When the economy is a bear, join them.

So, in the words of Cramer, "there's always a bull market somewhere, my job is to help you find it." I tend to agree quite a bit with him. In the late 1990s when it seemed that the economy would grow endlessly, there was an expectation that the value of homes would only increase and their incomes too. When people went on vacations, they would stay in luxurious hotels, fly first class, etc. That is also when the price of gas was of no consequence.

Things have changed a bit. In response, people are trying to come up with more cost effective ways to enjoy life. One of these ways is to go camping as an alternative to hotels for their vacations.

As a child I had a glorified view of camping. Camping can be very fun and I believe it builds character. We live such posh lives, and I believe we spoil our children so much (at least mine are) that they need a little roughing it time. With that said, we also don't want it too rough; lets be reasonable now. For the price of a couple nights at a hotel, you can purchase a tent and other gear to spend as many weekends as you would like camping.

The experiences that you can build with your children are memories to last a life time. We all remember those days outdoors fishing, boating or hunting. What about just learning about the outdoors? Seeing plants and animals with your binoculars, hiking or whatever else. Families can experience a lot by camping.

Unlike when I was a child, tents now go up easier and have plenty of protection from rain and bugs while allowing air flow on hot days. Generally, in the woods, a hot day isn't as hot due to the vegetation. Bumpy ground bother you? Try a foam mat or air mattress with your sleeping bag. Everyone has certain "non negotiables" when camping. No matter what your's is, there is a solution for it at http://www.greatbearoutdoors.com/... Oh and stay away from the bears.