How to Car Camp Frugally

What is car camping? Using your car to get you where you want to camp, and then as the base for your camping experience. You might be sleeping in a tent, but not an RV, if you go car camping. Car camping is a fun and frugal vacation idea.

Things You'll Need

• car
• tent, if possible
• food and water
• cooking equiptment
• sleeping equiptment

Instructions

1. If you decide to go car camping, you can obviously carry more stuff than you can if you backpack, but you want to pack wisely and bring only those things you'll really need.

2. A tent is nice, and you can get cheap ones at places like Wal-Mart or through craigslist, or even sometimes through freecycle. (You can't beat free.) You can car camp without a tent, and many do, but it makes for a nicer erperience if you have a tent along.

3. 

   Bring easy to cook food, or for your first night out you might bring something you made at home. Whatever food you bring, keep it cool in your ice chest. Fill things out with water to drink, coffee or tea or cocoa for hot drinks. Avoid chips and other empty calorie foods as much as possible. They're very expensive and not good for you. Make cookies at home and bring fruit and homemade GORP instead.

4. Camp nearby. If you spend a fortune on gas, you won't save any money by car camping. Think local. Think cheap.

5. 

   Camp at inexpensive camp grounds or free camp sites. Research your local campgrounds for what's available in your area.

6. You'll need sleeping bags and pillows, and cooking equiptment. A cooler is nice, as well as a few water containers. If you have one of those two burner camp stoves, and a few old pots amd pans, along with your dishes and silverware, you're pretty set.

Tips & Warnings

• Research campgrounds.

• Eat healthy and cheap foods.

• Find fun activities to do around camp.

• Car camping can be addictive.