4 Financial Lessons to Learn From a Camping Trip
Even though camping is a pastime that seems to be going by the wayside in our modern age, there’s still many of us who can say we’ve done it at least once in our lives. Heck, most of us can probably recall a lot of fond memories from our times camping in the great outdoors. So why did we ever stop? There’s a perfectly good explanation for this. Though camping offers experiences that are completely unmatched by anything our cozy lifestyles can offer us, camping typically requires a bit of hard work and even sacrifice to make it worthwhile. These days, we’re used to living comfortably without working too hard or giving up too much in the process. And while this type of lifestyle only promotes laziness and complacency for the status quo, camping can teach us a lot about ourselves and what really matters in this life. Perhaps if we gave these camping-inspired lessons a chance, we could find ways to better improve several aspects of our lives, including our finances.
Saving Money Is Always Possible
With camping, you have two ways to go about it. You could pay a daily fee of $30 to $100 dollars and have a camping site where everything is already done for you or you could camp for free. Many people love hearing the word “free” until they realize why it’s free. But that’s the thing about camping - it’s always possible to save money, and you’re always given the option of choosing the free route. It just requires you to do things for yourself instead of being catered to all the time. But believe it or not, when it comes to camping, the free route is always more satisfying in the end.
Saving Money Requires Work
Again, camping requires a bit of work in order to get the full experience. You have to pitch your own tent, cook your own food, start your own fire to cook the food and even collect the wood to keep the fire going. It’s hard work, but it pays off. Now, you could pay a daily camping fee and have all the tents, firewood and food provided for you, but where’s the fun in that? You’re basically paying somebody to camp for you. It doesn’t enhance the camping experience, it robs you of it. Save your money and do the work for yourself. It’s worth it.
Saving Money Means Sacrificing Something Else
Camping is a unique experience indeed, especially for us Americans. When camping, everything else is taken out of the picture and we’re simply left by ourselves to witness the unchanging wonders of nature. Here, there’s nothing to buy, nothing to shop for and no urgent reason to take out a title loan. There’s no need for it. It’s times like these that you realize that there’s more to life than money and material distractions.
Saving Money Doesn’t Equal Boredom
Saving money doesn’t mean you have to suffer. If camping can teach us anything, it’s that life can be fully-enjoyed without spending money. When it comes to camping, you’ll find plenty of things to do that don’t come with a bill attached. You could go hiking, explore caves, fishing, swimming and even rock climbing. There’s even stuff do around the campsite, too. Most campers will read a good book or take a nap to pass the time. Others will occupy themselves with card games or playing musical instruments. If you use your imagination, you could keep yourself entertained for hours without spending a penny.
Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.