AAA says that more than 25 million of us will travel abroad this summer—more than last year. I guess the weak dollar isn’t stopping us — me included. I’m taking one trip to Italy with my older daughter — her college graduation present — and another later in the summer with her younger sister. Sure I plan to write about the trips. But I’m planning to travel despite the weak dollar because I want to share special experiences with my girls while we can before jobs, family responsibilities or anything else gets in the way. That’s why I think if you want to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a graduation — the recovery from an illness or maybe just life, don’t let the weak dollar stop you — as long as you can afford it of course.

That said, I’m trying to come up with as many strategies to save pennies as I can. I booked a flat rather than a hotel in Rome ( www.italy-accom.com) so we could eat in. I’m booking train tickets ahead not only to save time at the station (I hear lines can be long) but because I can pay in U.S. dollars (www.RailEurope.com). If our plans allowed, I’d book overnight trains to save a night’s hotel cost.

I’m asking everyone I know to recommend their favorite inexpensive restaurants (if there is such a thing in Europe anymore). Got any favorites? But most important, I’m going to enjoy our time together — even if my daughters complain I’m “annoying.” Years from now, I know, they’ll appreciate the gift I’ve given them and I hope they’ll give the same gift to their children — no matter how weak the dollar. You can’t get the time together back so we’ve all got to grab it while we can.