Heyyyoooo. Guess what. Camping shiznit has gotten EX.PEN.SIVE. 😳 And the things that are available nowadays? Awesome, epic, and amazing. BUT. They come with a hefty price tag, especially if you’re shopping at the big box stores for your gear and goods. Now, I’m not saying to avoid these stores altogether, I’m just saying to plan around holiday deals and clearance sections to snag yourself some of the best items at bargain prices. When it comes to the basics though, we try to keep it budget-friendly while sneaking in some luxuries at the same time. (Like hot cocoa and sparkling water). ☕️ Read on to find out why $100/day is our happy point for a camping trip in 2025.

 

Wait, $100/Day Is Budget Camping?!

You may be thinking I’m crazy for considering $100 per day as “budget-friendly.” But guys and gals of the camping world, there are A LOT of things that go into a comfy camping trip and pairing those things down to what’s actually needed is harder than it sounds. There’s of course your basic gear and equipment that you’ll get beforehand (which aren’t included in this post’s costs), but we’re just talking today about what you can bring or skimp on to save a little cheddar. (That’s moolah, or cash-money for you Gen Z’ers out there)…actually I just googled this, “guap or paper,” my bad. 🧐

Camping costs have come up quite a bit since my childhood, where you could camp for significantly less. Today however, especially after a world that went through COVID, more and more families and couples are heading outdoors to spend more time in nature. (Which I totally encourage and am so here for).

The downside for us OGs though is that costs of camping supplies, campgrounds and other things associated with campgrounds like eggs, (jk), are now way higher than before due to the rising demand of folks frolicking through the fantastic fields of fun. 🙂

 

Hammocks Over Hotels Any Day

Now, we need to think and plan ahead of time to reduce costs where we’re able because it’s no longer a cheap trip compared to staying in a hotel. (If you don’t believe me, just check out your nearest Airbnb rentals, most sit in the few hundred dollar range and give you less amenities and luxuries than a hotel room. (That’s because us nature-lovers out here would rather pay up for that perfect A-frame with a full window of the woods and no running water than a cheeky jet tub in the middle of the city. Like this one outside of Hocking Hills, Ohio).

Don’t get me wrong, I like those jet tubs very much after a long weekend of hiking or backpacking. (Check out this post if you want to see one of my favorite Arizona stays). But I will always prefer an affordable, hammock-filled reading and hiking expedition and I’m willing to say I’m not alone in that.

The rain hitting the tent, the outdoor cooking and fresh air all around, there’s nothing quite like it to have a total mental reset. So, let me finally get into how we love to scale down when hitting the outdoors and what our experience has taught us (so far at least).

 

How We Grocery Shop for Camping Under $100/Day

First of all, we prefer to shop at affordable places like Aldi or Trader Joes for healthy and wallet-friendly deals. We’ll typically stop there first to grab the essential groceries and snacks we’d like to take with us. We may also use water from our 5 gallon jugs from home, or if we forget (like this past trip), we’ll snag a pack of water bottles while we’re in the store.

I would recommend staying away from purchasing water at gas stations or at the lodge when you get there, since these will be way higher priced than bringing it in bulk from somewhere else.

As for snack and grocery options, we usually stick to simple things such as:

• Ground beef, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, steak or steak tips
• Eggs
• A whole freaking bag of Yukon gold potatoes
• Onions, peppers and one veggie such as broccoli or asparagus
• Apples, bananas, a handful of snack bars or one bag of chips
• Butter and EVOO (shout out to Rachael Ray)
• Hot chocolate and coffee/tea
• A salt and pepper mix (like this one in the pic below that had a bonus addition of garlic)
• Berries and sparkling water

 

Yes, I know. Sparkling water is not a necessity. But since we stopped drinking alcohol, this is a nice replacement to have with meals or while we’re just chilling at the campsite. I also brought electrolyte tablets along so we could enhance our water bottles if we really needed some extra flavor and hydration.

I love having berries or apples to snack on between meals, but usually we’re not hungry for them since we have time to actually sit and enjoy real meals 3x a day.

 

 

 

Propane, Pit Fires, and Deals

Of course, you’ll need propane and fuel for your grill and for traveling to said campsite, so I’ve added those into the $100/day as well. We only traveled a little under 2 hours, and get decent mileage so we didn’t have to dedicate too much to the fuel category. We went through approximately 1.5 larger tanks of propane which allowed us to cook 5 meals on the Blackstone (including using a pot for water on the top for our hot drinks). (We picked up a 4-pack of propane at Dunhams since it was more affordable than buying them individually).

You’ll also need to consider if you want to have a fire while you’re there. Some people never have one the whole time they stay, but I prefer one like legit, ALL the time we’re at the site. I love the smell and the vibes you get from being by a campfire so we stock up when we get to the lodge.

Usually it’s not permitted to bring in from other areas due to the need to prevent forests from being introduced to new pests and diseases. So make sure to read up before you go what the local rules are for the area you’ll be staying in and plan accordingly.

 

 

Our $100/Day Camping Budget Breakdown

Lastly, you’ll need to add in the cost of the campsite. For this past trip at Coopers Rock, we paid $31.99 per night. You could most certainly find other campgrounds that charge a little less, but this one was a convenient stop for us and included everything we needed from the lodge.

It was a beautiful campground, so I’d highly recommend putting it on your bucket list! We camped at site 20 for reference, and I thought it to be a pretty great one. It had plenty of space, a fire pit and a tent spot ready, as well as plenty of trees to hang your hammock on. (This one is my all-time favorite). There was also a good bit of space between neighbors, which allowed for more privacy if you’re a hermit like us and want to keep to yourself.

Because of the way we planned this out and the details listed above, we stayed right around our budget of $100/day for camping. I’ll show approximate costs below:

• Water: $10
• Food: $35
• Firewood: $10
• Fuel & Propane: $15
• Campsite: $30

 

More Ways to Stretch That Camping Dollar

Here’s a few options however if you’re wanting to save even more:

• Consider filling up at home so you can save on water. I like these glass bottles from Amazon or you can grab some larger BPA-Free plastic ones to make sure nothing gets broken. (Especially if tiny humans are aboard).
• A cost I didn’t add into this post was a dog sitter. Not everyone has pets which is why I chose to leave it out, but you could bring them along to save on a sitter if you’re going to be doing pet-friendly activities. 🐕
• A hack for saving on firewood is to grab it from a local gas station near your campground. They often provide bundles at a more affordable price than the lodges themselves, so if you spot one nearby, feel free to stock up.
• It’s not something we do often, but you could opt for cooking over the fire instead of on a grill. This would save on propane costs, and usually most campgrounds offer grates over the fire. Another option would be to use charcoal on a grill that is offered in the nearby park…but then you have to remember to remind your spouse to bring charcoal. 🙂
• Remember to always shop your cupboards first! (Cupboard is such a weird word, isn’t it? I wonder if they’re called that because you put your cups on a board…) Anyway. Check out what you have at home for groceries. Many times we’ve left and purchased things along the way, only to realize when we got back that we needed to toss what we didn’t use over the days we were gone. Use what you have first and then purchase what else is still needed.
  • A secondary recommendation for meat costs is to raise animals yourself. Our families raise some animals which we help out with when we’re able, and that allows us to save a significant amount on eggs and meat.

 

 

Save That Paper, Soak Up the Pines

Please keep in mind this is the cost for 2 adults, with no pets or children in tow. These costs will of course fluctuate throughout time and your location, as well as if you’re providing for additional humans or fur-children. 👶🐾

Either way, I’m hopeful this post will allow you to save a little more “paper” and spend a little more time outdoors enjoying nature’s beautiful scenery and campgrounds. (There are 13,000 campgrounds in the US in case you were wondering. 13 THOUSAND). So skip your Starbucks for the month and spend it on a campsite instead. (On average you’ll spend about $100 on 36 or so cups of Starbucks). Cray. 🤯

I’ll talk to you soon peeps! Happy camping! ⛺️😌🌳
(Scroll down for additional pics!) Yay!

 

 

 

 

Thank You For Reading “How We Camp Comfortably For Less Than $100/Day In 2025”!

Thanks for reading, friend! Hope this helped you or can help you plan a fun, affordable camping trip. Feel free to share with someone who needs a little outdoor inspiration. Until next time—happy camping. ⛺️✨🌲