financegirl on May 8th 2008 Spending
Why, a Mustang rental, of course!
I was looking through a friend’s scrapbook last night and there was a picture of a very old man sitting in the seat of a car. It was her husband’s grandfather, who was turning 100.
Apparently he’d always wanted a Mustang (he still jokes that someday he’s going to get one), so they rented one and picked him up for his 100th birthday party in it.
“After all, a 100-year-old man doesn’t need more stuff,” my friend said.
I couldn’t agree more!
Photo Credit: 20070106-mustang_gt_cardomain 1.jpg by ZHEPER Studios, used under Creative Commons licensing
financegirl on May 6th 2008 Spending
Every year at the beginning of May, websites and newspaper ads offer Mother’s Day gift ideas.
These oh-so-helpful lists always include a version of the following list:
- Flowers (or alternately, the hanging basket of flowers - my mom’s Mother’s Day present for 15 consecutive years)
- A spa gift certificate / massage
- An iPod (yes, this is the ideal gift for all occasions - just adjust the color accordingly: pink=Mother’s Day)
- Heart-shaped necklaces, jewelry with the word “MOM” in it and anything with the kids’ birthstones (peridot, turquoise and ruby are going to look great together)
- Perfume (free purse included!)
- Candles
- Chocolate
- Something the kids made (thanks for the…?)
While some of these are tacky lovely ideas, why not consider an “experience” gift?
Here are some ideas that won’t clutter up your mom’s house, and could lead to lasting memories:
- Concert tickets
- A museum membership
- Tickets to a baseball game
- A night at a hotel (whoa, not those kind of memories)
- A cooking or wine-tasting class
- A hot air balloon ride
- Horseback riding
- Theme park admission
Whatever the “experience,” just make sure it is one your mom would enjoy, not just something you’ve been wanting to do.
Bonus points: An experience that you can do with you mom (mom loves spending time with you!).
(This post was included in the Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Money Under 30.)
Photo Credit: Thumbs Up by Ju!ieT, used under Creative Commons licensing
