Everyone is starting to feel the squeeze & nonessentials are becoming a rare treat for many of us. But it's important that we're able to do the things we love, even if we have to change how we go about it.

If camping & getting outside is your vice then read on, we're going to explain some ways you can camp for less & limit the cost of your trip. 


Plan ahead

A lot of the savings can be found in the comfort of your home. Making smart & informed decisions will not only save you money but could also help you avoid a headache down the road.

Budget

Developing a budget is the only way to ensure you remain within your means. If you attempt to wing it as you go it is likely you will run into issues & spend more than you initially wanted to. Also by producing a budget you can see where you are able to limit or increase your spending.

Itinerary

Keeping your budget in mind, what do you plan to do on your trip? I understand that the spontaneity of going on holiday is some of the enjoyment for a lot of people. If this is the case for you consider allocating a spend amount per day. Though I would say that, a lot of activities will have cheaper fees for pre-bookings, which can help to keep costs down. 

When creating your itinerary be sure to consider the small things like car parking fees & public transport costs. These can add up quickly, especially on longer holidays.

Also, keep an eye out for free activities like going to the beach or hiking! Still, stuck for things to do? Most areas have a site that lists free things to do locally. A great online resource is Tripadvisor!

Choose a cheaper or free pitch

This is where doing your research really pays off and you can find some of the biggest savings. Finding a reasonably cheap or free campsite is quite difficult due to the rising average pitch cost. Though there are some resources available to make your search easier like freecampsites.net, a user-built database of campsites all on a detailed map. Being that this is a user-populated database it is important that you verify any information you find on there!

Cooking & Living

When it comes to food at the campsite, the most cost effective and also time effective way of having your favourite foods is always to plan ahead! The best thing you can do to keep the pennies in your pocket is to make your camping meals up before you go! This is a great way to save on cost when camping because you can use groceries you already have at home or even by just making double the portions of meals you would normally have at home. In comparison to purchasing food when you're in your camping location, this is so much more cost effective as you most likely wouldn't use all of the food you bought during your camping trip, in addition to this, if the location you are in is a remote area the prices from local shops may be significantly more expensive than at home. What could be easier than just heating your meals up and having them ready instantly?

If you want some ideas for some easy make-ahead camping recipes, here's a couple of websites to take a look at which also have even more great tips for saving money:

• 15 Easy Camping Meals - The Camping and Caravanning Club
• 20 Easy and Cheap Camping Meals you Can Make (theoutdoorjunkie.com)
• 10 Make Ahead Camping Meals So You Can Relax When You Get There (veravise.com)
• 35 Quick and Easy to Make Camping Recipes | Outdoorish

Getting your gear ready

If you've already got your gear together and you're happy it is all in working order then this segment may not be much help for you!

If you haven't checked over your gear, check out this page which will guide you on how to ensure your equipment is working efficiently and if not, how to repair instead of replace: Repairs & Maintenance (olproshop.com)

Consider Loan & Go

Using OLPRO's Loan & Go system means you have a tent only when you need one - meaning you don't have to store one at home or look after it between trips, and you can always have the right tent for each trip.

It also means you have the latest model every time. So, whether it be a quick hike through the mountains this weekend or two weeks away abroad, we make everything easy for you.

It's a very simple process but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us via www.olproshop.com/pages/contact-us