Frugal Camping.........?

[RV_Fan33]

Originally Posted by Cubey

I don't know if it's been linked or not yet, but in case it hasn't: Map of Free Camping Areas | Go Camping for Free! I found several free RV parks in Texas that had full hookups through that site.

Thank you

[Smidge]

Originally Posted by Cubey

I don't know if it's been linked or not yet, but in case it hasn't: Map of Free Camping Areas | Go Camping for Free! I found several free RV parks in Texas that had full hookups through that site.

Thank you so much! Favorited several in Utah.

[Smidge]

Originally Posted by dustyone

I have a travel trailer. While the DW and I are traveling. We put things like a home made stew or chilli in a small 1 1/2 crackpot place that into the kitchen sink in 5 hrs supper is ready for us. Easy simple and always great. You would not believe all the recipes that you can find on the www for a crock pot. Make soups ahead. Freeze place into crackpot. Frozen to bowl. Many ideas.
Dusty.

Brilliant. Thank you.

[skypilot_1]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I've done the same thing but cook it on the engine instead of a fire. Put it on about 1 1/2 hours before stopping and it'll be done when you arrive!

Here's another engine meal cooking method. When stationed in Korea, during field exercises in winter. We would place C ration cans in Huey exhaust duct and fire up the turbine engine. Found that right at a minute was hot enough. Had to use gloves and be real careful handling the cans. Best to wait about 5 minute before opening. Sure was good at -10 degrees OAT. We had another procedure for cooling beer in summer. But won't go into that here. GI ingenuity, but there was nothin "frugal" about it.

[qwest4air]

We live in SoCal and would often leave first thing after work to get a good half day jump on our trip. We would leave from SoCal and at Stateline Nevada behind Buffalo Bill's for the roller coaster is, is a large empty lot or big rigs and RVs can come in and park for the night. No hook ups or anything but it allows us to get a good half day of driving and we know exactly where we will stop for the night .

It's about a 3 1/2 or 4 Hour Drive for us and we can still get a good nights sleep without pushing too hard the first night

[TwiggieMom]

Originally Posted by skypilot_1

Here's another engine meal cooking method. When stationed in Korea, during field exercises in winter. We would place C ration cans in Huey exhaust duct and fire up the turbine engine. Found that right at a minute was hot enough. Had to use gloves and be real careful handling the cans. Best to wait about 5 minute before opening. Sure was good at -10 degrees OAT. We had another procedure for cooling beer in summer. But won't go into that here. GI ingenuity, but there was nothin "frugal" about it.

Man did this bring a flash to the past. During field exercises in the Army we would heat the C rats on the generator engines[emoji23][emoji106]

[Dmrad]

As far as meals go, when ever we have just a bit of a vegetable, rice, or meat left over I save it in the freezer in our "soup" Ziploc gallon baggie. When it's full I unthaw it, dump it in my soup pot, add some broth and I've got a good soup with just using the tiny bits of left overs. It's never the same soup twice but has always been good with lots of flavor.

[RightUR]

Originally Posted by Winnebeater

Plan meals and purchase food well in advance, preferably on sale. Watch fuel prices well in advance and fuel up when prices are low. Pack only the necessities to cut down the weight that you pack. Drive slow with smooth progressive accelerating and stopping. Do not exceed 55mph. Try to pick a location that does not require driving on curvy mountainous roads. Cook over the campfire versus using RV appliances, only turn on the water heater when needed (or take cold showers or stream bathes) and dress warm (to reduce the need of the furnace); so you can reduce or eliminate propane usage. Work on using little to no 12vdc power to eliminate the need to use the generator. If this does not reduce you trip cost enough refer to my earlier post.

Hmmm, interesting. So what do the savings amount to? (monthly)

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by skypilot_1

Here's another engine meal cooking method. When stationed in Korea, during field exercises in winter. We would place C ration cans in Huey exhaust duct and fire up the turbine engine. Found that right at a minute was hot enough. Had to use gloves and be real careful handling the cans. Best to wait about 5 minute before opening. Sure was good at -10 degrees OAT. We had another procedure for cooling beer in summer. But won't go into that here. GI ingenuity, but there was nothin "frugal" about it.

We used to put the MRE packs in the Huey exhaust right after shutdown. We had the "toilet bowl" exhaust deflector installed instead of the straight pipe, it deflected the exhaust back up into the rotor, dispersing it in order to make you less susceptible to the tracking on a heat seeking missile, or so the theory was anyway.

One time in Germany, I had just placed a flat pack of beans and weenies in the "heater", when our pax showed up early in a hurry to take off. We forgot about lunch, jumped in, strapped in and lit the torch . . . Apparently the pack of HOT beans and weenies sailed right out of the exhaust, hit the main or tail rotor blade, and spattered the passengers with my lunch! The CE asked me where my lunch was over the intercom (pax weren't hooked up) and said that several of them were picking stuff off of their uniforms . . . . oops

Sure miss flying those birds . . .

[dexters]

Originally Posted by Mitchyb

Hey all the thought just popped in my head as I am pondering about going out again next weekend I was wondering if anybody has any great ideas about how to cut the costs down on our truly addictive I mean exciting habit? I know we all have our own special boon docking site but has anyone got any other ideas? I already fill up with American as ( thank you neighbors ) limit my alcohol indulgence but there is still food and incidentals, I might be in a cloud but I added my expenses up this year and was pretty suprised if anything it might spark a good conversation

Stay home.

If you are boon docking your next largest cost is fuel.

After that sweat and freeze ... save on cooling and heating costs.

All other cost savings are similar to living in a s&b home.

[tundranurse1]

I love to make Southwest Tortilla Soup.
1 can chicken breast
1 box of chicken soup
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can green chili’s
1 jar of salsa
1 pack frozen corn
1 can of black beans

I look for cheap/ easy meals that don’t require much effort & I can cook in the pressure cooker or crock pot that doesn’t heat up the camper.

[tundranurse1]

Cottage ham with green beans, corn, carrots, and potatoes. Put all in Crock pot pressure cooker/ crock pot. 30 minutes in pressure cooker.
It’s very inexpensive and great for 3-4 days of meals.

[tundranurse1]

We have a vacuum sealer. We buy chicken thighs while on sale for 99 cents/ lb, and vacuum pack and freeze. We buy a large box of 1 minute oatmeal. We use an electric water boiler & put on oats , that cook very fast. $4.99 for many breakfasts.

[Textronics]

I bring along my instant pot. We eat healthier and less expensive than fast food.