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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]CAMPING IS NOT CHEAP[/b]

Yes, I am yelling it because I am sick and tired of people saying this.

Renting a cabin in any campground area - yes, even state parks - in driving distance from the DMV area - think under 4.5 hrs - costs the same as staying in a lower end hotel. It is by no means a cheap vacation. So stop that nonsense please!  Almost all campgrounds impose minimums on cabins.  A weekend needs to be at least 2 or 3 nights and during the summer it's usually 5-7 day rental.  Even the most bare bones cabins start at $50 a night.  And that's just lodging and doesn't cover the cost of everything else.

Camping in a tent is somewhat cheaper but that assumes you can borrow a tent and all supplies such as outdoor sleeping bags and sleeping pads.  If not, there will be some cost out of pocket to purchase.  One cost that I know people will not think of is the additional laundry cost after returning home from camping.  Running several extra loads can up bills for some people and when you are a tight budget, yes, even that $5-$10 will matter.

And while it's nice to say that one can borrow, or buy used equipment, another issue that us lower middle class families deal with is less time and flexibility to do those things.  After working 40-50 hours a week, often commuting 45 -1.5 hrs bc many of us live farther out, taking care of the kids, and doing housework and then running around for errands, there is much less time.  Believe it or not, sometimes the delivery fee for grocery delivery is even out of my budget. Yes, that's right even $10 might be too much.  So looking for equipment or buying used requires a few emails, coordination to drive over and pick up the items, and so on. Yes, again, this is really taxing when you are already have no breathing room.  In addition, to all the above activities, you are constantly stressed and worried about finances and you labor over spending that $10 for a used sleeping bag you might only possibly get to use once.

After years and years, the lowest cost vacation we have ever been able to swing for 3 people - 2 adults, one kid - was $700 for a 2 nights/3 days in OC at the very end of the season in the lowest budget motel.  This included everything from gas, to grocery store food, to eating out once a day (bc it's vacation and believe it or not I wanted a break from cooking!), and a trip to the boardwalk. 
[/quote]

We camp all the time. All the camping on the C&O trail is FREE. There isn't a shower though... it's primitive.

We camp for $25 a night usually and never spend more than that. We cook on the campfire. Usually a 2 day camping trip is $100 for the 4 of us including firewood.

We did a 2 week backpacking camping trip through Yellowstone with just DH and I. Our plane tickets were free (miles from work travel). Including the $300 rental car we spent $850 on that trip. I know that plane tickets would be pricey, but I'm just showing that there are trips out there if you get creative. We drove to Acadia last summer too and did something similar. [/quote]

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