If you are looking for ways to entertain your kiddos this summer, you may want to check out these free Summer reading programs! What a fun way to keep their minds sharp plus, they can earn rewards along the way!

Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge

Starting May 16-August 26th, families are invited invited to read each book with them at their FREE weekly story time. Kids will receive a prize after they finish reading all the books on their list! Contact your local store for more details.

Barnes & Noble

To reward your children in Grades 1-6 for reading during the summer, Barnes & Noble is offering up a Summer Reading Program that rewards kids with a FREE book after they have read 8 books of their choice. To participate, your kiddos will need to:

Half Price Books

Children 14 and under can earn $5 in Half Price Books Back to School Bucks when they join the Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program! They will need to read for at least 15 minutes each day in the months of June and July, or have a grown up read to them. Download the reading log found here to record your child’s progress. Then turn it in to receive $5 in Half Price Books Back-to-School Bucks. The $5 discount card can then be applied to the pre-tax amount for a future purchase valid until 8/28/13. Limit one coupon per person, per visit. Go here for more details. 

Chuck E. Cheese

Each time your child reads for 2 weeks in a row, they will earn 10 FREE tokens at Chuck. E. Cheese!  Head on over here to print the form. Valid through 12/31/13 at participating locations. Food purchase required for redemption. Limit 1 of any free token offer per child per day. 

TD Bank Summer Reading Program

If you have a TD Bank near you, your kids can earn $10 to be deposited into their new or existing TD Bank Young Saver Account when they read 10 books.  Participating kids need to:

1. Read 10 books this summer.
2. Print out the Summer Reading Form
3. Write down the names of the books they’ve read
4. Take the form to the nearest TD Bank
5. Watch $10 be deposited into a new or existing Young Saver Account

Valid through September 30, 2013. Must be 18 years of age or younger to participate. Bring form of ID for child for new account opening. Go here for more details.  

Do you know of any other free or cheap activities for kids this summer? If so, share them with us in the comments below!

(Thanks, Family Savings!)

Now my high for this week is the adorable and heartfelt letter written by my precious daughter, Piper, for Mother’s Day! It made my day!

Just a reminder! Ever wish you had a daily dose of inspiration… something to motivate you, get ya thinking, and encourage you to take charge of your finances?! Well, the gals over at Daily Worth have created just that. Sign up for Daily Worth and they’ll send you a FREE daily email about personal finance for women. Plus, they have contests & sweepstakes from time to time where you can enter to win lots of great prizes!

As a reminder, the Daily Worth daily email delivers practical tips, empowering ideas, and the occasional kick in the pants (I definitely need that on a daily basis! ). Their tips cover self worth, net worth, saving, spending, earning, investing, taxes, entrepreneurship, financial feminism, and much more!

If you were able to eat a healthy breakfast this morning or make a nourishing dinner for your family last night, you are very fortunate as 1 out of every 6 Americans struggles with hunger. But here’s your chance to help! Tomorrow, May 11th, the National Association of Letter Carriers is calling everyone to help “Stamp Out Hunger” with the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Stamp Out Hunger is the largest one-day food drive in the nation and will help feed millions of families in all 50 states!

This is a perfect time for you to go through your stockpile and donate as many non-perishable and unexpired food items as possible to support this cause!  SO…grab your cans of soup, non-glass bottles of Juice, canned fruits and veggies, bags of pasta, cake & brownie mixes, etc. and place all these items in a bag.  Then be sure to leave them at your mailbox this Saturday, May 11th as part of the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Your letter carrier will pick up your items and deliver them to local food banks or pantries.

Let’s help make it a success by clearing off our shelves for those in need…I guarantee that you will be able to re-stock those shelves at little to no cost with all the great deals we’re sure to score in the next few months. Are you with me?!

(Thanks, Theresa and Family Savings!)

Guest Post by Julie Harrington-Travel Planner

If you have ever stayed at a Walt Disney Resort and/or contemplated making reservations at one of these resorts, you may have discovered that on occasion, Walt Disney offers up a very special and limited-time promotion called FREE Dining. The FREE Dining promotion allows you and your room-mates to eat completely free with the purchase of select packages on select dates.

To take advantage of this FREE Dining, purchase a non-discounted Walt Disney World Resort and Ticket Package at select hotels during the following dates: September 2, 2013 – September 25, 2013. Your arrival date must fall within this date range above to qualify for FREE Dining.

* Select Disney Value Resorts will offer the FREE Quick Service Dining Plan and Select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts will offer a FREE Disney Dining Plan. Excludes campsites, 3 bedroom Villas and Art of Animation – Little Mermaid Rooms. Excludes gratuity and alcoholic beverages.

Hip Tips to Maximize the Value of Disney FREE Dining

If you are lucky enough to score FREE Dining at Walt Disney World, then let’s make sure you are maximizing the value of the Disney Dining Plan. Here are some tips to get you a bigger bang for your dining credits.

When using a table service credit at a sit down pre fix menu restaurant, order the most expensive meal on the menu (obviously, be sure it is also something you would like to eat ). The best part of the dining plan is not having to worry about what you are ordering since all entrees on the menu are included when using the Disney Dining Plan.

Split quick service meals. Portion sizes at Disney are rather large so two children can easily share an adult entree at a counter service restaurant. This means you only have to use one of your credits for a meal, leaving you with another credit to use at another time. Sometimes even two adults can share a counter service meal.

Enjoy a light breakfast or lunch? Your daily snack credits can easily be used to purchase a snack that will satisfy you as a meal. For example: Egg Roll in Adventureland, French Onion Soup at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, Cheese Pesto Sticks at Landscape of Flavors. To spot snack items that qualify for the Dining Plan, just look for the special logo on the menu.

Upgrade your dining plan to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to have more dining credits to use for Dinner Shows, Signature Dining Experiences or a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table. All require 2 table service credits each.

All quick service meal credits give you an entree, dessert and drink. If you are utilizing your resort refillable mug at your resort, then grab the large bottle of water for your drink with your dining plan credit and bring it to the park with you. Then there will be no need to worry about buying a bottle of water while in the park.

If you’re feeling full after your quick service entree and won’t be eating your dessert right away, bring it back to your resort and put it in the fridge to have when you are wanting a snack later. You can also do this for your table service meals (just ask the dining staff).

If you want to do more dining than what is included in your Dining Plan, you may have to pay out of pocket for a meal or two. I recommend that the meal you pay out of pocket for is a breakfast and preferably a quick service breakfast. Always make sure your dining credits are being used for your most expensive meals.

Does your child have a “must see” character that they want some one on one time with? Character dining is a great way to make sure you get that special moment for your child. Character dining at Disney World can be expensive. However, table service meal credits on the Disney Dining Plans allow you to dine with the characters for 1 table service meal (excluding Cinderella’s Royal Table).

Is your family filled with big eaters & picky eaters?! Consider dining at one of the buffets or family style buffets to give everyone in the family what they want. Your big eaters will have full access to as much food as they would like at the same meal credit that your picky eaters have. And your picky eaters can just grab what they enjoy and pass on the other items.

Having the Disney Dining Plan allows you to book certain dining that typically needs payment in full at the time of reservation, using just a credit card to hold the reservation. This can give you the extra time to save for the cost of the meal.

One of the most priceless values that the Disney Dining Plan offers you is convenience. Your vacation, including your meals, is budgeted ahead of time. There is no need to sit down at a meal and stress over what to order for fear of exceeding your family’s vacation budget.

Remember that even though you are getting FREE Dining, it is not always the best option for your family. To make sure you are getting the best deal for your vacation, use a Disney Travel Specialist who knows the in’s and out’s of Disney discounts.

(A BIG thanks to Julie Harrington-Travel Planner with Mousetales Travel for all these awesome tips! If you need help planning an upcoming Disney vacation, you can contact Julie via email julie.harrington@mousetalestravel.com or follow her on Facebook.)

As I mentioned in my High and Low post from last week, this is a BIG week for me and my family! We are in the process of moving a few streets over to a home that has more space. And although we are only moving a few blocks, it is still not a fun process (but the end result will definitely be worth the stress!).

So, my low is simply the fact that my days and nights have been all-consumed with packing, unpacking, organizing, cleaning, re-organizing etc. (Thank goodness for my sidekicks who have been helping like crazy on Hip2Save!). If I never have to open another box, that will be fine by me!

However, my high has been my amazing mother, Susan. She arrived this morning (she lives about an hour from Boise) and is here to help me for the rest of this week. Besides the fact that she is offering up an extra pair of hands to help with the packing and unpacking, she also brings along an amazing sense of humor and an upbeat spirit (both of which I really need, especially today!). Aren’t moms just wonderful?!

Since there have been a ton of DiGiorno coupons available lately, I want to give you all a heads up that Nestlé USA announced a voluntary recall of specific production codes of 2 different DiGiorno pizza products and 2 different California Pizza Kitchen products. The reason for the recall is that the pizzas may contain fragments of clear plastic.

The following pizzas are included in the recall:

DiGiorno Crispy Flatbread Pizza Tuscan Style Chicken (UPC 71921 02663)
DiGiorno Pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza (UPC 71921 91484)
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) Crispy Thin Crust White (UPC 71921 98745)
California Pizza Kitchen® Limited Edition Grilled Chicken with Cabernet Sauce (UPC 71921 00781)

If you happen to have any of these currently in your freezer, simply contact them via phone at 800-456-4394 or via email at nestlepizza@casupport.com.

Go here for more details.

(Thanks, Melissa & Jennifer!)

I have a love and hate relationship with instant gratification.

Why is it so incredibly difficult to be patient, to give it time… to be OK with waiting? Why is it so easy to be impulsive when you sense that instant gratification is near?

Patience in life, in all of the struggles we face, in the decisions we make, and in the decisions we are waiting to hear from others… patience is so important. Every single day it seems that I learn over and over again why I need to be patient.

As lots of you have probably learned on your frugal journey, instant gratification is always calling your name. When you see a great deal but don’t necessarily need it, instant gratification thinks you do. When you want to purchase an item that will be free after coupon, instant gratification thinks you should buy as many as you can!

Instant gratification actually played a BIG part in the selling of our home. You see, we listed our house “For Sale By Owner” and just a few days after listing, we got an offer. We countered back and both parties verbally agreed on a price. There was nothing in writing and no contract in place when we made this verbal agreement. The couple was out-of-town and wouldn’t be returning until the following week.

We kept the house on the market as we knew they could back-out since there was nothing written in stone. Not even a few days later, we received 2 more offers. One offer was over the asking price. I was torn and very upset. We had given our word but now knew that by doing so, we had just lost ourselves a ton of money. My values are extremely important to me, so there was no question in my mind what the right thing to do was. We kept our word and honored the offer we had agreed upon over the phone.

After an emotional day yesterday, I woke up this morning feeling a littler wiser. OK, so I am totally not wise by any means and still have a lot to learn (just ask my hubby), but I did wake up feeling like I had learned a big life lesson.

Instant gratification always sounds so appealing, but once that impulsive feeling hits and you go for it, not giving the oh so important decision another thought – it is so unfulfilling. The satisfaction you think would be waiting for you on the other side is never there. I learned that yesterday.

If we had waited and not verbally agreed to anything… I mean the house had only been listed for a couple of days and the people who put in the offer were out-of-town. If I had been patient… if that instant gratification and impulsiveness didn’t take over….

But life is about learning, right? And I sure learned a lot from this experience.

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect which make difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”

- John Quincy Adams

So… I have been keeping a secret! For the past month or so, my family has been preparing to sell our home so that we can move a few streets over to a home that has more space. As you can imagine, it has been quite chaotic in my household as many hours have been spent de-cluttering, sorting, donating, cleaning, and doing whatever necessary to get our house in tip-top condition to go on the market.

So my high today… we sold our home in only 5 days! We are so happy and relieved to be done with the oh-so-stressful selling process. I was becoming a maniac freaking out about shoes being worn in the house, crumbs being dropped on the floor, backpacks strewn about etc. So I am very excited to get back to the more relaxed version of myself.

My low today – can you guess?! Yep, now we have to start preparing to actually move. Yuck! So the next few weeks will be filled with packing boxes, hauling them over to the new house, and unpacking boxes all with 3 kiddos in tow. Wish me luck!

Can you believe that the 2012-2013 school year is nearing an end and Summer break is right around the corner!?! As you may already know, during the week of May 6th-12th many schools will be honoring their teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. With that being said, here are a few Teacher gift ideas I’ve received from Hip2Save readers over the years…

*For an end-of-year gift, change the note to say “Thank You for a reMARK(ER)able school year!”…and you have a cute but practical gift idea! (Thanks, Tera!)

*Use an empty spaghetti sauce jar with clearance jelly beans. Make a label and card to hang on the jar. The label could say “No beans about it (teacher’s name) RULES”. A cute (and inexpensive) thank you for teachers! (Thanks, Trudy!)

*Pick up an inexpensive movie and put a pack of popcorn and a $1 box of Movie Theater candy with it. Walmart and Target both have $5 movies and this makes a great teachers gift! (Thanks, Suzie!)

To get ya thinkin’, you may want to start off by printing these cute Thank You Notes and personalize them for each of your kiddos teachers. If you have any other creative, affordable, or meaningful teacher gift ideas, be sure to share them in the comment section below! And, if you’re a teacher, what gifts do YOU personally enjoy receiving?

To all of you teachers out there…. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You are so valued and appreciated!

So my high today… I had a few moments to escape outside, sit on my deck and enjoy some time reading. The weather here in Boise has been absolutely beautiful and I am trying soak up as much of the sunshine as I can. And thanks to my mother (a past marriage and family therapist), I have a large array of self-help books to browse through when I am looking for something to read. So much fun!

My low today is simply the fact that I have not been diligent about planning out meals and cooking healthy dinners for my family. We have been eating lots of easy to prepare meals like sandwiches, so I am feeling quite guilty for not whipping up a big family dinner. Hopefully, I can make up for this over the next few nights but we are once again having sandwiches tonight. Do any of you have any quick, healthy and kid-friendly meals to recommend?

Here’s an easy way to plant a tree without ever having to leave your home! Head on over to the Treecycler Facebook page, “like” them, and click on the Plant a Tree tab to snag a unique code that will enable you to “plant” a tree in one of many reforestation projects around the globe. Since I am an Idahoan, I opted to plant a tree in the Idaho Department of Lands.

Note that you can also find Treecycler codes on mail, products and select locations online – use these codes to plant even more trees around the world!

* Treecycler is hoping to plant 10,000 trees by Earth Day…that’s 2 days away! So let’s help them out (and the earth too)!

Come back and let us know where you planted a tree!

As I mentioned yesterday, my hubby celebrated his birthday today. My high was taking him out to breakfast (just the 2 of us!) and getting a chance to relax and enjoy our time together. I also really enjoyed celebrating his big day with some yummy cheesecake – any excuse to have a sweet treat!

And my low… well, this afternoon, I discovered that my contact form on Hip2Save.com has not been working properly for the last few days. Although the contact form was allowing submissions, none of the submissions were actually reaching my inbox and so they were all essentially lost in space. I am so sorry about this. I truly value all of the emails that readers take the time to send. I am thankful, though, as my web guys were able to get the issue resolved this evening.

I am so blessed to have 3 precious little people in my life that teach me life lessons every single day.

My low today continues to remain the same low that I experienced yesterday. It is so difficult to watch all the news surrounding the Boston Marathon bombings without getting teary-eyed and feeling immense pain and sadness for all those directly effected. I cannot even begin to imagine all the pain and suffering that these families are enduring right now and will continue to endure.

Are you ready for another new video?!

In this video, I will show you how easy it is to make your own coffee creamer in less than a minute. You literally need just 2 ingredients (watch the video to find out all the details!).

* Go here to watch the video.

Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe

Ingredients:
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
14 ounces whole milk (or use non-fat milk if you prefer)
For extra flavor, add vanilla bean paste, hazelnut extract, unsweetened Cocoa Powder, almond extract, peppermint extract, and/or any other extract or flavoring you like

Store in your refrigerator (I like to store mine in glass containers like mason jars). Also, keep in mind that this creamer should last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Don’t forget to check out my How to Make a Starbucks Latte at Home video too!

My high for today would definitely have to be the quality time I got to spend with each of my kiddos after they got out of school. We decided to make a homemade birthday cake for Ayden, my just turned 8-year-old son. I always make sure to bake a homemade cake with my kiddos for each of their birthdays. I just think there’s something special about made-from-scratch birthday cake, not to mention that it’s so darn good! Ayden’s real birthday was last Friday and we had a birthday party with store-bought birthday cake the weekend before… BUT, better late than never, right?

I even let the kiddos crack eggs… ya, it was a little scary. However, I was very impressed with my daughter Piper’s egg-cracking skills. She is gonna be quite the baker unlike her mother!

My low today occurred the moment my husband turned on the news and we learned of the bombings that took place during the Boston Marathon. My heart literally aches for the families of the 3 people killed (one of them just a child) and all of the wounded spectators. I am so incredibly sad. It is times like these when I am reminded to treasure the highs in my life and to never take them for granted.

My high for today would definitely have to be the laughs I shared with my oldest son in the waiting room of our dentist’s office. While we waited patiently, my son and I practiced the art of holding a pencil with our upper lips. My hubby acted like he didn’t know us which made my high for today even better! Gotta love occasionally embarrassing your significant other!

My low for today is the oh so annoying Elm Seed Bug. Yep, these teeny, tiny, super pesky critters invaded my home at the end of last summer. Once the cold weather hit, they finally disappeared BUT I am so sad to say that they seem to be back today. When I was outside sweeping my deck, I looked down and noticed a few of these bugs on the deck and siding of my home. And so the battle of Collin versus the Elm Seed Bugs begins – wish me luck!

My low for today has just been feeling totally burnt out. Trying to balance blogging, driving the kiddos to and from sports, watching the kiddos play sports, making sure I have a moment to appreciate my hubby, making sure I have a moment to clean my house, figuring out what the heck I am going to make for dinner 5 minutes before we are supposed to eat… well, you get the drift and I am sure many of you can relate. The good news is that tomorrow is a new day!

My high for the day, driving my daughter to soccer practice and listening to 80′s soft rock. I don’t know what it is about driving and 80′s music, but somehow it gives me a much-needed moment to just breathe and think about all of the wonderful blessings in my life.

With both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day right around the corner, I thought it might be fun to create a place for all of you to share your small and/or home-based businesses (i.e. Etsy, Avon, Scentsy, etc.) with other readers and/or to offer Hip2Save readers a special discount on products that you sell. I have posted something similar in past years and it has always been quite a hit!

OK, so have at it and feel free to share your small business with the Hip2Save community!

My high for today has definitely been the Boise weather! Oh my, I just love the spring. It’s so stinkin’ beautiful! And being outside always puts a smile on my face. My hubby and I took a nice walk too!

I also love watching my kiddos use their imaginations when they are outside playing – so much fun!

And my low for the day, I need some Smooth Move Tea. That’s all I’m gonna say due to TMI and yes, I know that’s a first for me!

I posted this topic last June and it generated such an awesome discussion amongst Hip2Save readers! So… I thought I would re-highlight this topic for those of you who are new to the site or may have missed this post last year.

Although I am an avid couponer and am always looking for ways to cut back on spending, I am NOT cheap when it comes to tipping. As a former waitress, I know how important tips are in the lives of those who work in service-based industries. Although I almost always tip at least 20% when dining out, I am sometimes a little more perplexed as to what to tip in the following situations: Purchasing food to-go, Hair Cut for yourself and/or your kiddos, Assistance with baggage when staying at a hotel, Purchasing espresso from Drive-Thru Coffee Shop, etc.

Needless to say, I was excited to discover the Interactive Tip Guide created by a design team over at Hospitality Management Schools. Just head on over here, scroll down to the orange Tip Guide button at the bottom of the page, and then select a category (choose from travel, cosmetics, restaurants and more). This guide tells you how much to tip, when to present the tip, and even has some basic tipping rules:

* Do tip pre-tax.
* Do tip at buffets.
* Do tip when using a discount or voucher like Groupon.
* Don’t tip the owner.
* Don’t tip extra when gratuity is already added on the bill.
* Don’t leave a bad tip if you plan on visiting the establishment again.

So take some time to check out the guide and then come back and share your thoughts. Think about the following questions: What services do you believe require a tip, how much do you tip, do you tip even if the service is horrible etc?

Since I have chosen not to post highs and lows over the weekend, I am going to tell you all about a couple of highs that occurred on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a BIG day for my 6-year-old daughter, Piper. She had her first “Big Girl” sleepover with a friend from school on Saturday night. She was over the moon excited… and to see her eyes light up and the huge smile on her face brought an even bigger smile to my face. At the same time, though, it was bittersweet as my little girl is growing up and well, I kinda wish she could stay at the same age for just a few more years.

And speaking of growing up, my son, Ayden, celebrated his 8th birthday early (his real birthday is on April 12th). We had a party for him at a place where kiddos can get out their energy by running wild and having Nerf wars! He had a blast!

My mom – which the kiddos call mimi – also had a ton of fun. My kiddos are so blessed to have an unbelievable grandmother and I am also very blessed to have an amazing mom who is always filled with so much positive energy and lots of great wisdom. When something exciting happens in my life, she is the first person I call as I know she will be just as excited as I am. Moms rock!

And my low for the day, eating way too much Easter candy and doughnut holes! Ya, eating healthy went out the door today. Oh and another low, not getting this body of mine movin’. I always feel so much better when I make it a point to exercise first thing in the morning. Plus, when I exercise I always tend to eat healthier during the day.

Don’t you think that this is an interesting question!? Based on the emails that I have received recently and in the past, I know that many of you ponder this question as well… how much do we all spend (both in dollar amounts and time) in order to save?

How much do you spend each week, month, and/or year getting organized and prepared to save? What are your expenses when it comes to saving (i.e. printer ink, paper, gas to drive to the store etc.)? How do you cut down on these expenses?

Please share your tips below!

So today my low occurred at 3:34am this morning. My daughter had a nightmare and climbed into our king-size bed. I say king-size because you’d think there would be lots of wiggle room for the 3 of us. Well, after climbing in, my daughter curled herself up right next to me. Every single time I tried to move her, she was back at my side within minutes. Now don’t get me wrong, during the day I love to cuddle with my daughter and give her lots of lovin’… BUT in the middle of the night, not so much. It gets hot and I just like my sleeping space.

When I finally got to sleep, I awoke to a very warm feeling on my leg. Yep… my daughter decided to pee on me at 3:34am. She is potty-trained at night, but does on rare occasions have accidents. So sleep no more! I get up to change the sheets and make up the bed again. By the time I get back to bed it’s close to 4am and knowing I have to get up so soon… well, doesn’t help me fall asleep very quickly. So that’s my low… once again a major lack of sleep! Oh and lots of laundry.

And my high for the day, spending time with my precious 7 week old niece, Charlie Bee! Holding her always reminds me of what’s really important in life. I feel so blessed.

I am so excited to share with you this video that I recently filmed about one of my favorite topics – yep, you guessed it: COFFEE! In this video, I will show you how easy (and affordable!) it is to make a Starbucks Latte at home. Consider the fact that if you drink Starbucks lattes daily (5 times per week) and spend an average of $4 per latte, you can save yourself a whopping $1,000 every year by making these beverages at home. Check it out…

* If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own Starbucks Latte at home:

* Aerobie 80R08 AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
* IKEA Cordless Milk Frother/Foamer
* Finely ground coffee
* Boiling water
* Milk (I recommend using 1% or 2% milk; in my experience, whole milk does not froth as well)
* Flavoring Syrup (optional)

ENJOY!

One of my most favorite things to do at Family Dinners is to go around the table and share “highs” and “lows” from the day. It is always fun to hear about what my kiddos consider to be highs (getting a lollipop after a doctor’s visit) and lows (being picked last for Kick Ball in PE). It also generates some great discussions and has really made us a much more close-knit family. So… I thought that it might be fun to start sharing my own personal highs and lows with all of you daily (Monday-Friday) on Hip2Save.com. And, I will encourage you to do the same in the comment section. So, here goes…

My 11-year-old son has been in speech therapy for quite a few years now. He had lots of ear infections as a baby and toddler which I think led to his difficulty with speech since he wasn’t hearing things properly. He has come a long way since then and speaks very well now. His one struggle has remained with the /or/ sound (it’s a hard one!)… BUT yesterday, he had a HUGE breakthrough with his Speech Teacher:

This was definitely my high! And well, to be completely honest, when I read the email from his teacher I got that thingy in my throat… you know, that thingy that happens when those tears wanna start flowing. I am just so incredibly proud of my little boy who really isn’t little anymore.  And the fact that he made someone else’s day, makes my day!

My low… well, definitely the fact that I have not been disciplined enough to get to bed on the early side. I have been going to bed way too late and still getting up early. I am feeling it today and need to work on being more strict with bedtime just like I am with the kiddos. Any ideas to help me get to bed earlier?!

When you become an avid couponer (or even when you start out as a newbie), you quickly learn the value of a kind and hardworking cashier and/or store manager. When you are checking out at the store with a large number of coupons, an employee that is knowledgeable about the store’s coupon policy… and/or someone who is more than happy to take the time to ensure that each coupon is scanned correctly can make all the difference between a great shopping experience versus one that makes you never want to shop with coupons again.

So… the big question of the day is from reader, Courtney:

So now it’s your turn… share in the comments please!

Just a reminder about Daily Worth… I get their emails and really enjoy them!

Ever wish you had a daily dose of inspiration… something to motivate you, get ya thinking, and encourage you to take charge of your finances?! Well, the gals over at Daily Worth have created just that. Sign up for Daily Worth and they’ll send you a FREE daily email about personal finance for women. Plus, they have contests & sweepstakes from time to time where you can enter to win lots of great prizes!

An excerpt from part of the Daily Worth email I received today!

As a reminder, the Daily Worth daily email delivers practical tips, empowering ideas, and the occasional kick in the pants (I definitely need that on a daily basis! ). Their tips cover self worth, net worth, saving, spending, earning, investing, taxes, entrepreneurship, financial feminism, and much more.

In fact, I just received my daily email from Daily Worth and it included 8 very helpful Travel Apps to help save money while on vacation! A few of the apps listed in the email are FREE Wi-Fi Finder, GasBuddy, OutToEatWithKids, and more! I found today’s information to be very useful… especially with Summer just around the corner!

I recently received this email from Hip2Save reader, Lucy…

This such a great topic for discussion! First, I would like to point out that manufacturers are responsible for creating and releasing coupons to be used by consumers. If manufacturer’s were truly losing money as a result of coupons, then they would stop releasing coupons. So the question is why do manufacturers issue coupons (i.e. what’s in it for them?!). I personally believe that the 2 main reasons are listed below…

Increase Brand Recognition/Attract New Customers

If I have a coupon for Scott Toilet paper, that is the first brand that I am going to check out when I get to the toilet paper aisle at the store. I will look past the 10-20 other brands to zoom in on the Scott brand. Even if I decide not to purchase Scott Toilet paper at that time, I have still made a connection with the brand and will likely recognize it on future shopping trips.

Promote New Products

When a manufacturer releases a new product, they often release coupons as well. These money-saving coupons encourage consumers to try out the product for little out-of-pocket expense. Obviously, the manufacturers hope that you will fall in love with the new product and then continue to purchase it with or without coupons.

And the truth is that as hard as it is to admit, I have in fact purchased items at full-price with no coupons because I love the products that much!

So what are your thoughts?! Are coupons good for consumers and bad for manufacturers or are they a win-win for everyone? Please share in the comments!

I posted about this fun, family activity previously and thought that it was worth re-posting for all you new readers…

One of my favorite family activities is to pack a picnic and head for the park (not very creative but usually lots of fun!). However, if you want to embark on a unique (and FREE!) family activity, you may want to consider geocaching.

What is geocaching you ask?! Geocaching is a FREE real-world outdoor treasure hunt where players (young and old!) try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using a smartphone or GPS. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.

In recent years, my kids, hubby, and I had the opportunity to go geocaching and it was a ton of fun! We found a geocache that was hidden about 25 miles from our home so we all piled into the car with our GPS system in hand and headed that direction. Once we were within walking distance of our “hidden treasure”, the kids jumped out of the car and used the GPS device to find the geocache. It took about 30 minutes of avid searching to finally discover the geocache cleverly placed underneath a pile of rocks. The kids were so excited to open the geocache and fill out the logbook (i.e. a tiny notebook) with their names, ages, and date that they located the geocache (it was really cool to look back in the logbook and see that this same geocache had existed for the past 5+ years). They then were able to choose a special “treasure” from inside the geocache (i.e. a small plastic dinosaur) and they also left a “treasure” of their own (a plastic spider) for the next person. All in all, we had a great day on our geocaching trip and spent nothing out of pocket other than the gas… it was well worth it!

Check out this cool video below which explains even more about geocaching…

Do you want to go geocaching? Here’s what you need to do…
* Head over here to register for a FREE Basic Membership.
* Click “Hide & Seek a Cache.”
* Enter your zip code and click “search.”
* Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
* Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device or in the smartphone app.
* Use your GPS device or smartphone to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.
* Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.
* Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

Have you been geocaching? If so, did you enjoy the experience? Let us know in the comments below.

(Thanks for the reminder, Lindsay!)

Just a reminder for all you last minute filers…

Tax Day, April 15th, 2013, will be here in only 14 days! So here’s a round up of a few tax filing options and FREE software programs that you may want to take advantage of. Also feel free to share any tips that you may have learned throughout the years!

* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of Turbo Tax (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau! If you need a more customizable version, consider purchasing TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-File + State 2012 from Amazon.com for only $44 + Free Shipping.

* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of TaxACT (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!

* Or consider using FreeTaxUSA.com (Rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!) to e-file directly to the IRS completely FREE. This site has also been highly recommended by Hip2Save readers in the past!

* You may also consider using e-Smart Tax by Liberty Tax to e-file completely free. E-Smart Tax technology ensures you get your highest possible refund as well as simple step-by-step Q&A preparation, Zero hidden fees, Online or in-person help with more than 4000 Liberty Tax offices open year round and more!

More Tax-Filing Tips:

* Head over to IRS.gov to file your federal taxes for free

* Check the daily deal sites… Groupon has offered up significantly reduced vouchers for online tax preparation products in the past and will likely have similar offers over the next few months.

* Check with your local college. One reader reported that the accounting students at her local college will do her tax returns for free and they are then reviewed by the professor to ensure that they are correct.

* AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free help for older taxpayers and people with limited incomes. Find an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site in your community by clicking here.

* If you are in the military, check out Military One Source for more information about different resources that are available.

So I couldn’t end April Fools’ Day without doing a prank on my kiddos! And I actually got this oh so funny idea from one of the comments left on the April Fool’s Jokes needed post (thanks, Dani!). I got my supplies together… toothpaste (the fluoride-free and natural variety to be on the safe side) and OREO cookies!

I then made some super delicious toothpaste OREO cookies, which I happily gave to the kiddos when they got out of school today …

Now of course I couldn’t end this post without offering up a giveaway where you can enter to win some real OREO cookies… with no surprise toothpaste inside, I promise! Just head here to enter! Good Luck!

WooHoo! Check out what the mailman just delivered on my doorstep – my 2 FREE TRESemme travel size hair gels from Drugstore.com! If you also got in on this deal, did you receive your freebies yet?! Let us know!

If you have been following Hip2Save for any length of time, you likely know how much I love April Fools Day! It is literally one of my most favorite days since it’s typically filled with lots of laughs, smiles and just pure fun… it makes me feel like a kid again! With that being said, I’d love to hear your fun April Fool’s pranks, jokes or tips that you may have (as always, please keep them family friendly).

Stay tuned for an upcoming, fun April Fool’s Day…no joke!

If you’re looking to score Pregnancy Tests or Strips on the cheap, head on over to Amazon to snag the Wondfo Pregnancy Test Strips 25 ct for only $11.99 + FREE Shipping through Amazon Prime.  That makes each Test Strip Only $0.48, which seems like a bargain – and you won’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to snag this deal!

Also, check out the tip reader, Ashley, emailed about…

Thought I would share a great deal for those Mama’s and future Mama’s out there trying to conceive. My husband and I are working on baby #3 right now and as many people find Ovulation Test Strips and Pregnancy Tests are not a cheap item!

Recently, at Target I found the two packs of First Response tests for $8.99 with $1.00 Peelies on them along with a Peelie for Buy One Get One Free Rebate, making 4 tests for $7.99 and there are $1.00 coupons inside too. I like to use these “nicer” looking tests to show my husband when it’s POSITIVE! Couponing and finding the best deals on Ovulation and Pregnancy Test Strips may not seem like something that’s needed but every single dollar helps! I am blessed to be able to stay home with my amazing kiddos much in part due to Hip2Save’s deals and posts.

Check out the tip reader, Kim, emailed about previously…

I recently discovered that Dollar Tree sells pregnancy tests… for only $1!!! I was hesitant to believe that these tests would really work, so I did a Google and Youtube search and sure enough, they’re just as reliable as the MUCH more expensive name brand options. And I can vouch for the $1 test first-hand – I’m pregnant and got a positive read with the $1 test on the day before my missed period! Stop wasting your money on the expensive name brand pregnancy tests and head over to Dollar Tree!

Do you have any tips for saving on Pregnancy Tests?! Please share!

(Thanks, Ashley & Kim!)

If your kiddos are on Spring Break this week and you are looking for a fun Easter activity to do, check out this super cute idea I received from Lindsay over at Little Sprouts by Lindsay…

*For even more ideas, you may want to check out these 30 Popular & Fun Easter Activities & Crafts for Kids over at TipJunkie.com.

Do you have any fun Easter Egg Hunt ideas or games? Please share!

(Thanks for the cute idea, Little Sprouts by Lindsay!)

Check out this email I recently received from reader Linda:

Check out this email I recently received from reader, Madison…

My hubby and I are currently pregnant with our first baby.  I would love to hear from your readers and get their input on how to save money when it comes to everything baby. Freebies, nurseries, diapers, formula, clothes, organization, etc…  Any and all information would be greatly welcomed and appreciated!  Your blog is the best and I know you and your readers will give me tremendous advice!

Since all of my kiddos are out of diapers and I don’t regularly purchase baby items (except for my new niece Charlie ), I am having a hard time coming up with good price points for the mentioned items above. So if you have a baby or toddler, please help Madison and other new mommies out by sharing your stock-up prices and any other money-saving tips/advice that you can offer a first-time mom. I would also love for you to suggest must-have baby items (i.e. for me, it was my Sling and a Bumbo Baby seat) and baby items that you may feel are totally unnecessary.

And congratulations to Madison and all the other expectant Hip2Savers!

Isn’t it odd how we think that our kiddos learn a lot from us, but really the truth is that we learn way more from them. I am so incredibly blessed to have 3 precious little people in my life that teach me so many life lessons every single day. My son actually taught me one yesterday…

My 11-year-old son failed his school eye exam last week and so we made an appointment at the eye doctor yesterday. Well, we did find out he is nearsighted and will need to wear glasses for lectures at school and really anytime that he’s having to look far away. I was worried hearing this news would make him upset and maybe even a little nervous since most of his friends don’t wear glasses.

I was oh so wrong. Talk about looking at the glass half full. My son excitedly picked out his glasses and didn’t have one negative thing to say. Instead he smiled from ear to ear and proclaimed that he couldn’t wait to show off his glasses to his friends who don’t wear glasses.

Once again my son helped me to realize how important it is to stay positive and always try to see the good in what life throws at you. He also showed me how fantastic and fun it can be to be a little different from your peers… and I LOVE that about him.

Now on another note, I am heading over to Coastal.com to snag him an additional pair of glasses because well, my kiddos tend to misplace and lose things pretty easily. So I know that it won’t hurt to have an extra pair on hand. And as a reminder, you can still score FREE glasses and lenses on Coastal.com if you haven’t already! All you’ll have to pay is shipping and handling.

Here’s what you need to do to snag your free glasses…

* Head over to Coastal.com and pick out your favorite frames.
* Enter the promo code FIRSTPAIRFREE at checkout (new customers only)
* Head to checkout where you’ll need to pay shipping and handling charges and the costs for any lens upgrades.

(To see the Fine Print of this offer, click the link below “Read More / Post Your Comments”.)

Fine Print

* This promotion is for first time Coastal.com prescription glasses customers only.
* One free pair of glasses per customer per prescription.
* We reserve the right to verify all prescriptions.
* Valid for coupon eligible frames only.
* To get your free pair apply the coupon code FIRSTPAIRFREE at the checkout.
* 1.5 index lenses included for free.
* Lens upgrades including: higher index lenses, progressives, Transitions, polarized and all lens coatings are available at additional cost.
* Shipping costs may apply, which is typically up to $20.
* Cannot be combined with any other offers.
* Valid for residents of the United States only.
* Coastal.com reserves the right to cancel orders that appear to be in violation of this promotion.

If I had not known any differently (and if I had not been a savvy Hip2Saver!), that wonderful free beverage coupon would have simply passed me by. BUT since I’m definitely not the type to let a freebie get away from me, I said “Excuse me, could I please have one of the free beverage coupons from that stack?” She quickly nodded and thanked me for reminding her (in fact, she mentioned that she had completely forgotten to hand them out all morning).

As I was leaving Starbucks, just about to hop in my car, it dawned on me. How many freebies and discounts in life simply pass us by because we forget to ask or because we simply have no idea that the freebie or discount is even available?

Thinking about this, I turned around, walked right back into Starbucks, and paid it forward.

I put on my super hero attire, flew behind the espresso bar, and got on the loud-speaker. I announced to everyone in Starbucks that they could get a coupon for a FREE Macchiato. OK, that didn’t happen, but I did…

Show this coupon to the 3 people still waiting in line and explained how they could get one too. It literally took less than a couple of minutes for me to share the savings with them… and it was so worth it. I saw sincere appreciation in their eyes, which made me feel so good inside.

We are all in such a wonderful position as we know about the deals and freebies right in front of our eyes that so many do not. Please think about this when you are out and about this week. All it takes is a simple gesture, a minute conversation with a stranger, a coupon that you aren’t going to use…

How have you shared the savings?

Gotta love checking the mail! Check out what my sidekick, Mary, received in the mail today!

If you signed up for the FREE Traveling Goofy Guy Giveaway that I posted about here, you may have also received this freebie in the mail (or will soon!). I hope I get mine this week. I know my daughter Piper will think it’s so cool!

On that note, have you received any fun freebies in the mail lately? Please share!

Guest Post by reader Kim:

So back in February you posted about Viggle. I had an iPhone and decided to give it a try. At the beginning Viggle was practically giving away points, which meant a ton of rewards. I chose to get Best Buy gift cards because I wanted to start saving up for an iPad. I purchased my father a new iPad 64 GB with all my Viggle rewards and thought I can do this again with my father’s help to get an iPad for my girls. My dad Viggle’s during the day since he is retired and I do most of mine during the prime time hours. Recently Viggle has created an app for Androids as well so there are more opportunities for individuals to be able to use the app and get great rewards.

Another way that I was able to earn some money is with Best Buys trade in program that you can get gift cards for trading in technology that you don’t use or need any more.  So flat screen monitors, video games, cell phones, etc. all earn you gift cards.

It has taken us about 5 months to get enough gift cards from Viggle to accompany the gift cards I had from Best Buy but it was well worth it. I saved over $600 for a new iPad 64 GB for my girls Christmas gift.  I have a ton of apps that I use for educational purposes and now they will be able to have them on their own device.  I also used my Discover card which will give me some cash back!

So this is how I did it. I waited for the iPad to go on sale to $639.99 (regularly $699.99), then I applied all the gift cards I had. My grand total was $136.46.  Totally worth the time on Viggle. Especially since I love to multi-task.

Other apps I have found that are useful for getting rewards are:

Shopkick – walk into specific stores and get Kicks, get Kicks for looking at ads.  These kicks transfer to rewards – many kinds of gift cards

Ride – have this program run in the back ground of your iPhone and as you travel you get points for every mile you travel.  Again this translates to rewards. There are not a ton of different ones but for someone who does a lot of traveling this is a great app.

Endorse – is an app for those of us who do a lot of shopping.  Every time you purchase something you take a picture of your receipt and upload it to the app.  Each week they have specific items listed and if you purchase them you get money put into your account.  Once you get $20 you can cash out.  The other receipts add up with donation points.  Than at some point you can donate those.  Last week was great because I got 10% cash back for the gas I purchased.  Easy way to rack up money quick.

And check out this email from Reader Lory:

Hi Collin,

First I want to thank you for everything you do!! I love Hip2save & tell everyone & anyone all about it. I also wanted to share one of the things I do while I’m sitting around folding laundry, etc. I use an app called Viggle & I’ve been using it now for just about a year & I’ve gotten a FREE $25 BEST BUY GIFT CARD, a $20 CVS GIFT CARD, & at the moment I have almost 100,000 points & not quite sure if I want to keep saving for a big prize, or get some smaller ones!! It’s so easy just to check-into TV programs & receive points & redeem for goodies!!! Plus they do bonus’ all the time… How easy is that! I hope it can help some out there get some freebies?! Again, thank you & happy savings!!

Have you signed up with Viggle yet? If so, please share your thoughts below!

As Spring Break creeps up on us (reminding us that Summer is not too far off either!), I thought it would be good to share a few money saving travel tips…

If you are looking to save money on lodging, you may want to consider staying in vacant dormitories during the summer while schools are out! Many places rent them out to vacationers for less than a hotel room would cost. For example, if you are headed to Hawaii, the Hawaiian Mission Academy offer rooms starting at just $55 per night! Even better, it is located near Waikiki Beach and many other major tourist attractions!

As suggested in the article I read here on this topic, the best way to find one new your vacation destination is to first look up the web site for the Chamber of Commerce in the area you will be visiting to get a list of nearby colleges. Then contact the school to find out if they offer vacant dormitory lodging and what type of amenities it includes.

(Photo Credit: Stress Case)

Here are a few more travel tips to help you save some money along the way…

1. If you are taking a road trip, be sure to pack enough snacks for the ride there and the ride home. It will cost a lot more to stop at a convenience store to buy snacks thank it would to take them from your stock pile of items you snagged on the cheap using coupons.

2. Pack lunches when possible. Chances are you will be paying for dinner every night, so save some money by packing lunches instead of eating out for lunch every day as well. No matter where you are, you can buy bread, peanut butter, and jelly along with some chips and fruit for less than it would cost for the whole fam to eat lunch out.

3. Make a list of things you will need before you pack and cross them off as you go. That way, you don’t end up having to buy things like toothbrushes and shampoo at full price when you likely have some sitting on the shelf you got for as low as free.

Also, if you are looking for a way to organize and schedule your travel plans, you may want to try TripIt! TripIt will help you map out and plan your trip, as well give you a weather report for your destination.

Please share any additional ways you save while on vacation in the comments!

(Thanks for the lodging tip, Homemaker Hand Guide!)

Don’t forget – you can still sign up!

Ever wish you had a daily dose of inspiration…something to motivate you, get ya thinking, and encourage you to take charge of your finances?! Well, the gals over at Daily Worth have created just that…sign up for Daily Worth and they’ll send you a FREE daily email about personal finance for women. Plus, they have contests & sweepstakes from time to time where you can enter to win lots of great prizes!

The Daily Worth daily email delivers practical tips, empowering ideas, and the occasional kick in the pants (I definitely need that on a daily basis! ). Their tips cover self worth, net worth, saving, spending, earning, investing, taxes, entrepreneurship, financial feminism, and much more.

Whatcha waiting for…head on over here to sign up!

Whatcha waiting for…head on over here to sign up!

Just a Reminder…

Tax Day, April 15th, 2013, will be here in only 54 days! So here’s a round up of a few tax filing options and FREE software programs that you may want to take advantage of. Also feel free to share any tips that you may have learned throughout the years!


* Head on over here where you can file completely FREE with H&R Block At Home that also now includes FREE live tax advice. It is FREE to prepare, FREE to print, FREE to e-file, includes FREE live tax advice, FREE audit support, representation from an enrolled agent, and 100% Accuracy Guarantee and Maximum Refund Guarantee. Plus 1 FREE federal e-file is included. And, they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau!

* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of Turbo Tax (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau! If you need a more customizable version, consider purchasing TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-File + State 2012 from Amazon.com for only $44 + Free Shipping.

* Head over here to sign up for a FREE Federal edition of TaxACT (you’ll be able to prepare, print and electronically file your federal tax return for free). Plus, they’re rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!

* Or consider using FreeTaxUSA.com (Rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau!) to e-file directly to the IRS completely FREE. This site has also been highly recommended by Hip2Save readers in the past!

* You may also consider using e-Smart Tax by Liberty Tax to e-file completely free. E-Smart Tax technology ensures you get your highest possible refund as well as simple step-by-step Q&A preparation, Zero hidden fees, Online or in-person help with more than 4000 Liberty Tax offices open year round and more!

More Tax-Filing Tips:

* Head over to IRS.gov to file your federal taxes for free

* Check the daily deal sites… Groupon has offered up significantly reduced vouchers for online tax preparation products in the past and will likely have similar offers over the next few months.

* Check with your local college. One reader reported that the accounting students at her local college will do her tax returns for free and they are then reviewed by the professor to ensure that they are correct.

* AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free help for older taxpayers and people with limited incomes. Find an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site in your community by clicking here.

* If you are in the military, check out Military One Source for more information about different resources that are available.

In addition to the cute Homemade Valentine’s Day Gift idea that I posted yesterday, check out this adorable gift idea submitted by reader, Jill:

Items Needed:

* Rose Art Play Dough 5 packs (purchased at Target, 70% off after Christmas)
* Cello Treat Bags (70% off after Christmas)
* Curling Ribbon (purchased at Kmart, 90% off after Christmas)
* Paper (free at Staples after Easy Rebate)

I put two packs of play dough in each bag, tied it with ribbon and added a cute tag. I was able to make 40 adorable valentines that the kids will enjoy…..retail price would be about $25 and thanks to you and Hip2Save, my cost was about $5.

(Thanks, Jill – cute idea!)

With Spring getting closer, I want to share this very helpful email I received from Hip2Save reader, Nina, on how to save on soil, fertilizer, and more at Lowe’s and Home Depot! Check it out…

I discovered a way to save lots on gardening supplies such as soil, fertilizer & mulch at my local Lowe’s! Last summer I overheard another shopper in the outdoor garden supply area ask about repackaged bags of potting soil. It seems when the bags become ripped from handling the salesperson will put the entire bag into another clear plastic bag and the item is then half price. Some bags may have spilled and have only 1/2 or 3/4 left of the contents but many are full, they just have a hole or tear in them. I’ve purchased top soil, potting soil, fertilizer, mulch and gravel stones all for 50% off! Now each time I’m at my local Lowe’s I swing by the outdoor gardening section to see what bargains I can find. I may not need it at that moment but sooner or later I will (and there’s no expiration date)!

I’d love to hear your tips on how to save money on outdoor projects as well!

How cute is this?! If you are looking for an affordable and thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift to give to a teacher, neighbor, or friend… look no further! Check out this creative and simple craft idea that reader, Tiffany, emailed in about:

If any of your readers are interested, here is a very cute and inexpensive teachers Valentine gift idea that I made. I’m even giving some to my girlfriends who are single.

Items Needed:

4 inch clay pot $1.29
Glass jar $1.00
3 inch clay pot saucer $0.79
1 inch dowel cap $3.29 plus 40% off with 16
Red craft paint $0.59 (I made 12 with one bottle!)
White craft paint $0.59
Foam hearts $2.99 (150 pieces in a pack)
Clear small size basket gift bags $4.99 plus 40% off with 16
Curling ribbon

Sounds like a lot but some stuff you may already have on hand. You paint the pot and saucer red, glue the glass jar to the bottom of the pot, glue dowel on saucer and assemble. I filled mine with M&M’s, kisses and conversation hearts but you could use any candy. I also painted little white dots for some detail and glued on foam hearts but not necessary if you don’t want to.

As you can see they are adorable and if I divide up the cost it is about $4 per gift. Also, you can make these for any occasion. For example, you could change the base color and fill it with Happy Birthday mints from the Dollar Tree and put a foam cake in the middle or something. Use your imagination. Have fun!!!

(Thanks, Tiffany – I love this idea!)