Getting Outdoors On A Budget

It's been awhile since we've written anything in our blog. We have, of course, been busy with the kids and the new school year. Our oldest son is enjoying his first year of football and we can't wait until he plays his first game. GO BULLDOG'S!

We are still getting outdoors as much as possible. Though not nearly as often as we would like. Which is what got me to thinking about some of the difficulties of not only getting outside with kids but how to do so on a very tight budget. In this post I'll discuss how we have overcome some of the budget constraints.

There are a great many, what I like to call "pre-packaged", ways to get outdoors. These tend to be on the expensive side. Motel rental when far from home, restaurant expenses, and fees for attractions. This is often enough to discourage many families from even attempting to even try. There is where geocaching has made a world of difference.

We use geocaching, as well as other outdoor games, as an online "guide" to interesting destinations. Most of these are relatively unknown to the public at large. In contrast, they tend to be the best of the two. Kids will always enjoy a visit to an amusement park. But they enjoy a visit to a beautiful waterfall even more! The difference being the "pre-packaged" visit is fun, but visiting a unique location is an experience with memories that will last a lifetime.

So the first step is just using online, as well as guidebooks, resources to choose a destination. I'll be posting links to all of the resources we use to locate places of interest later. With the site selected the next obstacle to tackle is the expense of sleeping arrangements. The best answer for that is camping.

The expense of basic camping gear is almost non-existent when compared to motel fees. A tent (large enough for six people), lantern, and a cooler are all you need for a great time camping. While most people think of camping as a primitive experience, modern campgrounds have quite a few amenities. A modern campground has water (great for refilling containers), and showers (kids get DIRTY! LOL.), as well as grills and picnic tables provided. They are patrolled by staff and quite safe.

Camping is an adventure. Our children love exploring the area and looking for wildlife. Especially bugs! By choosing a campground that offers other activities, such as swimming and hiking, it guarantees for a fantastic trip. State parks are the best but there are quite a few fantastic campgrounds at bot Army Corps of Engineer areas and those managed by the Forest Service. In fact our favorite campground is Albert Pike which is managed by the Ouachita National Forest. Irregardless where you stay, you'll save a bundle of cash camping. For instance, our family attended an event in Clarksville not long ago. Staying for four days at a local motel (at a discount) ran over $240.00! A recent four day camping trip to Albert Pike cost $40.00. Now that's a difference! Not to mention the fun and memories made while camping far outweighed the experience at the motel. It's a win-win, more fun for far less money.

Once we've selected our destination and where we'll be camping, we use the internet and guidebooks to see what there is in the area to enjoy. Without fail, there is always more to do and see than we are capable of in the time of our visit. All of which are free of course. The selection of locations to see depends on the weather, time, and distance from the campground. We usually start with the one place we came to see in the first place and then work from there. The list is inevitably longer than we could possibly hope to complete but by doing that we always have a plan B, C, D etc. This allows us to be flexible. Which is a must when exploring an area with children.

Now we have a place to visit and plenty of things to see so now we need to figure out what it is we're going to do abut food. From experience, my best advice is to keep it simple. It's too easy to start gathering food stuffs and go overboard. You won't need it. Simple meals like sandwiches and hot dogs are best. The kids even get to help prepare dinner if you choose to grill. They love that! Boxed snacks (Goldfish, Graham Crackers, etc.) work best for snacks. They hold up to heat and don't get crunched while traveling as easily as potato chips do. They are healthier also. We like to take two graham crackers and place some peanut butter between them for a healthier "power snack" than chips or candy. It keeps the kids full longer also. It's also a lot cheaper to buy two liter drinks to refill squeegee type cups than to purchase cans and other drinks. Don't forget everything you'll need to make s'mores! That's a must. LOL.

That's the basic way we do it. As with anything, we learn more as we go. We take notes while we travel to help remind us of later of easier, cheaper ways to do something. There are so many wonderful places to visit in Arkansas I don't believe anyone could see them all in a lifetime. I'll add some links to our blog so anyone visiting can check them out and use them, as we have, to get outside and enjoy the wonder of our natural state.