Camping — and it’s slightly more glamorous cousin, glamping — are fun hobbies, but they can get expensive. If you’ve got any nature lovers on your holiday list, you might be balking at the prices of potential gifts. But don’t worry — there are plenty of ways you can save money on great gifts for all the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.
Shop for Bundles
Depending on how much you’re willing to spend, it might be worth looking for camping gear bundles from retailers like Walmart. While quality camping gear is generally pretty pricey, buying it in a set can offer significant overall savings. Bundles will offer several different types of camping gear altogether — for example, a tent, sleeping bags, and chairs. If you like, you can gift all of these items to the same person; or, if you have multiple nature lovers on your list, purchase a bundle and split up the items to give to each person separately. This is a great way to lower the cost on an otherwise extremely expensive purchase.
Keep an Eye on the Sales
To make sure you’re always getting great quality gear, try to shop at stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods. These types of stores provide consistently excellent outdoor equipment, with an additional perk: They have frequent deals and sales. You can even snag Dicks sporting coupons from places like Rakuten. By keeping track of the various deals offered, you can often buy great gifts — like travel chairs, cookware, or camping accessories — at a fraction of their original cost. In fact, many stores offer significant discounts around the holidays, so always keep your eyes peeled for a deal.
Buy in the Summer Months
If you know you’re going to have to gift some sort of camping gear every holiday, it pays — literally — to think ahead. During the month of June, prices of outdoor gear drop by about 24 percent. In fact, some retailers even offer discounts of up to 70 percent off!
The reason prices drop so drastically throughout the summer is the changing season; as the weather begins to cool down, demand for camping gear decreases and stores offer discounted rates to help get rid of their extra stock. This is a great tip to keep in your back pocket for the future, but if you need to get gifts right away, don’t fret — try checking out a savings site like Rakuten to find amazing savings no matter what time of year it is.
Become a Store Member for Extra Deals
Certain stores offer great benefits, extra deals, and even cash back if you’re a store member. Joining the REI Co-op membership program, for example, gets you 10 percent cash back on eligible purchases, and gives you access to their exclusive garage sales — an annual event that offers incredible savings on used camping equipment. Shops like The Clymb also offer great membership deals on all sorts of outdoor gifts, from warm merino socks to solar-powered camping tech.
Get Creative
Finally, if you’ve got a really tight budget, it doesn’t hurt to get a little creative — just because someone likes to camp doesn’t mean you need to spring for the latest tent or sleeping bag. There are plenty of unique outdoor gifts that won’t break the bank. Portable water purifiers, for example, allow your friend or loved one to travel more without fear of sickness. To help create a more magical camping experience, outdoor string lights are an awesome and affordable option. Or, if your friend is the creative type, try gifting them a unique travel journal or sketchbook — they’ll be able to record all the memories they make on their adventures.
No matter your budget, there are always ways to find great outdoorsy gifts without breaking the bank. Shop the sales, find some deals, or get a little creative — no matter what, your gift will hold a special place in your loved one’s heart for years to come.
