I've never been good at scrimping.

If it wasn't for automated saving options, I'd probably be sunk in that area, too.

But like it or not, I have to take a fresh look at my finances to figure out where to plug the hole that leaked out the cash for a pink Monchichi — those Japanese monkey-like creature dolls — that was oh-so-soft and cuddly and absolutely unnecessary.

That word — "unnecessary" — is a tricky one because there's so little we really, truly require, but so much that we need, assuming the goal is to maintain the same standard of living. And like parents across the nation, there are the nice-to-haves that I'm willing to not have, as long as I don't have to take away anything important from the kids.

No, they don't need thumb-sucking monkeys, but I want them to have enrichment classes, travel opportunities and activities that bring the whole family together. Those are things I consider investments in their futures, and in our future as a family.

On the other hand, overpriced coffees, half-eaten lunches and shiny (or fuzzy) objects that happen to catch my eye aren't likely to ever earn dividends.

These issues had been rattling around in my mind, but they didn't coalesce until I started calculating how much I'd have to pay to keep my kids happily occupied while I worked through their spring break. There's daycare, specialized day camp and very cool classes, all with steep fees that I'd have to pay so I could go to work. It didn't add up, especially when I estimated how much whining there'd be about having a vacation that didn't allow any downtime and tacked on how much guilt I'd feel because it's true.

Dollar for dollar, it wasn't a match, but ultimately I decided that the best value for us all would be a time-out with mom.

So setting creative math aside, I now have to deal with that awful "b" word: BUDGET.

A family vacation supercedes mom's Neighbor Island getaway. My son's Big Island field trip means giving up the dream of owning a TV made this century — at least for the time being.

There's no fun attached to this economic downturn, but it's forced me to rethink my priorities so that I can give the kids the best I can offer, even if it means I have to do it on a lot less caffeine.