How To Go Camping On A Budget And Tips For A Camping Newbie!

New to camping? Or just after a cheap getaway that won’t break the bank?

Either way, I’ve got you covered. In this post, I’m sharing my honest take on camping, from someone who’s definitely not a natural camper, and far from an expert! My real-life tips, budget-friendly advice, and a few lessons I’ve learned the hard way to help make your first (or next) camping trip a little smoother, comfier, and a whole lot cheaper.

I write this just after the 2nd May bank holiday, which wasn't as total washout, but could have been drier; especially annoying, as the weather had been so glorious in the weeks leading up to it. As we do every year during the 2nd May bank holiday, my family went camping. This year, we went to a campsite called Litton Lakes, located in Litton Cheney, Dorset, where we met up with a group of friends. We spent time together as a large group of about 20 people, catching up on what had been going on and how everyone was doing, and generally socialising. It's always an enjoyable few days, as we get to spend time with some lovely people and my son gets to hang out with loads of kids and basically go a bit wild for a few days, and we all get to 'get back to nature' which can be pretty fun actually, although less so if the weathers not so good!

Luckily, we had more time without rain than we did with rain this year, which meant that we did manage to enjoy the lake within the resort, which was ideal, as many of the people who came had inflatable kayaks, and so they were able to make use of them, and the kids had a glorious time throwing themselves in the water and enjoying themselves!

Why I Wasn’t a Natural Camper (Still not sure I am), But Go Every Year!

I'm not a natural-born camper! As a kid, my family never went camping, it wasn't something that my parents had any interest in, so I didn't get to experience any camping-themed activities, although my grandparents had a caravan, and I have fantastic memories of going away and spending quality time with them, which I now look back on very fondly, as they are no longer with us, and spending a few nights in Dorset and Hampshire on a campsite, mainly without my sister as she didn't enjoy being away from home, so it was grandparents and me, which was great as I was spoilt rotten!

At the grand old age of 40, I met my wife and joined her on her yearly camping trips with friends, and now I have a newfound 'interest' in camping!

I say 'interest', but it's more of an acceptance than an interest, as it'll never be my first choice when we talk about a few days away, far from! The most enjoyable part of camping for me is the social element of spending time with friends and chatting by an open fire, with the stars overhead; there's something pretty grounding about that.

I do enjoy the aspect of spending time outside and being around more of nature, especially as for the majority of my time, I'm stuck at a desk in an office or working in a warehouse environment, and at home we don't have much of a garden really, so to be able to spend time outside in the fresh air, and being surrounded by nature makes a nice change, to say the least!

I've never really been the sort of person who enjoys shared toilet and shower facilities. Some of the places we visited had some pretty rundown facilities, but fortunately, the facilities for this trip were excellent, as they'd just been upgraded with new toilets and shower facilities. They were clean, and that made my experience far better! I'll be the first person to admit that they'd rather go to a nice hotel and meet friends than go camping! I do like my home comforts, but over the years I've learned what things to take with me to make the trip more comfortable!

I do tend to take a lot with me, but I do like home comforts!

I've often been laughed at for taking random things with me! The two rocking chairs I took one year, were, in hindsight, a bit over the top, but other things, such as the gas fired oven, turned out to be a popular choice as I turned into a full production kitchen in the mornings, turning out bacon rolls by the dozen, which was well received!

Taking a bean bag camping might have been my best idea yet, making the experience that little bit more comfortable!

This year, I was laughed at again, as I took my Great Bean Bags outdoor bean bag with me. As I took it out of the van, my fellow campers mocked me bringing it camping, but it took just a short time for people to notice how comfy we looked sitting and lying down on the bean bag, and there was a steady stream of people trying it out and questions about where I got it from and how much was it etc, even from complete strangers walking by!

Eventually, everyone realised that bringing a bean bag camping wasn't such a bad idea after all!

Even the 'mockers' of the bean bag were caught on camera making full use of it too, so it just shows that I may not have been born into a life of camping, but I can still have some good ideas on how to make it more comfortable and enjoyable!

Is Camping A Budget Holiday Choice?

If you're looking for a cheap way to get away without draining your bank account, camping could be your perfect solution. Whether you're pitching a tent in the countryside or setting up near the beach, camping gives you the freedom to explore without the high cost of hotels or flights.

Here’s why camping can be a great low-cost holiday, and how to do it even cheaper:

Why Camping Is So Budget-Friendly

• No pricey accommodations – Campsites can be found for just £10–£30 per night, with some wild camping spots even being free (where permitted). I tend to spend more than that per night, purely because we tend to prefer the better facilities, but that doesn't mean you can't find some great prices for campsites, especially off-season, (away from the school holidays and bank holidays if you can) and booking during the week, rather than at weekends.
  

• Take food with you – Avoid expensive restaurants by cooking your meals over a camp stove or BBQ. You can pick up a small BBQ cheaply via eBay and Facebook Marketplace. I suggest buying a portable gas hob and a camping kettle. That way, if the weather is bad, you can still cook using the hob, plus make a cup of tea! Going camping with a group of people is great as we tend to 'pool' resources. For example, if someone is having a BBQ, they'll let everyone else use the grill after they've used it, so that not everyone has to fire up their own grill. If they've got excess food, they'll share it out, which is especially useful for the kids, as they're so active that they get really hungry! Often if someones heading out to the supermarket, they'll grab things for other people at the same time, to save lots of journeys to the same place, so there lot of community spirit, which is great, plus also everyone has kids, so we take it in turn to keep an eye on them. Hence, the parents get some downtime too! We bought a cheap cooler and used that to keep food cold, and just bought some ice every day to make sure it stayed cold, but you can buy ambient foods to eat, (to save needing the cooler or BBQ), so with the kettle and hob we could cook pasta, heat up pouches of chilli and rice and of course what better time for making use of a Pot Noodle!

  I'm on a calorie defecit diet and so camping was a worry as I was unsure what I could eat and didn't want to live on burgers and sausages etc, but I managed to stay on track by eating things like tuna, pouches of veggie chilli and rice, fresh veggies and fruit and other food that was suitable for my needs. I used ChatGPT to recommend foods to take camping, and it worked. So, even if you're restricted to what you can eat, you can still eat properly with a bit of planning.
  

• Nature = free entertainment – Walks, swims, stargazing, and campfire chats cost nothing but create lasting memories! We didn't really need to leave the campsite to keep entertained; everything we needed was within reach. I need to exercise as part of my weight loss programme, and what better way than a daily walk, and with trips to the toilet needing you to get up and walk, and the general moving around, and being more active associated with camping, I found my daily steps to be higher than usual, and so I could keep my 'steps up' with no issues, plus being in such a lovely rural location, it made sense to me to go off exploring, and I had some lovely walks in pretty countryside, which I really enjoyed.

Who wouldn't enjoy such a pretty place for a walk? Good exercise, fresh air, and it was totally free!

Is Buying or Renting Camping Gear Cheaper?

If you're new to camping you're not going to have all the equipment you might need, and although you can now buy tents and other camping equipment pretty cheaply in the shops (If you are buying from a shop, make sure you check to see if you can get cashback on your purchase!), but I appreciate that you might not want to do this; after all, why invest in camping equipment when you don't actually know if you'll enjoy the experience?

Decathlon offers its BuyBack Service, where you can return sporting equipment and camping equipment purchased from them, and they'll provide a partial refund via a gift card. They'll then resell the items as used in-store. It's worth checking there too if you're looking to buy camping or sporting equipment. I was there the other day, and they had several tents available at a cheaper cost than buying new, and they looked to be in great condition.

All the information on this scheme can be found on the Decathlon website. I'd suggest asking friends if they have spare gear, or checking sites like Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, or Gumtree for bargain tents, sleeping bags, and stoves. You might also find camping equipment on the Olio app, if you're lucky!

You can also rent tents and other camping equipment.

I previously recommended Tent Share for this, but it appears they've had to pause operations for 2025 due to personal reasons. It's a shame as they offered tents from around £10 per day, plus they also provided tent owners a way to rent out their tent to people to use, which was a nice little side hustle idea, as well as a lower cost option for people to borrow tents for a camping trip>

A quick Google search has found several similar sites that offer daily and weekly rates for renting the equipment you might need. For example, I found a site offering tents for around £20 a day, plus the option to rent sleeping bags and other equipment, as well as the well-known camping-themed retailer Camping World, which also offers tents for hire.

Unfortunately, I haven't found an alternative way to rent out your camping equipment yet. You could always offer your equipment for rent on local Facebook pages or similar platforms, but you'll need to take a security deposit, otherwise, you stand a good chance of never seeing it again or having it come back damaged, and it all starts to get a bit difficult and is probably more faff than its worth! But it's worth doing some number crunching to work out the cost of renting the equipment for the amount of time you intend camping for, against the cost of buying it, as you may find its still worth buying it, as then at least you own it, and if you dont like it you can sell it on, but renting it means you've spent the money and can't get any of that back!

Here are five tips to help you make the most of your camping experience:

1. Plan and prepare in advance:

• Research your camping destination: Learn about the local weather conditions, available facilities, and any necessary permits or regulations you must comply with. Most sites require you to book; the days of just turning up to a site and them having room are more or less gone due to high demand, so make sure you book as early as possible, especially for peak times such as the summer holidays or half-term, as they may not have any spare space.
  

• Check reviews for the campsite you want to go to! Never assume that the facilities on the site match what the site claims to have. A quick internet search will find you honest reviews of the site, and they can be a godsend to save yourself a nightmare trip!
  

• Does the site allocate a parking space for you next to your tent? I've been caught out by this before, and it caused issues, so make sure when you book, if this is important to you. I've found out the hard way in the past; nobody wants to have to walk a long distance to retrieve something from the car. 
  

• Make a checklist: Write down all the essential items you need to bring, such as a tent, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, and appropriate clothing. Check off items as you pack to ensure you don't forget anything important. Use ChatGPT or a similar tool to create a list of essentials you'll need to take; it's super handy!
  

• Practice setting up your tent: Pitching a tent can be challenging if you've never done it before. Familiarise yourself with the process by practising in your garden or a local park.
  

• Make sure your tent is complete before you go! Sounds simple enough, but last year we got to the site to find we'd left half the tent in the shed and had to zoom to the nearest camping shop and buy a brand new tent, with otnly minutes berfore it closed, which was siper sreessful and very expensive as there was limited choice on tents to buy!
  

2. Start with a shorter trip:

• Consider starting with a shorter camping trip to get a feel for the experience, perhaps at a local camping location in your area. This way, if you encounter any challenges or realise you've forgotten something important, you won't be too far from home.
  

• Overnight stays don't have to be for several days. It's a good idea to make your first camping trip short. You can stay for just a night or two to get accustomed to how camping works. I suggest starting with two, though, to ensure you give yourself time to acclimatise to the camping way of life.
  

• Opt for a campground with amenities: On your first camping trip, choose a campground that offers amenities such as bathrooms, drinkable water, and picnic areas. This will make your transition into camping more comfortable. Most of the larger sites offer all the modern amenities, and many even have an on-site shop where you can pick up supplies (ice is always a popular choice). You may also be lucky enough to have a cafe on site, which can be great for a quick breakfast or coffee.
  

3. Pack essential camping gear:

• Tent: Select a tent that suits your group size and the expected weather conditions for your stay. Look for one that's easy to set up and provides adequate space. If you're using a rental tent, speak with the owners to ensure the tent you're considering will accommodate the number of people for whom it is intended.
  

• Sleeping gear: Bring sleeping bags, air mattresses, and pillows for a comfortable night's sleep. If taking an air mattress, don't forget to take a pump! A battery one is useful, but I bought one from Amazon that runs off the car cigarette lighter socket as well as batteries, and it makes blowing up the mattresses so easy, it only took 3 minutes to do our double mattress, and is also fab for blowing up inflatable beach items, such as lilo's and rubber rings too, and for a tenner, you can't go wrong! A duvet is excellent for insulation and extra comfort,
  

• Cooking equipment: Carry a cheap gas portable stove or grill, along with cookware, utensils, and basic ingredients for meals. The extra cost of an inexpensive gas stove is small when considering the cost of going out and buying a takeaway, as you can't cook any food! Many people take a BBQ, which is fine, so long as it doesn't rain!  A kettle and a pot noodle can turn a meal disaster around quickly! Don't forget a cooler for storing perishable food; if the campsite has an onsite shop, they'll often sell ice.
  

• Camping gas can be difficult to find during busy camping seasons, so purchase it before you need it to ensure you have a sufficient supply.

  You'll often have to put down a hefty deposit for a gas canister, so check if a friend or relative has one before you go out and buy one from a shop. That said, if you're buying a new camping stove, they now use the latest, smaller style gas canisters, and these are much easier to obtain and can be purchased more easily from shops or online sellers such as Amazon which makes things simpler and mich less expensive, and you dont have to worry about deposits!
  

• Lighting: Pack flashlights or headlamps with extra batteries to navigate your campsite at night. Most sites have little to no lighting, and it gets very dark. The trek to the toilet block is much more challenging in the pitch black!
  

• If you still want to use your phone or other tech, consider how you will charge them. You can likely charge them in the car whilst travelling; however, if you aren't travelling, it can be harder as most car cigarette lighter sockets will only work for a few minutes if the car engine isn't running, so you won't be able to charge your phone properly, and you wont be popular if you have your car engine running for ages on a camp site as its noist, smelly and alnd will cost you money in fuel. I'd suggest buying at least one power bank as they can charge your phone several times over. They will still need to be recharged after a while, so if you know thats not going to be easy, a solar power bank might help, as they can then be left in the sun to recharge after use. They are relatively effective, assuming it's sunny, but won't be brilliant if it's cloudy, but mine did still charge up enough for another charge if I left it in the car window for the day, even without much sun, but are effective enough to be useful when you have no other charging options and don't want to spend a chunk of money on heavy-duty charging systems, which are fantastic, but unless you'll be using it a lot, not very cost effective for light use!
  

4. Dress appropriately and be mindful of the weather:

• Check the weather forecast before your trip and pack accordingly. Layer your clothing to adapt to changing temperatures, and take extra clothing just in case! I'd suggest putting spare clothing into ziploc-type bags, as they can keep the clothes dry. There is often a slight damp feeling in a tent, and nothing worse than your clothing feeling damp when you put it on! The bags protect against any moisture and also help keep outside smells from reaching them. I always find that the smoke from fires in the camping ground can make all your clothes smell like a frankfurter sausage, and so the bags help prevent that too!
  

• Wear comfortable and sturdy footwear suitable for hiking and walking on uneven terrain, plus take sliders, Crocs, or similar for ease of walking to the toilets in the dark, (you don't have to try and do your laces up in the pitch black!), plus also theyre good to wear in the shower too, if you dont fancy your feet being on the floor where dozens of other people have showered recently!
  

• Bring rain gear and extra clothing in case of unexpected weather changes! This is soooo important!
  

5. Embrace the outdoor experience:

• Disconnect from technology: Take this opportunity to enjoy nature and disconnect from your electronic devices. Instead, bring books, games, or musical instruments for entertainment. That said, there's always a good argument for taking your iPad, with movies downloaded to it (in case of no phone signal), to help occupy yourself if the weather isn't on your side, or to keep the kids occupied when you need some peace and quiet.
  

• Stay organised: Keep your campsite tidy and organised to prevent any unwelcome encounters with wildlife. Store food securely to avoid attracting animals. Take your rubbish down to the bins every day, as it helps keep flies and bugs away.
  

• Explore and learn: Take time to explore the surroundings, hike trails, learn about the local culture and check out local buildings and tourist attractions. Camping offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature and is the best way for kids to learn about the real world around them, plus its nice to connect with other campers as well, you can strike up great new friendships and network with other like minded people who can give you hints, tips and ideas on how to make your current, or next camping trip even better.

Looking for more camping advice? If so, check out this great blog post by 'My Balancing Act', and if you're going camping at a music festival, then check out our festival money-saving tips! Got any camping hacks of your own? Message me on Instagram with your top camping comfort tips!