Camping is a great way to get away from it all, turn off the television, and have fun. It does not cost much money to rent a campsite and even if you have never gone before, supplies are quite reasonable. A family-sized tent can cost as low as $30. There is a large selection of tent sizes and styles available to suit any family’s budget. Sleeping bags are good to have but are not required. You can designate some old bed sheets and blankets to use in the tent instead. Bring enough to keep everyone warm. Roll them up and tie them with a piece of string or twine to aid in packing.

Food can be taken right from your pantry. Coolers are relatively inexpensive. You may want to have two coolers. A smaller one will be easier to cart on a hike or if you take a walk to the lake. To make things easier, cook some dishes beforehand and pack them in the cooler in airtight containers. Consider that you will have to reheat the food over an open fire unless you have a camp stove so only bring simple dishes that will reheat easily. Snack foods and drinks are especially important, especially if the weather is hot or you plan to do a lot of outdoor activities. Remember to bring plenty of extra storage bags that seal well to store the leftovers in the cooler. You may also want to bring an extra storage container to store any non-cooler foods otherwise the raccoons and chipmunks will be dining well at your expense. This is also very important if there are even larger animals in the area who have been known to raid campsites (ie:bears!)

Depending on the age of your children, consider what activities are available at each campground. A swimming pool, park, or schedule activities may be a good option to keep the kids entertained. More rustics campgrounds may offer fishing, boating, nature trails, or biking trails as the only activities. Bring along some things to keep kids amused but encourage everyone to try something new and have fun in the great outdoors.

Make a checklist before you leave and list them by categories such as health and beauty, food, clothing, eating utensils, and so on so you don’t forget anything. Camp stores prices will be comparable to convenience stores so it’s more cost-effective to bring what you need. Designate jobs to each family member. Even the littlest kids can help hunt firewood and everyone will feel they have participated. Enjoy a rare few days tuning in to the world around you and those you love. Whatever you do, don’t forget the most important thing – Marshmallows!

Pitch A Great Family Vacation was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

1. Decide Where You Are Going and How Much You Will Spend

Consider how much it will cost to buy gas, airline tickets, hotel rooms, food, additional tickets or entrance fees for parks or other activities, and even the souvenirs. Write down all of the figures and add them together. If you think the total amount of expenses is way too much, start cutting down some of the expenses and changing the itinerary until it becomes something you can live with and still be fun.

2. Cut Costs at Home to Save For the Trip

Think about all of the extras you spend money on that could be cut out of daily life. Put away the money you could save on reducing your cable services, canceling unused memberships, and being more frugal at the grocery store. Not only will get some extra cash for a trip, you can also learn to live without the extras and keep stashing the savings for next year.

3. Save the Fun for Later

Keep thinking about how much fun your family will have on the trip as you cut back on normal family entertainment, such as going to movies, out to eat, and other things that cost money. Plan instead for free family fun, like hiking, visiting parks, or renting movies at home.

4. Sell Your Junk

With a perfect excuse to make spring cleaning a family affair, have everyone collect the things they don’t need, use, or want and orchestrate a yard sale to earn extra cash for the trip. Let the kids keep any money they earn on their stuff as an incentive to gather more things. Not only do you get to enjoy the extra cash, you also get your house cleaned and ready for the summer.

5. Designate Your Tax Refund

Plan to use all of the money from any tax returns you may be getting. Open a special savings account just for your vacation fund that no one can touch, or use a service such as SmartyPig to help you save.

6. Set Goals – Make Them Visible

Create an easy-to-follow chart for the wall that shows money goal milestones. Family member may be more inclined to work harder for goals they can see and kids may get a little competitive about who can save more money.

7. Cash in On Credit Card and Other Reward Programs

Check out the requirements of any credit card bonus programs you have or advantage discounts you get through organizations like AAA or even where you work. Frequent flier miles, travel discounts, and cash back opportunities can be incorporated into your savings plan.

Keep notes about your savings adventure along the way and get a head start on next year’s trip as you begin to understand how easy it can be to save up. Starting early for next year will you many extra months of saving opportunities, allowing you and your family to plan an even better trip next year.

7 Ways to Save for a Great Last-Minute Vacation was created by and is property of American Consumer News.