Review of Saving Memories Forever - Great app and webpage!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I was really excited to try this out as I have family all over the place and this would be a great way to connect and share!!

I love this system because it has both a website and an app which is really awesome. The app is downloaded for free to the playstore and its as simple as logging in....You create your account, (even designate another "storyteller").

The next step is just picking your age catagory and choosing one of the quetions to help get you started...its simple to use and navigate. Once you are done recording, you can review it and then upload it!

Some of the tips on the site suggest:

1.   Be prepared. Make sure you have all your equipment and your questions or prompts. Practice with the equipment until you’re sure how to operate it.

   2.   One question at a time. Don’t bunch several questions together in one long question. Short, open-ended questions asked one at a time work best.

   3.   Use props. Photos and family mementos are great to elicit stories and bring back memories. Bring the props out one by one.

   4.   Don’t tire out your subject. Saving Memories Forever suggests that the response for each question should take about 5-10 minutes and that the entire interview should last no longer than 45 minutes. The interview should stop when you first see that your subject is getting tired.

   5.   Use the grandkids. Sometimes it is can be difficult to get older family members to answer questions. Consider using the grandchildren to ask the questions. No grandparent can resist telling his/her story to an interested child.

   6.    Fly solo (mostly). Plan on doing the interview in a one-on-one format. Sometimes having others around can be inhibiting. Sometimes, though, it’s worth interviewing several people at a time as multiple interview subjects can give some great insight into relationships.

   7.   Give interviewee time to collect thoughts. Whenever you can, give the person you’re interviewing some time to collect his/her thoughts. They might even want to jot down a few points that they want to include. It’s worth it as the richest stories contain small details that sometimes take awhile to recall.  

   8.  Relax. The recording doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, it shouldn’t be perfect. Your family will find your laughter and joy at making the recording more important than the fact you got a word wrong or said “ummm” three times.

The site I think gets looked over a lot since you can do so much on the app. The site (www.savingmemoriesforever.com) has a great navigation system and even a "Funstuff" tab which has a lot of good ideas for those using the system.

Here is a passage from their suggested game:

"Play 'Pass the Phone':

Pass the phone is a game we've created. Its an excellent activity idea for families, especially at family reunions or holiday gatherings.
Simply put, the activity involves selecting a question to ask, recording the relatives response, and then passing the phone on to another relative. Once each story is recorded and uploaded, it can be shared with other relatives - perhaps ones who couldn't attend the gathering."

There are also two options for membership - a free version and the Pay version. The difference between them are explained on their site:

Overall, this is a fab idea, easily accessible and very affordable. This would be a great way to really capture the stories, laughter and family memories....Recommended and two thumbs up! 

Now, if there was a way to do a video version, I think it would definitely

take the experience to a new level!! 



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.