Budgeting for a Family Camping Trip
We’ve been planning some trips for this year and part of that process involves….the budget! Now we want to know how many trips we can do and what sort of trips. Do we just book a ski trip and figure it out, or are we better off doing some cheaper camping trips and saving up for a bigger international ski trip maybe next year? As part of this planning, I’ve put together a new series on budgeting for family vacations. First up in this series is all about camping!
We’ve been talking to friends who went camping over Easter and were shocked at the cost of it.
“Camping is supposed to be cheap!” they exclaimed. “Since when did camping cost as much as booking a unit?”
I tried to explain that, like any holiday, it all depends how you do it. Powered vs unpowered, weekend vs midweek, national park vs holiday park, new camping gear vs making do, etc etc.
Camping used to be the budget vacation option. It’s had a bit of a facelift since covid days, when we weren’t able to travel internationally – suddenly roadtrips and camping became the ‘new thing to do’. It’s mind-boggling just how expensive camping can be these days, especially if you believe all the catalogues showing off the latest must-have gear.
Consider the camping clothesline – I can’t help but stare every time I see them. When we camp, we tie up some rope between two trees and use it as a clothesline. There was one time we took a fold-up clothes horse, which we already had at home. And many of these times the campsites had free-to-use clothes lines for any guests! This idea of buying something new which has a single use and you’ll probably only use it once or twice a year is where camping starts to be silly.
Another reason camping has become expensive is because people are no longer staying in simple sites. They want fancy holiday parks with water slides, cafes, spas, playgrounds, go-kart hire, and putt-putt golf. We want amenities instead of having to dig a hole or take a bucket. There is nothing wrong with this of course! It’s just that there is now a scale to camping which ranges from old-school and cheap to luxury and expensive. The good news is this scale means we can pick and choose what to do based on what our budget allows for!
Budget for Family Camping with Kids
(Scroll down to find the free template - otherwise, put these expenses into your own budget!)
Accommodation fees – these are the per night fees for the site you will be setting up on. Put in the daily rate and then calculate the full cost depending on how many days you want to stay for.
Other site fees – some places require extra fees, for example: national park registration fee, holiday park membership fee, vehicle registration fee.
Food – write down a rough meal plan and what each meal would cost. Will you be eating cheap meals, or cooking up more expensive meals than usual? Will you buy a lot of extra snacks? Or will you eat out and get takeaway a few times? Having a rough estimate is better than nothing.
Drinks – whether it’s alcohol you’ll be taking, or takeaway coffees and smoothies you’ll be having on your trip, make sure to include how much you think it’ll cost. If you have to buy big jugs of water to take to your site, then include it in the budget.
Travel fees – include the petrol/gas to get to and from the site, and any you’ll use while you’re there. This is important, you have to include the extra costs you wouldn’t use in your normal life and attribute it to the trip. There might be road tolls to include here, or maybe you’ll be taking your vehicle across on a ferry to get to an island. Whatever is involved, remember to add it in.
Other vehicle costs – Maybe you’re beach camping or going through mud, but if you have to go through the carwash on the way home then make sure you factor that in. I’m not sure what other transport costs there are, that’s not my forte, but remember to include anything you think of! (Of course, you can always get the kids to wash the car when you get home for free!) If you need to hire a vehicle, this is a biggie.
Heating and cooling – For example, firewood or ice for the esky (or both).
Camping gear to purchase – there is always something, right? Include anything you know you’ll NEED to buy/upgrade.
Tourist activity fees – are you likely to be visiting any local attractions? Fun parks, museums, thrill rides, festivals, markets, hire fees etc. You can look up entrance costs for these things or have a guess at how much you think you’d spend.
Other – There are loads of little things we often forget to budget for. Maybe your kids will need new swimmers or boards, winter clothes, shoes or hats. Maybe you’ll need sunscreen and bug spray, or entertainment for the kids on the drive. This section is full of small things for us, usually. I often buy things like new colouring books, glow sticks, hand warmers, toiletries, torches, etc. Try to go through the whole trip in your mind and add in anything you’ll need to purchase to make it happen.
Family Camping Budget Template in Excel (Free)
Family Camping Budget Template in Excel - click to download FREE template
In the free template, I’ve included a comparison table so you can weigh up different options. For example, winter vs summer camping, powered vs unpowered, or one campsite vs another. Maybe one could be essentials, and the second option could be including all the optional extras you’d like. If you don’t need that feature, just change it to plan two trips at once! Ha!
Add the end, once you’ve added up the cost, I want you to add 10 per cent to the overall price. The template will do this automatically for you. People always underestimate what things will cost. And if you have a buffer, you’ll feel better.
Now all you’ve got to do is start saving for your next family camping trip!
Next up in the series, we’ll look at ways to save money camping.
