A tip of the cap goes to J.D. at the Get Rich Slowly blog for compiling a great list of tips to make any camping trip cheaper and easier.


A select few suggestions are:

• Old shower curtains make great ground tarps.
• Use a large zip lock plastic bag, filled with air, as a pillow.
• Laundry lint makes good tinder.
• Save inner cardboard tubes from kitchen and toilet rolls, stuff with waste paper and use as fire-lighters.
• To keep mosquitoes away rub the inside of an orange peel on face, arms and legs.

Great tips, but I question No. 7, which suggests waterproofing matches by dipping them in nail polish. Does this work? How does the match contact the striker with all that polish? And how comfy can a Ziplock pillow be?

In any case, the tips are smart and creative. Take a look before you hit the trail for your next camp out. If you've tried out any of these tips, please let me know how they worked.