Hiking – A Frugal Outdoor Activity, Fun For The Whole Family

November 12, 2009 | Posted by Brad Chaffee

Do you enjoy spending time with your family? For me it’s one of the best ways to enjoy life. I also like saving money so I want to share with you something you can do for very cheap. I want to talk to you about hiking. I love doing it so much, and it has countless benefits.

Recently, I took my son Isaac on a great Fall hike in the mountains of Central Virginia. It was so beautiful and I spent nothing more than a few bucks to pay for gas. It was fun, beautiful, extremely satisfying, and full of adventure.

We walked along the river, up the steep incline, to a place the locals call “Blue Hole”.  It got the name from being the “go to” spot for a fun summer dip. The location has a deeper than expected lagoon that kids have been hiking to, just so they can swing down the slope on a rope swing into the cold blue water.

It seems as though it is more popular to go to Disney World or something similar but I would argue that those activities while fun, can be extremely expensive and usually require a lot less family interaction.

We skimmed rocks, piled leaves on each other, rested on a rock overlooking a short waterfall, ran from “dinosaurs”, and climbed plenty of rocks and hills. We had a blast and Isaac never realized he was helping us save money.

I love hiking for the:

• fresh air
• sunshine
• challenge
• family time
• peacefulness
• exploration
• exercise
• beauty
• bonding
• learning
• it’s dirt cheap

I could seriously go on and on about what I like about hiking but these are what I enjoy the most about it. Maybe you could go hiking and discover more.

If you are looking for a way to spend some quality outdoor time with your family, find a hiking trail near you.  Some people really like their “I’d rather be fishing” bumper stickers, but I would rather have one that said “I’d rather be hiking.”

SAVE MONEY, GO HIKING!

This post was partially derived from an original post written by Brad on Enemy of Debt called Enjoy Frugal Entertainment Without Breaking The Bank.

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Brad Chaffee is the Enemy of Debt, and a regular contributor here at the Self Reliance Exchange. Brad has also become debt free by paying off $26,076.75 in just 20 months. Learn more about Brad by reading his bio. You may also contact him here.

Categories: outdoor recreation | Tags: frugal living, Hiking, saving money, self reliance | No Comments »