We started camping a few years ago - unfortunately out loft looks like 'Go Outdoors' with all the stuff - we have a Vango Ventur 500 for weekends, Khyam 8 man tunnel tent when we go for longer and take others with us and low and behold the other week went to pick up some poles which we had fixed free at the above place and walked away with our new purchase of a Coleman Darwin 7 !!! We used it over the Bank Holiday, had terrible weather but pleased to say we only came away with 1 broken pole (other tents had actually blown away)!! I've just bought the carpet for the Vango but use it in the other tents as well with picnic rugs around it, does a grand job. Bought a port -a-loo recently at a car boot sale (£3) £64 in camping shops (only bought this cos I've a broken hip) so you see no matter how long you keep camping, you'll keep spending and yes even with broken bones I can mange it - love it
Oops, I almost feel responsible for your purchases!! Hope you got a bargain on the footprint and carpet! Its a new car for our next purchase, and then a towbar and trailer. We'll get Christmas out of the way first I think!!
Rich
------------- Have new tent....will travel
Been to Weston,Grendon Lakes, Sherwood forest,Westbrook park and Port Eynon twice this year!
Sooo expensive and very addictive. We bought our tent just last month and I've been completely obsessed ever since - love this forum invaluable help! We have Montana 6, the footprint, the carpet, the front extension, the windbreak, ehu, cooker, portaloo, airbeds, gas lights, heaters, delta pegs and so on! Fortunately we already had a roofbox and an mpv or I have no idea how we would get it all to site as per a previous topic we are most definitely Glampers!!! I can't believe that camping has escaped us thus far as its just us to a tee, really sociable and down to earth good fun even in the rain until it gets too muddy that is - perfect for growing children.
My excuse is that Im offsetting the costs against our previously booked holiday on an Italian campsite costing £2100 for a static, against a fab campsite in vendee region of France for £500 including petrol (but not crossing). Im just in love with the idea of being able to just decide on pretty much the spur of the moment to pack up and take a break wherever we fancy!!
LOL, Fiona W, I couldn't stop grinning, reading your post, likewize we got into camping four months ago and I (although OH loves it as well and the kids: it just goes without saying) am absolutely hooked and spend every evening at least checking out the latest discussion's on here, as well as wondering what we can buy next!!! Although from reading on here, it seems that the spending doesn't stop and everyone suffers with tent and equipment envy.
In fact already discussing and planning next years trips..........
Ha Librasam sounds like we have definitely got the bug. I keep blurting out random camping tips Ive gleaned from here to hubby and my camping friends and they're like jeez where are you getting all this stuff from (but making mental notes) I sound like I've been wild camping for years not living it up with under canvas for just a few days!
Good grief tell me about it, I sound like an expert (see Rex's posts not mine!) passing on tips to friends and colleagues and all plagerized from here.
Thank goodness I've got other's to talk about camping with, as much as OH loves it, even he's rolling his eyes at me, so just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for indulging my addiction!!! (and everyone elses by the look of it)
I think you can sotr out equipment on the cheap if you really look around and keep an eye on the bargain hunter sites. I picked up a Gelert Horizon 8 tent from Woolies clearance online for £85 (£90 on the site, but I went through Quidco and got £5 back). I've bought plates, etc, from the Poundshop and Tesco. Picked up a few bargains on Ebay, too. Also got a couple of cool boxes reduced instore in Woolies (they dropped the price of their powered coolbox to £5!!) I bought a second hand Sunncamp EHU from someone I know (£30). Got some great camping chairs in tesco reduced to £4 each. My little Campinggaz single burner came cheap from Tesco, and I also picked up a camping bbq there a few weeks later for £6. Picked up cheap sleeping bags in Tesco for £3.50, but just bought some Gelert sleeping bags from Asda reduced to a touch over £6. Airbeds also came from Tesco reduced (and they've been fine, even for me!). For tent carpets, I use the reduced picnic blankets I got from Tesco. It's great going to the supermarkets end of season for their reduced stuff. Got my lights from dealextreme. As I paid so little for my tent, I was extravagant and paid £35 for the matching canopy online.
I'm one happy camper who has an estate car to fit it all into! As we're off to France at the end of October and again in December, I picked up two new camping halogen heaters (400w and 800w settings) and a euro plug for £21 all in from ebay.
I've managed to get a few bargains too - my original purchase (the Outlook Oregon 5) was reduced from £199.99 to £109.00 and I got some good cheap stuff in TJ Hughes (camping chairs for £5, table for £5 etc) so am always looking out for good deals!
Our Tescos is small though so I don't get much there (although I did get a rubber mallet for 50p before I even bought the tent and we don't have an Asda nearby sadly - I could really do with some bargain good sleeping bags (hopefully off camping in October but I think we'll be a bit cold!) Got an EHU and a fan heater though so hopefully will not be too bad.
My worry is that I'll never get it all in my car
------------- Anne - mad mum to one - foster mum to many - adoptatent to you guys!
Campings NEVER been cheap! Definite myth that one.Coz there's alllllllways summat new or on 'special offer' in shops, magazines, on other peoples pitches and online to tempt ya to buy MORE!
But it aint arf fun getting it all.
And this is just the same whether you're under canvas, in a TT, M/H or in a tin tent. For some reason we all seem more likely to treat ourselves to things for camping whereas we're reluctant to fork out for much needed replacement essentials in our brick homes.
Aaaw, nice to see you over this side again Hippy Chick, haven't heard from you for a while (probably my fault for getting stuck on this forum). Your absolutely right, while my house is more or less falling down around my ears I can boast several new luxuries for my lovely tenty and a very sad looking bank balance to boot.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: This camping lark is getting expensive...
Coz there's alllllllways summat new or on 'special offer' in shops, magazines, on other peoples pitches and online to tempt ya to buy MORE!
, haven't heard from you for a while (probably my fault for getting stuck on this forum). Your absolutely right, while my house is more or less falling down around my ears I can boast several new luxuries for my lovely tenty and a very sad looking bank balance to boot.
