TOP TIPS FOR CUT-PRICE CAMPING

1 SET A BUDGET

Could you survive on £15 a day? If you do your own cooking and keep extraneous spending to a minimum then it should be possible. The important thing is that you should decide in advance what you’re going to spend and stick to it strictly.

2 LIVE CHEAP

Cook your own meals and take packed lunches on trips. Take advantage of free activities nearby – beaches, museums, castles, etc. If you are going to splash out on a theme park visit, try to get hold of 2-for-1 vouchers in advance. Socialising on site, rather than going to pubs or restaurants, will save a fortune. When was the last time you played a board game with your family?

3 GO BARGAIN HUNTING

If you’re starting from scratch and want to buy everything new then your best option is to look for a package deal from one of the big retailers. These deals change all the time and you need to search around to find the offer that suits you.

The second option is to go online and trawl eBay or local Facebook selling pages. Again you need to spend a little time and effort searching for the ideal tent and equipment but you could land yourself some great deals this way.

4 MAKE DO AND MEND

If you have old kit which appears to be past its prime, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should write it off. Instead, think about how you can breathe new life into these older pieces of equipment.

Get your tent repaired rather than paying full whack for a new one. Your original supplier should be able to put you in touch with a bona fide repairer.

Use waterproofing solutions such as Nikwax to help your waterproof jacket keep the elements at bay.

5 BE A BORROWER

If you’re a complete camping novice and are just looking to test the waters without committing to buying, a great option is to ask friends and family if they can lend you some kit. There’s no better way to experience the great outdoors than by pulling together a few items that will do the job, leaving you to concentrate on making the most of your experience. This extends to clothing, too – simply take along what you have at home, rather than spending unnecessarily.

6. GO LOCAL

The temptation when booking a site is to find somewhere as far away from home as possible. But to save fuel (and money), why not look for somewhere relatively close to home instead? A 50-mile journey should take most people in Britain to a campsite in an area worth visiting, whether it’s on the coast, in the countryside or one of our towns or cities. A remote campsite can be idyllic, but being near a built-up area is good for keeping costs down in other ways. Petrol costs will soon soar if you have to drive miles to get anywhere and easy access to a big local supermarket keeps food costs down.