One of the most powerful features of the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) is the new memory management model based on scoped memory areas. This model allows programmers to ensure timely reclamation of memory and predictable performance, at the cost of an unfamiliar programming model. We report on experience using and implementing scoped memory areas. Our contribution is twofold: (i) we give an informal introduction to the semantics of the scope management rules of the RTSJ, (ii) we present a number of design patterns for effectively using the scoped memory area API.