Happy Friday: Making Memories w/ Shutterfly Books

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Sent from reader, Emily:

I am a stay at home mom with 4 kids, ages 11, 8, 7, and 2. In order to try to do something for each of them that is just for them, and to give them something that will last and help them look back at treasured memories, I began making a Shutterfly photo book for each of them for each year.

I have always used free book codes. I got the codes from times when Shutterfly offered free books, but also from joining various reward programs, such as Coke Rewards, Kellogg’s Rewards, Bing Rewards, Mom365, ShopYourWay, and Pampers Rewards. And by watching your posts about these, I was blessed to get several codes from other Hip2Savers. In total, I’ve made 27 books so far for my kids. Each book starts at $30 without extra pages (which I always have), but I’ve probably never paid over about $10-$12 (most of which is shipping).

I wanted to thank you for making me aware of these programs so that I, and my kids, could benefit from them. I also wanted to thank those people who give their unwanted codes so others can benefit. They have had a big impact for me! By the way, these books are awesome! I hope my kids will treasure them and appreciate them throughout their lives.

HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀

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Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo to share?! Email us at happyfriday@hip2save(dot)com. Every Friday, we post one photo, submitted by a Hip2Save reader, that gives us a glimpse into their frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile. If your photo is published on Hip2Save, we’ll email you a $10 Amazon e-card![/h2s_box]

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Comments 57

  1. Leslie

    that is just too cool!!!!!!!!!! I love this idea!!!!!!!!!

  2. deb

    Emily that is such an awesome idea! Thanks Collin for helping Emily make such wonderful memories <3

  3. Bev

    First of all, I’m glad for you that you are able to be a SAHM! Those photo books will be treasured by your children in the years to come. 🙂

  4. Dana

    What a wonderful idea. I love this idea. Great way for them to look back on their lives. I think I’ll try this out. Thanks so much!!

  5. harlow

    Emily that takes tremendous
    effort/organization/creativity/patience…
    kudos to you. you are an awesome parent!!!!!!! <3 🙂

  6. Merry

    Same here!! I’ve made 17, and I’ve only ever paid just for shipping because of the codes Shutterfly gives out, other people giving out, and Pamper and Coke codes!! Without generous people and those two programs, I wouldn’t be able to afford them!

  7. Valeria

    This is a great idea! 🙂 Made me smile 😊😊😊

  8. tami

    Love this idea! I am a SAHM of 4 & they are very close in age to your 4!!

  9. Stefanie

    Very cool, I love it! Memories of each individual year when you’re growing up tend to blur together so it’s cool that they’ll have a book to see what happened during each specific year 🙂

  10. Julie

    Your kids are very lucky! Mine are too old to start year by year books now but I make them each their own book for family vacations…mostly using all of the same pics but personalized variances. I also have made my boyfriend a book of “our year together” for each of our anniversaries. He really appreciates them because he just doesn’t take pictures. Love shutterfly, love the free book deals and most of all love Collin and her website!!!

  11. Wendee

    I love love love this! I think I’m going to start doing it for my baby 😁

  12. marlene

    That is adorable. I always say im going to make a year book for the family but i never have the time too especially with 2 kids under 3.

    • Kathryn

      I feel you. I have 5 in 6 years, the oldest just turned 7. I’ve meant to make a family photo book every year, but so far I have managed 1… for a grandma. Ha! But, yet, I still dream!

  13. Guest

    There is a group on facebook called “Shutterfly codes when they come up” and it’s pretty great! I can trade codes I don’t want and get stuff i do, and I’ve learned all kinds of stuff about stacking codes. It’s awesome for Shutterdly addicts 😉

    • leeshamak

      Can you invite me to that group please? It’s unsearchable:/ I would love to join! I love shutterfly:) I’m Alicia Makowski on facebook…

      • kristy

        Can you invite me to the shutterfly code group as well? Jandkcoupons2011@gmail.com or post a link to the group?? Thank you!! I have never paid for an 8×8 book. I LOVE Making them!

      • Michelle

        Hi. I am really interested in joining the Facebook Shutterfly group. Did you get in? If so can you invite me? Michelle Coupon is my Facebook name. Thank you.

    • Courtney

      Can you please post a link to this group so I can join?

    • Mae

      Please add me to this group as well! My Facebook name is Mae Oliver. THANK YOU!!

  14. Dee

    Great idea! I use the codes to make family year books. I highlight the big things that happen throughout the year.

  15. Babs

    Emily,
    What is your email address? I will send you codes when I get them. I might have one to two hanging around. Great idea!

    • Emily

      Ekthyer@yahoo.com
      Thanks so much! I always try to share anything I don’t need too, because I know how grateful i am to get codes.
      Finally just caught up and my 2nd is turning 9 today. I guess its back to work on another book for him. 🙂 These books take a lot of time, but I’m always so excited and pleased when they arrive. And just fyi for anyone wondering about shutterfly out of a total of over 30 books of any kind I’ve ever made only 1 had any type of defect. Any they rushed me a replacement.

    • Emily

      Sorry if this is a 2nd post. 1st one want showing up.
      Ekthyer @ yahoo. Com
      Thanks so much! I try to pass on codes i won’t use too because i know how much i appreciate them. I finally got caught up and my 2nd is turning 9 today, back to work on a book for him 🙂 These books do take a lot of time, but I’m always so excited and pleased when they arrive. And just for anyone who was wondering, out of over 30 books made at shutterfly, only 1 had any kind of defect. They rushed me a replacement. I LOVE their stuff. Love the codes too–couldn’t do it without them.

      • Dan

        I would love an extra code if you have one!! 🙂

  16. Lucy

    I do the same thing with my two kids!

  17. Daphne

    I have just recently started this and have one book made for each kid….I’ve got a lot more to make 🙂

  18. Inkspell

    So cute! I like to make them for my mom because we don’t see much of each other since I moved out.

  19. Lindsay

    That’s awesome!! I need to do this. My kids love looking back at their pictures.

  20. cindy

    I made a book each month for my dtr the first 2 years, since tyere were sooo many photos. Now shes 2 and i am trying to stick to one book, but it will probably turn into 2 books. All of this has been made possible with sites like these who announce the codes and my coke rewards and pampers.

  21. elise

    I have made 2 books a year for my dd and one prego one with free codes. I’m up to year #4, she is 5. Since having #2 I am not sure if I will make each one a book or just make one and get 2 copies. Dd absolutely loves looking through them.

  22. m

    Ive done this for my daughter, but im now thinking i should order 2 when i do them, so she has one and i can keep one (im sentimental)

  23. Stacey

    Love this! What a great idea.

  24. Adriaddiemom

    I do 4 books each year for our family…One for each season. : )

  25. Prani

    That’s great . I do the same. I work on the books , save them in the account . When I see free book coupon , I order them . I ordered 4 shutterfly books in March and paid not more than 10$ each which included shipping.

  26. Kayla

    So wonderful! I’m sure they appreciate each and every one. These books are addicting to make but I am just a college student right now so the only books I can think of making are for my family vacations. I hope Shutterfly will still be around once I start having kids so I can make them yearly books too!

  27. visitor3

    Me too. Making lots of books. I even ordered duplicates of the books from our wedding, honeymoon, etc., so each kid gets one. Then just the other day I was reading an article in the Washington Post about how milennials and Gen Y are not sentimental about things and want everything to be digital, no clutter, no physical stuff to store, not even photos, cards, letters…. Say it isn’t so!

  28. Emily

    They will love it. The other thing that you should do, is burn all the photos from that year (those in and out of the book) to a CD and put it in a sleeve in the back of the book. Then, they’ll always know where to find them when they need photos – and it’ll make putting a graduation or wedding slide show that much easier to put together!

    • Emily

      I may just have to do that! Thanks

    • gia

      Emily, what a fantastic idea about placing the CD w/photos in the book. Thank you for sharing:-)

  29. Debbie

    I love this idea SO much!!!!!!

  30. libby

    My sister has been doing this for her kids’ baby books. They come out so good and each kid gets about 4 per year (one per season).

  31. Dawn

    I don’t mean to hijack! A few days ago I was seeing if anyone had $5 of Gymboree voucher to trade so I could get free shipping and underwear for my daughter. 😉 a few kind person offered to buy it for me, but I felt humbled by that offer and realized I should just do without. The next day a credit voucher shows up in my email from Gymboree from a “mystery person” and I couldn’t believe it. Again I was humbled, and so grateful. I purchased 4 packs of the underwear and my daughter is set for the next year . Thank you so very much, kind person!

    To pay it forward, I received in my order a Shutterfly $20 code that expires end of June. Also a Gymboree 20% code. And I received a $5 credit/code to Eddie Bauer for some unknown reason I won’t use (I haven’t purchased from them in at least 6 years??). Also a $5 build-a-bear credit/code for a birthday )expires 4/30) that I won’t use because we moved away from one. Please email byudawn@yahoo.com if you would like one of these online (and some work in-store) codes! I don’t think you need to be “me” to use them 🙂

    Thank you hip2save community!

    • Dawn

      Just to clarify, the EB and BAB codes are for anything instore or online 🙂

    • Amy

      I’d love the shutterfly code! Amylyndperry(at)gmail(dot)com.

  32. Sheila

    Your books are a wonderful idea, and I know your kids will really love them when they are adults, too! 😀

    My kids are all older teenagers, and I’ve enjoyed making books for them when they graduated from high school, college, or traveled on special trips for school.

    I had a birthday this week, and my 17-year old made me a surprise Shutterfly hard-cover book filled with pictures of her over the years. I loved it!

  33. Amani

    This is such a great idea. One that Ive had also. 🙂 I’ve made a few whole family books int past and said that I should make annuals for my boys as well. Thanks for the reminder and motivation. I’m sure your kids will appreciate these both now and when they get older.

  34. Emily

    Just wanted to post my thanks to all who have sent me codes that allow me to do this for my kids. Your generosity is so amazing and so appreciated! I just received another code from someone through Collin. I plan give others any coupon codes to any places I wont use too. Thanks so much!

  35. Stacey

    What a great idea! If anyone has any limited virtual dollars, I would be happy to take them off your hands. I have a $20 shutterfly offer from Gymboree that I can’t use more than one. Willing to trade, or just offer up. Feel free to e-mail me if you are not using your virtual dollars from the limited – staceyiu@yahoo.com

  36. Katelynd

    Stacey I sent you an email, I would definitely love that code if you still have it.

  37. Lindsey

    I would like to know what companies gives you codes via email. I know Kellogg’s and pampers do. I currently get in my email now. What else?

    • emily

      Bing rewards, mom365, and coke rewards do.

  38. Suzanne H

    I do a book each year covering my son’s birthday party. So far we have 6. I hope to do them until he’s 18 but we’ll see. I’m sure he won’t want me around taking photos when he is hanging out with his friends for his birthday! LOL I always do the book and then save it in my account and wait for a code. Since the books aren’t needed in a hurry, I can wait months if need be.

  39. Jennifer

    I really want to start doing this for my son! If anyone has any codes they will not be using please let me know! I would so deeply appreciate them!

  40. Juli

    This is an awesome idea! I want to do this for sure!!! Thanks for sharing!

  41. Lindsey

    Can someone elaborate on how to get codes through bing rewards, mom365, and mycokerewards? Like to I have to spend points to get rewards? I know that pampers just sends a code in my email for being a member sometimes. I don’t use my points to get the code.

    • Emily

      Coke, bing, and kelloggs will occasionally send free books to your email, but you can also earn books and other rewards by entering codes. Mom 365 just sends emails periodically with deals or articles. I never use or read much other than the free shutterfly emails from them.

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