Under a fiver!

[Woody110]

What’s the best bit of kit you’ve have got for less than £5?

I like to get the odd bit of kit from time to time, however as like most money is tight and bushcraft kit is way down on the priority list, apparently feeding the children and paying the mortgage is more important than a new tent. So with this in mind, what do people buy with “pocket money”?

 

[Woody girl]

I hunt and forage kit in charity shops. I've had so many bargains I've lost count! Merino wool double blanket for £4.50. Rucksacks I've had 3 all about £5-6 sleeping bag 3 season for a fiver. Cooking pans for £3 . Enamel mugs plate and bowl 50p each.... that's just this year. I put together a complete camping kit each year to donate to the homeless. I have a limited of £25 each kit. This year it cost me £15 including a pop up tent for £2.50. I've been homeless as a teenager and was helped out by a lovely lady to get a job and bedsit. Was never able to pay her back so for the past few years I've been trying to help others in that situation in a practical way.

 

[Bishop]

Can't argue with the joys to be found in charity shops and to some extent even places like Poundland, Aldi etc. Some of my best billy-cans and favourite steel mug have come from them. Ebay of course deserves a mention as well, dig past the hordes of re-sellers into the realm of the bargains with long delivery times. A place where ferro rods cost 99p and 500ml stainless steel mugs are £2.27 with lid including P&P!!!
However to really save the pocket money you have to go full Womble putting tooling before toys making use of everything people leave behind, .

 

[Woody110]

I really need to spend more time looking in charity shops, I’ve dropped lots of stuff there over the years, but never find the time to stay for a look around.

 

[mousey]

My best charity shop bargain for a fiver was probably a pair of new british army boots. After three years and they are in reasonable condition, bit flat on the bottom so no good for hiking, but for dossing around in they are ok.

for 30 I got a down British army arctic bag, ideal to give to the kids on their camps as I do not really care about it [not like my lightweight expensive winter down bags ]

My favourite pound shop buy is the 9 led torches, they take 3 AAA batteries, sometimes the connections aren't great so a bash on something hard makes it work again but cheap enough to have a load around the house, in pockets of various coats in bags etc.

 

[Laurentius]

Argos Tiger Paws tent from a charity shop for £3

 

[saxonaxe]

There is a book, no longer published by the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty called 'Ocean Passages of the World'. When I was still wandering around the Oceans in my boat, the book was my personal Holy Grail...The book contains the accumulated wisdom, advice and data collected over many decades by the sailing ship Masters of years ago. If you can find one in a Book Dealers shop they are priced in three figures usually. I was in a charity shop sculling about amongst the gardening books, Readers Digest Road Atlases and handbooks for 1979 Ford Cortinas when I found a copy of the Admiralty book, complete with fold out wind and current charts all in perfect condition. £3....and the lady probably wondered why I was grinning like an idiot clutching that old blue book.