Campfire TipWhen building a campfire, dampen the ground around the perimeter of (but not in) the fire pit to reduce the possibility of sparks and flying embers catching ground cover on fire. And, never line your fire with wet or damp rocks or stones as they can heat up and explode.
Getting Sand Off Your FeetWith the summer coming I thought this would be good to share, to remove any dry or wet sand, put baby powder on sandy feet or legs and wipe with towel.
Camping As A Frugal VacationFor a very cheap vacation when you've just married and young, why don't you go camping in your own state. Buy a tent when the season is over and borrow fishing poles or buy them at flea markets.
Carry a ThermosI never go anywhere without my thermos. I bought it for $1 at a thrift store, it holds a quart and has a handle. It's so much better than a plastic water bottle because it's so refreshing to have really COLD water in the summer's heat on errands, or working in the garden, and nice HOT tea on a cold winter's day.
Best Tips for Enjoying the BackCountry in the RainIf you spend any amount of time in the backcountry at all, it will rain on you. Remember this - rain is a good thing; without it there wouldn't be much backcountry to enjoy.
Marking Pans, Dishes and Utensils For Group Picnics Or CampingWhen we go picnicking/camping with other families, we usually mix cooking and eating utensil together for eating and dishwashing. Saves on water and fuel.
Cleaning Sand off Wet SkinClean sand off wet skin. Sprinkle Baby Magic Baby Powder on skin to remove moisture, and the sand virtually falls off by itself.
Softening Baseball GlovesDid you know that you can use Vaseline instead of oil to soften the leather of a baseball glove? Works just fine!
By Robin
Soaping the Outside of Campfire PotsAlways take soap with you. Of course you can clean up with it, but it is also useful for protecting your pans from smoke and fire damage.
Avoid High Marina Prices for FuelIf you have a boat, remember to gas up on the road before getting to your destination, as marina gas prices are much higher.
Homemade Waterproof MatchesHere are a couple of ways to create your own waterproof stick matches for camping trips. Melt a small amount of paraffin wax in a double boiler and dip your the match head in the melted wax, then let dry. Or, coat the match head with clear nail polish.
Organized Pre-packed MealsIf you organize your meals by measuring ingredients ahead of time you can save yourself a lot of time. It makes meal preparation a snap and ensures that you don't pack a lot of extra ingredients.
Buying an Environmentally Friendly BoatI am moving down near the water and I would like to buy a boat, ideally a motor boat. I was wondering if there is an eco-friendly way to go about this. Are their eco-friendly boats with motors? Any info or tips would be appreciated.
A Flag or Marker For Your TentWhen you are camping all the tents look alike to a kid. So that they always know where their tent is, attach a flag type identifier on the tent as high as you can.
Making Ice Last LongerCover the ice in a picnic cooler with foil to help it last longer. Keep water in your canteen cooler by wrapping the canteen in foil.
Frisbee for Reinforcing Paper PlatesA Frisbee will add support to paper plates when the plate is place inside the Frisbee.
Camp Clothes Washing MachineMake a camp washing machine with a five gallon bucket and a toilet plunger. The plunger does a good job of agitating the water.
Finding Night Crawlers for FishingMy Fiance and I love to go fishing, and I usually use night crawlers as bait. But instead of buying them several times throughout the year, we catch them. . .
Save Money on Boat CurtainsYou can even save dollars on boating - In a well known marine store I saw boat curtains for $22 for a panel. We used bargain valance ruffles from the dollar store and instead of $100+ for curtains, we got easily installed ones that are perfectly good for $5!
Saving Money on Boating SuppliesBoating doesn't have to be a pricey business. You don't have to go to the high-priced marine stores for most of your needs. My husband gets everything at the regular hardware store when he can - it's cheaper.
Leave No Trace HikingHiking is great way to get outside and enjoy nature. Day hiking costs practically nothing and it is easy to get started. All you need is some comfortable shoes, adequate clothing, and some water and you can go out and explore your surroundings.
Can I Paddle a Canoe By Myself?The short answer is yes, you can paddle a canoe by yourself. It is infinitely easier to do with two people but with a few minor alterations, you should be able to have a pleasant journey.
How to Steer a CanoeSteering a canoe efficiently can cause quite a bit of frustration for the novice canoeist. The best advice is to do a little as possible and when you do need to correct the course, do it with the least amount of effort.
Homemade Camping Picnic TableWe found a pattern for a picnic table constructed from 1 piece of 3/4 inch plywood. It will seat 4-6 people and is small enough to fit in the back of a SUV.
Egg Sandwiches When CampingUse canning rings to make round egg patties for egg sandwiches. Just put a canning jar ring on your skillet, add the egg contents inside the ring and cook until the egg has solidified. Apply a little cooking oil to the ring to prevent sticking.
Washing Hands at the CampsiteHere's a tip for washing your hands at a campsite when there is no faucet. Hang a one gallon milk jug to a low sturdy limb and make a hole in the bottom and plug the hole with a golf tee or a cork. Then fill the jug with water. Wash hands by removing the plug.
Cooler TipsIf you are bringing meat in a cooler that will not be cooked soon, freeze it before putting it in the cooler. Cans of concentrated juice can be brought along to help keep items cool as well, just be sure to put each can in its own ziplock bag in case it leaks.
Baby Wipe Clean Up When CampingAfter a day of camping, spraying bug spray, and using sunscreen give your self a quick bath using baby wipes before you hop into your sleeping bag. Save the baby wipes and they can be used to wipe up the tent floor before you pack it away.
Bringing Electronic Devices When CampingIf you are bringing electronic devices or flashlights, remove the batteries before packing and store them in a ziplock bag. That way if something accidentally gets flipped on, you won't run down your batteries.
Make a Master List for CampingThis tip is for your new recreation section. On one of our camping trips, I took the time to write down everything we had brought with us, tips about how we had packed that had worked or had not worked, and items we forgot.
Camping Cooking TipsTips for cooking when camping. Post your tips.
Using a Wok When CampingFor camping, my husband (who is Chinese) and I only took a small wok, camping stove and one pot for cooking equipment.
Wet Wipes for a Cookout Cool DownWet Wipes for a Cookout Cool Down. At a cookout, picnic, or other hot weather gathering, toss a package of wet wipes in the cooler with the ice and drinks (I bought a plastic pop-up dispenser for a dollar). . .
Breaking in a Baseball GloveThe best way to break in a baseball glove is to use it, but here's a way to speed up the process. The goal of breaking it in is to create a nice pocket for the ball and soften the leather.
Homemade Mosquito RepellentUse equal amounts of pure vanilla and water in a squirt bottle. Works great for children too!
Tips For A Great Camping AdventureBuild a good fire at night, it keeps the bugs away. Take all the ingredients for s'mores, a must have for camping. And don't forget the marshmallow sticks.
Keep Camp Pots From Boiling OverWhen cooking over an open camp fire, place a stick or one strand of spaghetti across the top of pot to keep it from boiling over.
Stay Dry When Tent CampingGoing on a camping Holiday? Great! But don't forget to bring a light-weight blue foam ground mattress to place under you when you sleep, and also a plastic sheet to place over your tent.
Easy Omlets For CampingThis tip is for use when camping outdoors. Get a ziplock bag, add a few eggs (w/o shell) into the bag, add shredded cheese, chopped onions, etc., whatever you like in your omelets.
Plan and Freeze Food for CampingI plan meals ahead of time for my camping trip, buying any food Items I can on sale and freezing meat. I also prepare and freeze some items to save on the amount of ice I'll need to buy and the room needed to put in ice while still keeping the food safe to eat.
Spider Dogs For Campfire CookingDon't make plain old hotdogs over the fire when you are camping, make SPIDER-DOGS! Place hot dog on a flat surface. At one end, cut lengthwise all the way through to about 1/3 of the way up the hot dog.
Wind Up Flashlights For CampingI purchased a wind up flashlight to use, never have to worry about if I bought enough batteries or if they will last long enough. A minute of cranking will last about 20 minutes and that's usually enough time to get to the shower house/restrooms.
Fast and Easy Puddings for CampingThrow in an extra empty water or milk jug, a box of instant pudding and milk. Empty your pudding mix and milk in the jug and SHAKE it to mix.
Plastic Plates For CampingTo save money and the environment, I purchased "picnic" plates from the Dollar Tree. They are made of thin plastic, making them easy/light to pack.
Camp Cooking TipsBy using lids whenever possible, you will greatly reduce the cooking time required for many foods. Prepare soups, stews or chili etc. ahead of time. Freeze and keep in cooler. Reheat for a quick meal.
Look for Free Putting GreensWe are lucky to live very near to a lovely urban park. My husband is a golfer, and we can get out and use the putting green at the municipal golf course gratis.
Electrical Appliances For CampingIf you camp at camp sites with electric hookups and/or water, take 2 essential electrical appliances:
Keep Cooler Odor Free with Baking SodaAnother great way to keep camping cooler fresh and odor free between uses is to wash and dry, then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda inside before closing the lid.
Frugal Bow Hunting PracticeFor bow hunting practices before deer season, a person doesn't need to have fancy bullseye targets. My Daddy always used a plain, cheap paper plate that he'd place onto a bale of hay. Easily replaced and inexpensive.
String Nuts on Fishing Line for Target PracticeFor preparing for target practice for the upcoming deer season, my sister and her daughter picked up walnuts on the ground during a nature walk.
Backyard Campsite AreaWhen my husband and I bought a new travel trailer, we constructed a site pad from old bricks we had collected for many years for the travel trailer to be parked on; we used fluorescent paint to mark the bricks that the back wheels of the trailer should be parked on...
Clothespins for CampingWell I have a strange tip, but a good one. My husband and I camp. We had bags open with food in them and had forgotten to bring things to close them with so I grabbed a couple of clothes pins the kind with the spring you squeeze to open. They are fantastic, work great and the nice thing is that they are cheap.
Tips for Campfire CookingI have a few camping tips for cooking. I also would love it if you will share some of your recipes you have. It is always nice to get tips on food they are hard to find for camping.
A Resting Place for Kids on a Camping TripIt's really nice is if you have a small extra tent you can put up on your site. If you have a child who needs some time to be alone or if they get bored, they can always go into the tent to play, color, read, whatever they need to do. This gives them some quiet time.
Use Wine Corks For FishingWine corks are great for fishing. Tie the line around a cork or drill small hole and put line through in hole then put match wood stick or a toothpick in hole. Also great to make fly fishing lures out of corks too.
Use Coffee Cans For Camping Food StorageInstead of throwing away plastic coffee cans, wash them out and store them. Then when you are going camping use them to fill up with: flour, sugar, noodles, rice, cereal and other dry goods.
Vanilla for Fishy Smell in CoolerMy tip is how to get a fishy smell out of a cooler. I wash it out first with very hot soapy water and rinse well. Then I take a small lid and put about 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla in it.
Use a Bath Mat in Your Golf CartThis is a tip for all the golfers out there. Try using a bath mat to sit on when you are riding a golf power cart. The rubber backing will keep the mat in place and stop the mat from sliding around/off the seat. If you are playing in the rain, the bath mat stays drier than using a towel to sit on.
Use Dental Floss to Repair a SailLike an old-time sailor, I took needle and thread and mended a rip in the sail of our boat. The needle was a heavy-duty one from the drug store - and the THREAD was DENTAL FLOSS. It fit through the needle and because it was WAXED, it slid easily through the sail cloth!
Disposable Camping ToothpasteWhen I go backpacking and don't have one of those tiny travel tubes of toothpaste, I'll make my own so I don't have to cart the large tube of toothpaste with me.
Easy Potatoes for Camping or CookoutsThese are my favorite potatoes for the summer! My mom used to make them when we were little! I have found that when going camping or if I am going to be busy and will not have time later.
Camping Food SafetyThere are a few basic cardinal rules when it comes to food safety. These rules will keep you and your family on the right track and help avoid a trip to the emergency room for food poisoning.
Summer Dinner PicnicTake your dinner out to the park for a midweek picnic! My husband and I have a place where we can park, take a nice walk and then eat on a shady picnic table.
Use Shower Curtains To Protect Inside Of VehicleI use old shower curtains to put in the back floor of my explorer for my dogs for when we go to camp and they get very wet. To clean, I just take it out and put it a on clothes line and rinse with a hose.
Use Freezer Baskets In CoolersI bought some freezer baskets at a garage sale to use in my upright freezer. I had a couple left over and thought of a great idea for them. I cut the corners off and then I folded the ends up and I use them in my coolers for camping.
Use Bacon Drippings for Starting CampfiresTo start a campfire or charcoal grill, use old bacon drippings. You can use a paintbrush and spread the bacon
Saving Money on FishingWhat are your tips for saving money on fishing and all the necessary gear? Some areas have no license fishing at the beginning of the season or on certain specific days. There are also different types of licenses, depending on what you are looking for
Use Foam Swimming Noodles as BumpersA friend of ours made "bumpers" for a rowboat he had newly painted by cutting up a foam swimming noodle and stringing a pair on some nylon rope.
Milk Jugs for Fishing FloatsThis is a good way to recycle your empty gallon milk jugs. They do not ever disintegrate so we all have to be creative in using them again and again.
Recycled Camping LanternsOur Cub Scout Pack is involved in Fall Camping. We made lanterns out of recycled plastic peanut butter jars. We used modge podge and affixed the Scout Promise to the outside. We used glow sticks to light their way. Loads of fun in the tent or outside after dark.
Campfire Roast ChickenBefore a camping trip, prepare a chicken by buttering and adding your favorite seasoning, inside and out. Then wrap it in three or four layers of aluminum foil. Put the whole thing in a gallon zipper bag, and refreeze.
Zoo MembershipsIf you have a zoo near buy, consider buying a zoo membership to save money and have fun. While admission tickets seem quite expensive if you are going for the day, family memberships are usually very reasonable.
Make Bag Salads for CampingCamping is a great family time but you always don't have lots of room for cooking and storage. I make what we call a bag salad. You cook all your favorite ingredients (pasta or potato salad) and put in a ziplock bag.
Find Worms for FishingDo you fish with worms but don't want to dig up the yard looking for them, and don't want to purchase them? Then get out your pitchfork, bury the tongs all the way in the ground by standing on the pitchfork.
Use Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather BicyclingBicycling glove tip for cold weather: If you bicycle in cold weather, instead of buying the warm bicycling gloves at around $50 per pair, I bought a pair of hunting gloves instead.
Backyard CampfiresAll you need are some sticks and a backyard and all of a sudden you have a party everyone wants to attend. Who doesn't remember roasting marshmallows on an open fire?
Fishing Tip: A Trick To Catching FishOnce you have hooked the fish, keep it's head up! If the fish has a chance to head for the bottom, your odds of losing the fish are greater. If you keep the fish head up, the odds are you will catch them every time.
Use a Covered Bucket as a Camping ToiletToilet for camping or emergencies. If you have need of a toilet when there isn't one around or there is no running water, you can improvise one by using a covered plastic bucket and urinating into the bucket.
Prevent Eye Glasses and Goggles from Fogging UpI wear glasses while studying 7th standard. My lens power is -3.5 on both eyes. Currently, I need to remove my spectacles in order to have clear vision. Any tips for me will be appreciated.
Dryer Lint for Starting FiresSave the lint from your dryer screen; it can be used as kindling to start fires in your fireplace.
Starting and Keeping a Worm BinWe like to go fishing, but worms have become very expensive. We have built our own worm bed outside, and it saved us from running to the store. We can dig our worms any time we want. We took wood and made a bottomless box that sets on the ground.
Use Duct Tape on BlisterWhen one of our scouts or kids starts getting a hot spot ready to turn into a blister, especially when breaking in new shoes or boots or when hiking, we take a small piece of tape and cover the affected area. They are as good as new.
Prevent Backpack From Slipping When PackingTo help your Scout (Boy Scout or Girl Scout) keep his/her external frame backpack from sliding all over the floor while packing it, get a set of rubber chair-leg covers or crutch covers to put on the bottom of the "legs" of the pack.
Join a Local Bird Watching GroupI recently signed up online with a group called BirdYak through the Audubon society. They get together and go on outings to various areas around here to watch and identify the many species of birds that live here year round and those who migrate through the area too.
Camping HamburgersPlace a tablespoon of catchup on a piece of foil large enough to make into a bundle. Place a hamburger patty on top of catchup, then a slice of onion, some diced carrots and diced potato, salt and pepper.
Make Own Ice Block for CampingFor ice when camping, grocery shopping, etc. Use as many jugs as necessary for your time frame. If you need ice for a long time, freeze 1 gallon water/juice/cleaned milk jugs filled with potable water.
Leave Camper Refrigerator Open When EmptyIf you have a camper, you know about the refrigerator odor that can occur after a camping trip. I have found that after emptying the refrigerator, if I leave the door open, all of the condensation will evaporate from the unit.
Keep Your Cell Phone Safe While on the WaterIf you are out on the water, particularly in smaller vessels such as jet skis, canoes, kayaks, etc., take note of the following tip. Place your cell phone inside a drink cozy and then place inside a plastic zip top bag.
Use Film Canisters for SpicesWhen camping, place spices in empty film canisters. Once you get the campsite set up, poke holes in the lids for shaker tops if desired. Film canisters are also good for storing fish hooks, etc.
Use Aluminum Foil as Pot ScrubberWhen camping, use aluminum foil as a pot scrubber. Simply wad it up into a ball.
Rent a Cabin for Summer VacationThis summer, with the price of gas so high, we are taking several mini-vacations in areas close to home. We live about 45 minutes from Blackwater Falls so we will be staying in a cabin in the state park.
Fire Starters For ChristmasMake Christmas gifts by recycling egg cartons and dryer lint! Using a cardboard one-dozen egg carton, fill each hole generously with dryer lint. Using melted scented candles purchased at a yard sale, pour hot wax into each hole, filling 2/3-3/4 full.
Two Ingredients S'moresSuper easy and cheap. You don't have to buy the candy bars. So good!
Keeping Ants Off Your Picnic TableTo keep ants off your camping table or picnic table, clean out four tuna or cat food cans. Next fill the cans about 1/2 full with water and put them under the table legs.
Mouthwash As Insect RepellentTo get rid of flies or mosquitoes go to Walmart and buy the brown Equate bottle of mouthwash. Put in a sprayer and spray around the house, both on the ground and as high as you can get. Works well the next day, no flies or mosquitoes.
Print Topographical Maps as Alternative to GPSIf you like to hike, camp, or do outdoorsy things, but don't want to spend a lot of money on an expensive GPS system, you might want to try printing out a free topographic map online. AnyplaceAmerica.com has maps of the US that you can sort by city, county, or by feature.
Cobwebs as First Aid DisinfectantCobwebs contain many disinfectants, including penicillin. If you're in the wilderness and someone (or yourself) has been cut badly, wrap clean cobwebs around the wound and cover with a clean cloth.
Make Hammock from Plastic Soda RingsAt our favorite camping spot, we've constructed a makeshift hammock out of plastic six-pack soda rings! It takes a little while to collect enough of these, but once you do, you can simply tie them together with thin fishing line.
Keep Bait on Fish HookIn Alaska, we fish an awful lot during Salmon Season! Try this tip to keep your bait on the hook: cut tiny pouches from an old pair of pantyhose, place bait inside, and place securely on fishing hook. Works like a charm.
Lighting Matches In Breezy AreasSay you're lighting a smoke or something in a breezy area. If you light one match or two and it blows out, combine the spent matches with the new one.
Growing Fishing WormsFill the worm box with pieces of corrugated cardboard, wet the chunks of scrap down good, let them stand for a couple of days, then put the worms in on top. The worms will burrow right down into the moist corrugations and live on the glue that's on the material.
Store Fish Hooks in CorkWhen transporting fishing poles to fishing spot, you can keep the fishing hooks and lures from catching into something you don't want them too. Get a bottle cork and cut it in half or thirds. Now you can stick the hooks or fishing lures into the cork.
