got 1st tent!! save me from bad buys!

[francophilesplease]

I could make a long longlist of all the stuff i could buy.

Please help me make a short shortlist!
We are skint and i really want to put together the most minimal, useful, cost conscious, space saving non wasteful kit.

We don't have anything apart from tent.

Our longest trip this year will prob only be 4 days (south of france and fairweather southern uk trips), with 3dcs.

If it's all a huge success then would prob buy more stuff next year if we need it, but prefer to add to, not replace, what we've bought.

Would partic like advice on
good bed options - thinking airbeds?
stove / bbq
lighting
do we need chairs / table/ the little cupboard / wardrobe things?

love things that have more than one purpose - eg have decided against carpet in favour of picnic rugs.

what shouldn't i bother with?
what are the must haves?

top tips for great buys?

can i do it for £100?? if not, what's realistic?

Really can't afford to "waste money" - so thank you for any words of wisdom!

Airbeds are a must
Table
Something to sit on
Cool box
Blankets etc for when the temp drops
Cooking stuff
Thermos cups
Lantern
Bucket
Washing up stuff

That's a good minimum

For £100!! Er no I would doubt it!

Camping stove would be £60, Camping Gaz ones are the best
Cool Box, at least a Colemans £50 better if it is and Icey Tek £99
Air beds-- Alpkit are best for all of you £200 maybe??

So I would say to get everything you should be looking at £3/400

Garage sales, free cycle, ebay!

I think you can live without table and chairs and just up turn boxes to sit on lean on.

head torches are good/useful.
A decent lantern too.

thank you - nice and minimal!
Do you think for cooking you need to buy special pans , or just throw in a couple of normal ones?
I've just learned they do electric coolboxes - worth it? Or is there somewhere on campsites you can freeze those cool box ice block thingys?

You can buy the single burner gas rings for less than a tenner,basic cool boxes are cheap in adsa, I just use a couple of old saucepans to cook with

camping chairs 2 for a tenner there as well

Asda or Tesco sell the flocked airbeds as well

oh nilby - your airbeds have blown our budget? Maybe airbeds for kids?

thanks both!
keep it coming!

are those cheapie gas rings ok? - I assume they can heat a pot!! or do they keep blowing out if they're not good ones?

Aldi have camping stuff in this week.

I am going to get a kitchen stand, already have a single ring which uses a can of gas. I plan to buy an electric coolbox, make a load of food beforehand and freeze it, so will have casseroles, pasta sauce etc ready to go. I'm only planning short trips for now. Might get some cheap pans from Ikea.

Am also going to get a porta potty for middle of the night children's wees. We have a camper van so will have a tent for storage and put it in there.

Waiting for Tesco/Halfords sales to get a table with fold out stools. Have a couple of pop up chairs from Tesco which were £7 each.

A water bottle is fairly essential. They are about £8 for a folding one.

And a whistling kettle.

Go outdoors have all this on sale, two ring camping stove £20, single ring £7 water carrier (folding) £5... Sleeping bags (light basic ones) £8 and on buy one get one free... I don't bother with tables just folding chairs but that is a personal choice!

oh thanks for aldi / go tips!! will check out.