitely survival gear. We live in NJ. We lost our
power for fourteen days and our well worn but carefully stored camp gear were the
difference between experiencing a paralyzing, frightening situation and being able to adapt to the “overnight” devastation of our homestead and community. We had no power, no running water (we’ve got a well) and limited access to gasoline for our vehicles and businesses like grocery stores and hardware stores were also affected and closed for nearly a week in our area.
I was so very thankful that annual vacations as child and teen revolved around
camping because my family did not have the means for us to travel any other way.
I am also an Army veteran and my training came in handy as well! Everyone should
know how to survive and enjoy the outdoors.
@PJ “Grizzly Adams” Your comment reminds me of the saying, Lucy is when preparation meets opportunity. Not that losing power and water and access to gasoline is an opportunity, but I think you’ll understand what I mean. You had professional training in the Army, plus a childhood spent enjoy the outdoors, and the gear to use. What a perfect combination. Plus, I suspect your “can do” attitude was a huge factor in your being able to survive without the modern comforts we are so ungratefully dependent on.
In lieu of film canisters: test strips for blood sugar (diabetes) testing comes in small canisters with attached flip up lid.
@Susan There certainly are a lot of small containers sitting around most homes, waiting for a second or third job!
Using stawss cut up in small sections works great for spices and first aid small enough to carry around and without the bulkiness and easily thrown away also great for purse carring
We dry tree branches that we have pruned from our garden for free firewood.
Great list and great advice. As I read it occurred to me that not everyone can sleep on the ground and an RV may be in order but how to do this in a thrifty way:
1) Rent, don’t buy. A portable bed and kitchen is pricey
2) A delivered RV rental saves on gas and eliminates the white knuckle experience
3) An RV rental from the owner can save even more on the rental
4) Stuff – Camping “stuff” is expensive. If you rent from the owner, likely there will be a lot of camping gear included.
5) Essentials – An RV rental from the owner is likely to include kitchen and bath stuff like TP, cooking oil, Salt and Pepper, etc.
There you go! 5 more frugal ways to get folks with back problems out camping, and full disclosure; yes I’m biased as I am affiliated with rvplusyou.com
@Russ Lovell Appreciate your tips! I’ve always wanted to try renting an RV for a week to see if my husband and our two daughters could survive in close quarters. Great to know about this resource!
Another bit o’ info: #WildflowerTri was just this past weekend, one of the premier Triathlons in the country where thousands of pro and amateur athletes compete. The location is remote so you’re camping for 3 days. Most people rent RV’s. Last year the team from Nuun hydration systems booked an RV with a big National brand for $2,500 – 5 days. Ouch! They booked a hotel this year (40 minute drive back and forth). They found RVPlusYou.com, a peer to peer rental by owner site. Cancelled the hotel reservation, saved $1,000 over their hotel cost and got to stay at the event which was Lake San Antonio, CA. They saved!
I appreciate your tip to plan meals and pack foods before you go on a camping trip in order to save money. I also like that you can save money by having good camping cooking supplies. I went camping and because we had proper cooking supplies we were able to freeze meat that we got cheaply and eat well for cheap!
I use used TicTac containers for spices, label and the lid fits snug.
Oh, that’s smart!
Duct tape has saved my skin when camping more times than I care to admit!
One thing that I’ve had a lot of luck with in keeping camping on the cheap side is preparing meals in advance. Mac and cheese, tacos in a bag and nachos are all really easy to reheat on a campfire.