You’ve got a ute? Great, you’ve got a home.

If you ever find yourself sitting on the couch early on a Saturday morning, with no plans for the weekend, here’s how to make camping a quick and easy decision.

Search for a free campsite within an hour or two from home, pop $50 of fuel in the tank, and there you have it – a cheap weekend away.

Even if you start the journey along the freeway, and spot some storm clouds rolling toward you, don’t shy away. We frequently venture out on weekends that have awful weather predictions, and almost every time we’ve been spoilt with splendid weather, and nobody around.

What to look for in a campsite

First time camping? Here are a few of our top criteria for a spot to roll out the swag:

1. Toilet facilities (or invest in a portable toilet to leave no trace)
2. Nearby hikes or lookouts for nice views
3. Shower facilities if you have kids (when we were childfree we never cared)
4. Look for somewhere that will protect you from windy conditions, whether that’s in between sand dunes for beach camping, between hills in a valley, or look up the wind directions and camp in an area that’s protected
5. A soft, flat area to roll the swag, or pop the tent up
6. Shelter if rain is predicted
7. If cold weather is on the horizon, look for a place where campfires are permitted. If it isn’t, wear warm clothes.

Budget groceries

Here’s an easy list of groceries if you don’t want to cook.

• Barbecue chicken
• Pre-made potato salad
• 2 x avocado
• 1 x loaf of bread
• Bring instant coffee from home
• Milk
• Fruit of choice
• Wildcard: Cheese, cabanossi, beef jerky, or crackers

To avoid paying for firewood at the local service station, we bring firewood from his worksite (make sure it’s not painted or stained which contains very bad chemicals).

Instead of an evening at home watching Netflix, look up at the starts twinkling above, listen to the waves crashing on the shore or the breeze pass through the pine trees.

The next morning, watch the sunrise. Enjoy a warm breakfast and venture back home.