Invest in memories

I have a passion for fashion and all things shopping. I can spend money on clothes, makeup, shoes, accessories just as well as the next woman. But there's a frugal side to me as well. I seek out bargains and coupons every chance I get. And by coupons I don't mean grocery store coupons (although I never shop without them). I mean the big ticket coupons such as 20%, 30%, and 40% off. Some retailers have recently offered shoppers 40% off purchases for an entire day or between specified hours. Those are the times when you'll find me there.

One of the goals I have for this year is to invest in memories. I've spent thousands on clothes, and I've spent thousands on vacations. And guess what? We all remember the vacations, not the clothes. Ask anyone in my family what they remember about 2010, and they are likely to say our family vacations to Denver, Colorado and Captiva, Florida are what they remember most. My daughters don't remember the outfit they wore on the third Wednesday in September. They don't remember what they wore on the first day of school.

This is not to say that you won't find me out shopping on any given Saturday. It is, after all, one of my favorite pastimes. But I will be spending less time and less money on it. Therefore, leaving more time and money for memory-making. But making memories doesn't have to mean spending a ton of money. Tonight, the girls and I have a slumber party planned. We'll order pizza, eat popcorn, and watch all the Toy Story movies. The cost? About $15.

I also want to take more day trips, weekend trips, and long weekends. We'll be starting tomorrow when we head to the Monmouth Museum. Check back for reports on our first investments in memory making.

What will you invest in this year?