camping

TMR Tip: Light My Fire!

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We love camping, but my husband and I always seem to have . . . difficulties . . . starting a fire. To be perfectly honest, we suck at it. And the store-bought fire starters don’t seem to work very well. They light easily enough, but they appear to be the only things that burn, leaving the kindling a smoldering mess. So, short of dousing the wood with lighter fluid, and possibly losing a couple of eyebrows in the process, I thought maybe I’d try to make some of my own.

I searched various websites for instructions and several of them suggested melting wax blocks or candles in a double boiler, then pouring it over a cardboard egg carton filled with dryer lint. Once cut, you have 12 individual fire starters. That sounded easy enough. I had an egg carton. I had dryer lint. I had scented wax tarts that would substitute for candles (and perhaps keep the bugs away with the aroma?), but I didn’t have a double boiler. I could fashion one using a pot of water and a bowl, but I didn’t want to deal with trying to clean the bowl out. But I did have electric warmers . . .

So I set everything up, melted the tarts, poured the liquid wax over the lint-filled egg carton, and then cut them apart. Now all that remained was to test them on vacation.

The result? Fire!

We were elated to say the least. We used 2 just to make sure the kindling caught, but still – we made fire! It was a glorious success. It burned bright and beautiful. We nearly danced and sang around it, like Tom Hanks in CastAway. We were so proud of ourselves, we had to celebrate.

S’mores, anyone?

Tuesday’s Tip: Build a Rainy Day Fund

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When people ask me how my money management system works, I tell them that it’s a way to take the money they earn and put it where it needs to go so that their bills are paid in full and on time. They can also use the system to put money aside for other necessities, savings, or things they want. I strongly urge people to have a ‘rainy day fund’ for those unexpected things that pop up from time to time. If you think rainy day savings are unnecessary, think again.

Case in point: my family and I went on vacation recently to Virginia. We set up our camper in Williamsburg for a week and hit all the great tourist attractions like Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Water Country USA. Then, we headed to Staunton and set up camp for another week. We relaxed by the lake, fished, and hiked a few trails in the Shenandoah National Forest. We even took a trip  to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home) – and that’s when trouble hit.

We’d been caught in a storm on the mountain, the roads were a little slick, and the grade of the road was a bit steep. Suddenly, the van’s gears wouldn’t engage. We heard a strange noise. We managed to pull over, turn the car off, then restart it. My husband put it in drive. It moved forward. We got on the highway and made it to our exit – barely. We ended up limping into the parking lot of an auto parts store. And that’s where she died. Old Blue wasn’t going anywhere. Reverse? Nope. Drive? No way. Fourth? Uh uh. Park was all that worked.

In the next 30 minutes, we scrambled to arrange for a rental car and a tow truck to haul Old Blue to the dealership nearby. We visited her the next day and the diagnosis sent us reeling: the transmission was shot. Gone. There was no saving it. She needed a whole new one.

Ugh.

To add insult to injury, we found out the axle was locked and had to be torched off. The parts wouldn’t be in for another several days. We were scheduled to leave for home the next day. After a lot of discussion, we decided we had to leave her there for a while so she could be fixed. We simply could not stay for an unknown length of time. (My husband likes his job and wants to keep it!) So, we secured storage for our camper, stuffed ourselves into a little sedan, and spent the next 2 days in virtual silence, trying to absorb all that had happened and figuring out what we were going to do now.

As it turns out, 2 weeks later, my husband and I had to fly out to Virginia, pick up Old Blue, get our camper out of storage, and drive home. I’m not going to divulge how much we’ve had to spend on a rental car, tow, repairs, plane tickets, a hotel room, and food, but suffice it to say that we were incredibly glad we had our ‘rainy day fund’. It literally saved the day. Now we don’t have to take money that’s supposed to go for paying the mortgage, our regular bills, or kids’ college savings. We’ll have to, basically, start all over again to build it back up, but I’m grateful we had it.

Now we can move forward . . . and so can our van.

Tuesday’s Tip: Membership Pays

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Well, summer has officially begun! It’s the time of year we dream of during the cold, winter months when the skies are bleak and gray. It’s a time that brings about cherished memories of summers past. A time we eagerly anticipate as the world begins to thaw and spring to life once again. A time to venture out of our homes, to explore the wonders that surround us . . . but do you ever find yourself wondering: What should we do? There are so many different options during the summer months but, while we’d like to do all of them, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time . . . or enough money.

So consider this: a membership.

If there’s a particular place you enjoy visiting, or a certain activity you engage in frequently, then you may want to consider becoming a member. But the cost of membership seems so expensive! you might think. It’ll never pay for itself. Ok. Valid concern. Let’s take a closer look at it . . .

Let’s say you love going to the zoo. You have a family of 5. To park your car, that’ll cost $10. General admission is $30 for 2 adults, and $31.50 for your 3 kids under age 11. The subtotal, so far, comes to $71.50 – just to walk in the gate. Now your kids are begging you to see the dolphin show. That’s another $7.50. Oh! And there’s a super cool special exhibit, for this summer only, that your kids are dying to see. That’s an additional $19. That brings our total to $98. And now they’re thirsty. And hungry. And there’s an awesome something-or-other at the gift shop that only costs $10 . . .

Oh! I’m sorry . . . is your head spinning? Breathe. Take deep breaths. In through your nose. Out through your mouth.

Ok. Same scenario – but as a member. The cost of a family membership is $115. That includes unlimited admission and parking for a year, plus a free guest, 4 tickets to the dolphin show, 4 tickets to ride the tram, some free passes you can give to your family or friends, admission to the children’s play zoo, and discounts on everything from food to merchandise to special events and exhibits. So, if we do a little math (don’t panic!) we see that, even if you choose to simply walk around, skip all the extras, and buy absolutely nothing, the total cost of 2 visits is $143 – which means the membership will have already paid for itself. If you return several times throughout the year, you’ll save hundreds of dollars just in admission and parking fees alone. For example, if I paid $71.50 for each of 5 trips to the zoo, I’d pay a total of $357.50. If I buy a zoo membership for $115, I’d save $242.50 over the course of the year. Want to get really nuts? $115 divided by 5 visits means that the cost per visit would only be $23. For the whole family. That’s a lot better than $71.50.

What else can you do? Who else offers deals and memberships? Ask around. Look up your favorites online. If you enjoy swimming, check out the cost of a pool pass. Do you like museums? How about amusement parks? Or maybe camping? Local sporting events? Golf? Whatever the case may be, do a little research. Find out what’s included in the cost, what the perks are, and if it’s something worth doing. Calculate how much it would cost you for multiple visits and then compare it to the cost of a membership. Or, you can take the cost of the membership and divide it by the number of visits you could realistically make and see what the cost per visit is. Either way, you may just find that being a member can be a very economical way to do the things you enjoy most.

Tuesday’s Tip: Set Up Camp

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I don’t know about you, but Cabin Fever has crept into our house and settled in. It’s cold and dreary outside, with no snow to play in, and it’s making us nuts. Ugh! We were discussing that very thing at dinner and how much we wished for warmer weather when it dawned on me . . . and I said to my family, “You know, camping season is less than two months away.”

The kids gasped, exchanged wild glances (mouths gaping), and began to cheer. This is exciting stuff for us. Truly. Some may understand and agree, while others may crinkle their noses and think ‘ewww’. The images that are conjured up in the mind include mosquitoes, big bugs, campfire smell, getting dirty, and public bathrooms. But for us, it means summer. It means travel and freedom. It means campfires and s’mores. It means swimming, fishing, and being outside. It means grilling, picnics, and hayrack rides. It means hiking, exploring, and a host of other fantastic adventures. And we can’t wait for it to start . . .

So, how is this related to saving money? Easy. Camping is less expensive than typical vacations. In most cases, there is an initial investment to consider, however the long-term benefits are phenomenal, especially when you consider the cost of lodging. Depending on where you camp, fees can be as low as $10 per night. The more amenities there are, the higher the price, but we’ve never paid more than $30 per night – anywhere. Good luck finding a hotel room for those prices! If you’d like to give camping a try, here are a few tips to keep expenses to a minimum.

First of all, keep in mind that you’ll be taking your stuff with you and hauling it back home afterward, so you’ll need to pack lightly. Take only what you absolutely need. Pack minimal personal items, like clothing and a few toiletries. Pack a couple of travel-sized games or cards and a book. These are all things you probably have at home, so no need to buy anything. If you’re going for just a night or two, bring your food with you, but make sure you plan easy meals. Nothing elaborate. You’re camping, not ‘dining’.

Second, if you don’t have any gear whatsoever, you have a couple of options. You can purchase the basics, like a few pots and pans, at discount stores or simply bring what you need from your own kitchen, especially if you’re testing the camping waters. Also, use paper plates and plastic utensils and cups to make clean-up quick and easy. Plus, they’re cheap, lightweight, and easy to store. And chances are that you already have a sleeping bag hidden in a closet somewhere, so you’re halfway there.

Third, if you are new to camping and don’t have a tent, borrow one if you can. Most of us know someone who camps, so it’s not that difficult to track one down. If, however, you absolutely can’t stand (or can’t physically handle) sleeping on or near the ground, you can go the camper route. Many campgrounds and dealerships rent various types of campers from pop-ups to 5th wheels to luxury busses. If you know someone with a camper, try offering to rent theirs, or ask if you can go camping with them to see if it suits you. (Camping is always fun with more than one family!)

Finally, make sure you research different campgrounds. Compare campsites, prices, and amenities. There’s a difference in price for primitive vs. water & electric vs. full hook-up. Also, some campgrounds have all kinds of things like pools, tennis and basketball courts, mini-golf, horseshoe pits, hayrack rides, outdoor movies and games for the whole family – but beware! Some places include many of these items in the price, and others charge extra for just about everything.

Really, though, the trick to camping of any kind is to keep it simple. Take what you need. If it doesn’t fit in the backpack, leave it behind. You’re not going to need your phone, fax, and copier. Or your surround sound system. Disconnect! It’s easy to get caught up in the complexities of life and we think we can’t live without all of our gadgets, toys, and gizmos, but the reality is that camping is an inexpensive way to bring us together and enjoy all the simple things in life that we’ve forgotten. The warmth of a blazing campfire, the sweetness of a gooey marshmallow, the glow of the morning sun on a still lake, the giggles of kids playing tag, or the songs we sing on a sunset hayrack ride . . .

Campin’ season’s a comin’!