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We'll after reading numberous reviews on products on here

on my day off today I have bought:

northstar lantern

two colemen camper lux sleeping bags (returned x2 gelert sleeping pods)

a campingaz coolbox

now looking for self inflating mats x2

so all i want to say is please stop posting all these great products on here because i want the all or we will not even have enough money for beans on toast for the next six months!

lol thanks tho' because it helps me decide on which is best for us x

You just need to be careful. I bought alot of camping stuff in March and at the end of the month the only way I made my rent was by bursting into tears in front of my Mum who helped me out thankfully. I was really stressed and trying to make ends meet, I hardly had enough money for groceries and although things are a little better now my finances are still tight. I could kick myself for getting seduced by all the 'must haves' because it really wasn't worth it. I bought a airbed for £60 - I'd intended to buy a lesser model but got tempted by the taller, electric one and when I went to use it for the first time I was too sickened to enjoy sleeping on it. I also bought a new tent, new sleeping bag for me, two mummy style sleeping bags for kids....I nearly bankrupted myself and left myself feeling stressed and depressed. Camping is great, but it's not worth that!

I've since bought two lidl self inflating mats which are brilliant and I just wish I'd never seen the website I bought my 'far too expensive' airbed off.

I have to agree with Frome, this website can become obsessive and it's easy to get carried away with keeping up with the jones' (whoever they are), sometimes we all have to take a step back and ask ourselves if we really need and can afford said item.  Yes its lovely to have nice kit and the latest gadget but please not at the detriment of your home etc. 

There are many things I have cooed over but instead of rushing out to buy it I have talked it through with OH and decided that in the cold light of day I was getting a bit carried away.  I took a step back from this website a few weeks ago because I felt I was getting stupidly wrapped up in having to have the latest this that or the other that was posted on here.

Having said all of that we do have a lot of home comforts when we camp and it does make MY camping experience more enjoyable for ME, but I would hate to think that my pictures or suggestions on here have gotten anyone into financial trouble. 

As long as you're warm, have a tent that doesn't leak, can cook yourself a meal and have a light all the other stuff is extra that only you can decide on.

There is great advice on this website for the newbie camper and I would always suggest buying middle of the range if at all possible to give yourself a good chance of enjoying your first camp away.

A bargain is only a bargain if you were going to buy it in the first place and then it becomes reduced.....

I've taken to not looking all that much in the 'equipment' section, just this one and the tent section (as I have my tent already).

I know that my purchases will serve me for at least 5 years to come. It's been 5 years (or maybe 6) since I made any purchases for camping apart from a kampa dishwashing bucket from ebay for a fiver last year.

I think I've everything I could need. The boot of my car won't hold any more anyway and I hate packing up so I'm always conscious that the more I take the more I have to bring home again. I just wish I'd spread the cost over a longer period of time - as I had the Ferry to pay for and also one of the weeks camping in July had to be paid for at the time of booking. I know I'll not have those outlays when I go to England so any money I'll have saved will just be for groceries and entrance fees to whatever we'll go and see.

I am a newbie and I have to say that it is sooo easy to overspend. 

I am really lucky in that we are going to France camping for my 40th - my dad lives there but his place aint big enough for an extra 8 people ( 4 of us and 4 friends) and that my friends have bought me stuff for my birthday pressies; tables and chairs, gas cooker, kitchen storage, saucepans, self inflating mattress. 

So if you did want to upgrade, you could always let friends and family know what you would like for Christmas or Birthdays.

Yes Sooz for my birthday present in November I'm getting a Vango Icarus Carpet from my Mum and Dad lol......

And maybe a smaller solo tent from Santa....

A lot of long over due sound advice on here.

We just got back into camping end of last year and my fault has been going too much on reccomendations on here and not taking my health problems into consideration so had to change kit again  but sorted now.

We also now before buying work out if it can be used in the house too so it has more than 1 use,yes the item gets more use so you won't get as many camping years out of it,but we all have differant ways of doing it.

Roll on the camping season of everybody getting out there enjoying the outdoors with tents of all ages and sizes, but with all the same huge grin on their face.

Quote: Originally posted by frome on 06/5/2010

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You just need to be careful. I bought alot of camping stuff in March and at the end of the month the only way I made my rent was by bursting into tears in front of my Mum who helped me out thankfully. I was really stressed and trying to make ends meet, I hardly had enough money for groceries and although things are a little better now my finances are still tight. I could kick myself for getting seduced by all the 'must haves' because it really wasn't worth it. I bought a airbed for £60 - I'd intended to buy a lesser model but got tempted by the taller, electric one and when I went to use it for the first time I was too sickened to enjoy sleeping on it. I also bought a new tent, new sleeping bag for me, two mummy style sleeping bags for kids....I nearly bankrupted myself and left myself feeling stressed and depressed. Camping is great, but it's not worth that!

I've since bought two lidl self inflating mats which are brilliant and I just wish I'd never seen the website I bought my 'far too expensive' airbed off.

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Quote: Originally posted by dc8246 on 06/5/2010

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Vonnie, I know exactly what you mean!!! I've grabbed some bargains but will now have to stop myself from buying anything more!!!    I'm getting to know the Citylink delivery man by name!!!

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hi dc8246

lol! that's when you've got it bad. self control needed by alot of us then!

ps is he nice? lol