Sent from reader, Ashley:

Above is a picture of my husband’s VW bug and his 1970′s canoe. I wanted to share with you (and your readers if I am selected) his most frugal purchase, in hopes it will inspire others to share their stories and not be afraid to be a little frugal.

When my husband was eight years old, he desperately wanted a canoe, but his family was much too poor to afford something that cost hundreds of dollars. So, my husband started saving up his money to pay for one. When he had $35, him and his dad started knocking on doors in their neighborhood if they spied an old, uncared for canoe in the back. One man agreed to sell his canoe for $35. My husband gave him $32 in $1 bills, and then started to count out the change in his hand, mostly pennies and nickels. The man then decided $32 was enough for the canoe. The canoe had two holes in it that he could put his fist through. Him and his dad repaired those, made two paddles out of scrap wood, and voila! he had a canoe. We still use this canoe all the time, and I suspect our children will one day use it too. The canoe is over 40 years old, and it is my husband’s favorite frugal story. And the wheels on top? That is a canoe caddy he made a few years ago from an old child’s bike he got for $8 and a bed frame he found on the side of the road.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all of the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Morgan:

I am a teacher and was wanting something to show my daughter’s daycare teachers, as well as my fellow 1st grade co-workers how much I love and appreciate them! I had a tight budget, but still wanted to make something fun and “Hip” that would brighten their day.

I used colored paper I had around, about 5 packs of crayons (bought before school started for SUPER cheap, thanks to tips from Hip2Save!) and black frames from Dollar Tree.

All I did was print the first letter of each teacher’s name using a super large font and then put a little note a the bottom. (“H is for Ms. Hall. A very special teacher.”) Then hot glued the crayons on (thank you Micheal’s coupons!) I even cut out the middle of the paper insert that was in the frame to make a “mat” to use. The tape I used to secure everything was bought SUPER cheap too after the holidays (thank you Hip2Save tips!)

Wanted to show this to help give others some ideas for the end of the school year OR to be thinking ahead when those crayon deals start popping up in August- buy extra and then you will be ready for Teacher Appreciation Week or another teacher gift. (Each teacher’s gift cost me less than $1.25.)

Thanks for all you do! I try to check your site each day during my quick 15 minute lunch break! I get so excited at lunch to see what deals you might have posted!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all of the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Sarah:

My brother’s girlfriend is graduating from college this coming weekend and I decided to put a gift basket together for her since she is about to be starting out in the “real” world. I attached 2 pictures (before I wrapped it and after I wrapped it) because I wasn’t sure which was the best one to send you. Here is the list of what I put in the basket and how much each item cost me…

* Mouthwash-free sample
* Victoria’s Secret hand sanitizer-free after the recent rewards cards
* Bath and Body Works body spray, lotion, and antibacterial lotion-free from my mom because she didn’t like the scents
* Candle-free from a Christmas exchange
* Sally Hansen nail polish-$0.25 on clearance at Walgreens and after coupon
* Hot pink nail polish-free sample
* Nivea body wash-free sample
* Caress body wash-free sample
* Crest toothpaste-free after coupon
* Pantene shampoo & conditioner-free samples
* Floss-free from the dentist
* 1928 earrings and bracelets-$2.50 each
* Basket-free from the Allure rebate around Christmas time
* Tissue paper-free from Victoria Secret
* Ribbon-free from my mom
* Plastic wrap-$0.25 clearance at Walgreens after Easter
* Card-free from Cardstore.com

Grand Total-$5.50 for a really nice gift basket for a college graduate starting out on her own. It took a little bit of thinking ahead for the card, but everything else was something that I happened to have on hand to put in the gift basket. It really can pay off to submit for the samples that you post because if I can’t use the product then I either give it to someone else or hold onto it to give to someone as a present. I can’t wait to see my brother’s girlfriend’s face when she opens it!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all of the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Wendi:

We just celebrated my daughter’s 6th birthday last week! It was her first “friends” party, so I wanted to go all out without breaking the bank. She chose a “Butterfly Bash” theme and we ran with it!

I bought a kit for making foam butterfly wands, baking cups, and butterfly picks for the cupcakes at Michael’s using the $5 off a purchase of $5 or more printable coupon that came out around Valentine’s Day. I got the flowery plates, nylon butterfly wings, streamers, and sparkly centerpiece at the Dollar Store. I bought the balloons with the $3 off a purchase of $3 or more coupon that Geoffrey from Toys R Us mailed my daughter for being part of their birthday club. I made tissue paper pom poms from recycled tissue paper that I’d saved from gifts the previous year. The cupcake mix was free from Safeway (part of a rebate promotion) and the frosting came free from Albertsons (coupon plus doubler on an after Easter clearance sale!) I made the place cards and straw toppers from construction paper we had around the house and spent a whopping $1.23 on bananas and asian noodles (from Winco’s bulk section) so we could assemble some caterpillar snacks using a little peanut butter.

The entire party came in under $20 (including favors, invitations, craft, dessert, snacks, games, and decor.) We’ve picked next year’s theme already, and I’m on the hunt for “Garden” items! With a little luck and a lot of forethought, I might be able to pull off next year’s party for the same price or less!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all of the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Suzanne:

I just wanted to submit our family pic for your next Happy Friday photo! Thank you so much for helping us save. Since I started following your blog, I started a special vacation savings account. And finally we were able to travel to Italy for a dream vacation! We even took our 4 year old daughter and 20 month old son (tickets are free for kids under two!).

We live very frugally so we can travel–our favorite thing to do… but a trip to Italy was not possible until we started our special savings. We even used a coupon in Florence, Italy! So it’s even possible to follow frugal habits when you are ON vacation (going to museums on free days, fly during down seasons, bargaining when purchasing souvenirs, etc.). We chose Italy to visit my sister-in-law who is teaching art there on a fellowship. She was the perfect tour guide!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Sarah:

I was in CVS a few weeks ago when the $2.00 MM Zyrtec deal was going. When I got up to the counter the woman working told me her husband uses it all the time but it’s so expensive. I Normally give this type of stuff to my mom but she is always so helpful and friendly when I come in so I decided she needed it more and I told her she could have it for her husband. She was so thankful to me and I was happy to help her out.

I just went back in today because my whole family has been sick and she practically attacked me when I walked it!! She had saved up coupon inserts from the last month of newspapers and wanted to give them to me as a thank you for the Zyrtec. 11 inserts in all!! I was in shock! That was such a kind and helpful thing she could do for me. I am so grateful to her.

I wanted to share this with you because sometimes we go through our days never thinking of anyone else and what their circumstances are. Sometimes all it takes is a small gesture to make someone’s whole day. It is because of your website that I am able to give more to others now. And I do find that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving. Have a wonderful night! Thank you for your website. It has truly changed my life since I found it!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Lisa:

My daughter attends a college away from home. We all know that with tuition and fees being at an all time high, college students are on a tight budget. Upon meeting and getting to know some of my daughter’s dorm mates, I began seeing the need these individuals had. I knew we could help these college students on a tight budget. My Mom volunteered to help and we began our Couponing for a Cause-Helping College Students in Need. To date we’ve donated: Olay Body Wash, Schick Razors, Secret & Old Spice Deodorant, Colgate Toothpaste, Colgate Toothbrushes, and Chapstick just to name a few. They are all so appreciative and grateful for the needed supplies.

This photo is of our Easter gift supply bag contribution to the students within my daughter’s dorm. As you can see, we’ve gathered everything from Olay face wash, M&M’s, UP2U Gum, Palmer’s, Revlon & Cover Girl Files/Clippers, Mar’s Snickers & Milky Way, etc… Even the Easter gift sacks are from our Walgreens hauls that we threw in as fillers to use up all our register rewards. We were sure to include some sweets to help get them through the Easter Holiday, since they will be away from home and family. I wanted to say Thank You again Collin……your hard work is being put to real good use!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Tera:

Hey Collin and team, I thought you might get a kick out of this–while our family was visiting my husband’s sister recently, she planned this super fun “Amazing Date” for my husband and me, complete with route info, money for each leg of the race (she used monopoly money), a fast forward, and detours to complete. She planned about 5 stops around my husband’s home town, including dinner and dessert (and yes, she included some coupons for us to use!), and we had to search for our next clue at each location. We had a blast, and did some fun things we wouldn’t have thought to do on our own!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Lynette of Cleverly Simple:

I ordered the Living Social Deal for Skreened.com last month and ordered shirts for all the kiddos that call my brother Uncle.  He’s currently deployed in Afghanistan and I wanted them to have something to show their support and love for him so we made shirts with his picture that said, “Uncle Bryan is my Hero.”  

This past week we had a scary day with some news from Afghanistan and in the midst of calling families in our unit we received our mail with the completed t-shirts.  Enclosed with the t-shirts was a personal note on our invoice from whoever packaged the shirts.  ”Uncle Bryan is my HERO too!”  The words from a stranger brought me to tears.  To know that others were proud of my brother and service to our country meant the world to me.  You never know what a simple word can mean for a person who needs to hear it.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.

Sent from reader, Jacinda, of Homemaker Hand Guide:

I know Easter is coming up, and I know that you have kiddos, so you might enjoy this I was coming up with some ideas for Easter baskets, and I wanted to share something I do to get Easter grass for the baskets on the cheap. I just take colored paper that I already have around the house and put it through the paper shredder. It makes the best Easter grass for goodies!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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

** Check out all the previous Happy Friday pictures here.