Going camping with friends can be a great way to have fun with friends without breaking the bank.
Below is a bit of advice on how to organize a camping trip and make some fun drinks to bring with you, all on a very reasonable budget!
Rent-a-tent-
If you aren't a big outdoorsy type, there's a good chance you could go out and spend quite a bit buying a tent that will spend the majority of it's life gathering dust in your shed or garage. Many campsites these days offer a tent rental option, alternatively, some camping retailers might offer that service too.
Having said that, there are usually a number of inexpensive options when it comes to buying a tent, and if you are confident you will use it often enough, buying a basic tent would be a great idea. Always take into consideration the conditions you're likely to face when buying your tent though; you won't save any money if your tent is ripped to shreds in gale-force winds and you end up paying for a room in a hotel instead.
Share your tent-
Often campsites will charge for the pitch rather than the number of people. Therefore if there is a group of you, it may be more efficient to buy one big tent which will house you all. Of course what you gain in efficiency you lose in privacy so how prudent this decision is will depend on who you are going with
Find a cheap site-
An internet search and some phone calls will help here. A word of warning though, cheap means basic. Check the facilities available before you book because camping without a toilet or running water could make the experience considerably more miserable. If you're feeling really brave, you could decide to pitch up somewhere in the wilderness where there will be no cost involved. Just make sure it's somewhere you have cellular phone coverage or can get back to civilization easily, as there are a number of horror movies where the protagonists make this mistake!
Cook your own food-
Cost of cooking a Chili for five people on a camping stove - £10. Cost of five chillies in the closest restaurant to the campsite - £50. It's that simply really. Also there's something warm and rustic about cooking over a campfire, roasting marshmallows, or even spit-roasting some juicy meat or fish.
Make your own entertainment-
Sitting around a campfire with someone playing the guitar is free but it's great fun. The whole point of going camping is to get away from the distractions of the outside world and spend some time with friends.
Good drinks with vodka-
When you're out in the wild you won't have all the resources of your home kitchen, so you might not want to fuss over something to complicated. Why not get a big bowl and make a vodka punch? Something like vodka, pineapple juice and cranberry juice would work great! And would be even better if you chop up and throw in a few fresh fruits like strawberries, apples or oranges!
You might also get a bit chilly at night, so something like hot chocolate mixed with vanilla vodka or mint vodka would be sure to go down well with the marshmallows!
