Sent from reader, Connie:

I had a terrific birthday and just wanted to share my story with you. My thirteen-year-old daughter wanted to get me a present, but had less than ten dollars to her name. The presents aren’t important, but since I appreciated the thought I told her she could “gift” me with the various birthday rewards that I had received. JCPenney sent me a $15 birthday certificate, so my daughter was able to get me two cute shirts on sale for a total of $5.99.

What I really needed was pillows, and Kohl’s had those on sale for Buy One, Get One for $1. Using the $10 Kohl’s birthday certificate, coupled with the recent $10 VIP promo and the 15% discount coupon, she was able to get me two pillows and a shirt (which is suspiciously in her size, not mine!) all for 86¢!

On the way home, we stopped at Starbucks to get my birthday reward – a free venti- size frappuccino that was big enough for the two of us to share. My daughter then made me an awesome rainbow-colored cake and we celebrated as a family. Which was the very best gift of all.

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, Shanna:

We live a few hours away from where the devastating tornadoes hit and actually got stuck in the ones the day prior passing through on our way home from a family vacation. We have been doing little things here and there to help (donating to the Red Cross, canned goods etc). Well, our local commissary had a fill the truck event this week for the families that were affected by the tornadoes and this was our shot to do more! My daughter held a lemonade stand and raised $16 and we used coupons and the deals from this week to buy things to fill the truck. I even bought some men’s clothes with the Target deals you posted and got back a 20$ gift card and we are going to go get more things with that tomorrow!!

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, Erin:

This is the 2nd year my girls and I have made a summer to do list. It’s a great way to think of things to do to keep us from getting bored. Many of the things are cheap/free…Kidsbowlfree.com, $2 movies at our local movie theater, free splash parks and library programs in our town. We hang the list in our living room and my girls cross things off as we do them. I keep the list at the end of summer and put it with our photo albums…such fun memories!

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, Alyssa:

Thanks to all the free magazine subscriptions we have amassed from following your Hip2save blog, my 2-year-old daughter is able to partake in “magazine time” whereby she sits with me on the sofa and “reads” magazines – her perennial favorite being Martha Stewart Living. We discuss various colors, imitate facial expressions, and compare page numbers while perusing our magazines side by side. Consequently, she has learned numerous sight words and has the ability to read numbers well past one-hundred. She also has developed a penchant for obsessive mail-checking and squeals with delight when we receive yet another free issue via snail mail.

These magazines provide hours of entertainment from airplane construction with loose-leaf reorder inserts to label making with individual letters cut from old issues and pasted onto boxes…truly the free gift that keeps giving! Thanks for all you do!

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, Renee:

My daughter is graduating from college. We were going to give her money and a card, but I wanted to give her something special too. I have seen the 52 Reasons I Love You done with a deck of cards, so I thought I’d make a 52 Reasons You Will Succeed instead. It was easy, but time-consuming to make, and turned out cute.

You measure a template to cover the center of the cards, print out your sayings (I numbered mine too), and glue everything onto each card. The holes are punched 1/2 inch, and 1 inch from the top and bottom. I bought the rings at Michaels, and the lady in front of me gave me her coupon that she didn’t use, so all I paid was $1.27 after 40% off. I had all the other materials on hand. Now my daughter will always have a list of 52 of her best characteristics to view, and hopefully it will put a smile on her face!

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, Gigi:

My husband is a first year teacher and I know first hand how much work they do for such little pay. I wanted to put together nice teacher appreciation gifts this year but knew I didn’t have a lot of money to work with, so I started “couponing my way to a good gift” way back in the fall. We made these cute little “spa” bags with this poem (printed in “chalkboard” font) attached:

We’ve got to “hand” it to you…This has been one great year! Close to our hearts… We will hold you near! You deserve a BIG bonus… Or at least a spa day! But we can’t give you either… Not on our pay (lol)! So take what’s in this bag… Get pampered & just sit back! You’ve done a nice job… There is nothing you lack!

I had enough stuff to make 3 bags that included everything you need for an at-home spa day! Most of the stuff was free but I calculated they only cost me less than $2 each to make! It made me feel good to be able to thank the teachers for all they do without breaking the bank!

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, Mary:

I wanted to share a story with you that taught me (and maybe will teach your readers) a little lesson.

My 86 year-old mother needed a new pair of shoes; she wanted to go to Kohl’s, so off we went. She has trouble walking, so she found a seat in the shoe department, and I went to see if I could find something comfortable and appropriate for a woman her age. I picked out a couple of pairs in her size and showed them to her. She liked the white sandals, but looked at the box and saw that they were marked $59. (I forgot to mention earlier that my mom also has hearing difficulty, and her hearing aid is not working).

So when she griped about the price, I said (very loudly, so she could hear me), “IT’S OKAY!!! THEY’RE ON SALE AND I HAVE A COUPON!!!” A senior citizen in the aisle came up to us and commented that my mother has “personality” and wondered about my coupon. The department manager behind us chuckled at the scene. After feeling frustrated all morning because I felt like I was yelling at my mom, I realized the value of patience, and humor, and coupons We not only bought the shoes, but I shared my coupon with the senior in the aisle. It’s the little things in life that count.

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 family of four lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Last week was a devastating, terrifying, and heart-wrenching week due to the Boston bombings. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all of the victims of the tragedy. It was a sleepless, scary, and cold, rainy week here. My husband and I were up late at night, concerned for family.

My Happy Friday picture is of my girls playing in the yard yesterday on the first warm day we’ve had since the tragedy. We finally feel a sense of calm, and closure. The sun is shining, the streets are re-opening, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. We pulled out the magic markers, and some boxes from the recycling bins, and we had two yard-worthy boats that the girls loved playing in. We loved being outside in the sunshine, and using our imaginations to have a great time. Last week gave me a reminder to take advantage of the simple things in life like boxes and sunshine, and to give my loved ones an extra squeeze in the day. Carry on Boston!

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, Megan:

Our 3rd baby boy was born 2.5 months early in November. In spite of all that we went through over the course of his 11 weeks in the NICU, we are so blessed to have him. I breastfed my other 2 boys and wanted to provide this new little miracle with the same start, so I began pumping as soon as possible after the emergency c-section. At first the baby was on IV nourishment and when he started getting my milk through an oral-gastric tube it was less than a teaspoon each day.

Although I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t be able to establish an adequate milk supply using only a pump, I soon filled up the freezer at my house…and then the industrial size freezer in the NICU! When I realized that I would need somewhere to put all that milk when our baby was discharged, I began exploring options other than throwing it all away. My mom sent me a link to a milk bank in California that uses human milk to make a milk fortifier for premature babies in the NICU. I decided to go through the process of becoming a milk donor (blood testing, DNA profiling..etc) for the milk bank in California as well as for one in Texas and was able to donate over 1,621 ounces of milk that would have otherwise been tossed.

All costs were covered by the milk banks. The milk bank in California even sent me $300 for “breast pump reimbursement” and donated $1 to Make a Wish Foundation for every ounce that I donated. Being able to donate my excess milk helped me look outside of my own crisis as well as give me something to feel good about as I left the hospital day after day without my baby. I’m happy to report that my 3 lb 2 oz preemie has grown into my milk supply and now weighs close to 11 lbs!

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, Lisa:

When I saw this, I immediately thought of all my friends at Hip2Save and I had to share it with you.

When I came home from work today, I found a note my 8-year-old son left me on the counter. It reads “I finish the coupons. I am happy I can help. Austin” On top of the note, he placed all the coupons he cut out that I had printed the day before. I have never asked him to cut the coupons for me because I never thought he was aware of all my couponing (he has disabilities). It just melted my heart he was “hape to help”, and of course it is for something I just love to do….Couponing!!!

Thank you for letting me share this with you! I thought this was the sweetest thing ever.

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, Susan:

I just wanted to share the Easter baskets I will be gifting to my four teenaged sisters-in-law on Sunday. Most of the items are from deals I found on your site – so thank you! Here’s the breakdown:

* 3 pack socks from Foot Locker – FREE – buy one get one free, originally $9.99 a set, purchased with $20 Foot Locker Rewards card sent when I registered to be a rewards member (the youngest sister is getting a pair from Miss Matched instead, purchased on clearance at Michael’s – $1.99, originally $11.99!)
* Almay Make-Up Remover Wipes – free with in-store and manufacturer’s coupons from Walgreens, originally $5.99
* Personalized journals from Minted.com – free with credits, paid $1.25 to ship each, originally $16
* Matching pens – Michael’s, $1, originally $2, so half-price!
* Head massagers – Amazon deal, $1 each – now $1.85 (and MUCH more pricey at other stores!)
* Sally Hansen nail polish – CVS deal, originally $3.19, paid $1.32 each
* Ulta bath/shower/hair Smoothies – originally $4, paid $2.13 after coupon and rewards
* Flip-flops – $2.10 a pair from Silkies.com deal, originally $7
* Chocolate eggs from World Market, about $1 per basket (10% off a large bag, on sale for $7.99, originally priced at $9.99)

I also purchased the baskets for 10% off at World Market, and will reuse them each year, so even though they were also a great deal (not only were they 10% off, they came with Easter grass, a cello bag, and gift tag) I considered them an investment at $4.49 each.

So, the contents of each basket, if purchased WITHOUT deals, would have cost over $50. With all of these “Hip” deals, each basket was only $9.80! I was able to even pick out items in their favorite colors and in their individual styles. It seems the older our kiddos get, the more expensive the things they like. In this case, I think they’ll all be thrilled with the goodies – and I’m thrilled to have gotten such fabulous deals!

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, Dawn:

My 11-year-old daughter has been doing Irish dance since she was 5 and absolutely loves it—she dances at the highest level as an Open Champion. BUT, like any other competitive dance/sport, it can be VERY expensive! We are in a constant flux of buying Hardshoes, Ghillies (soft shoes), Wigs, Tiaras, the Dress (sewn by a local seamstress to save) and of course the monthly Tuition and Competition fees/travel plus many other “extras”, and you can see we spend a nice chunk of “Green” on Irish Dance—all of which I can never use a “coupon” for or rarely find a “sale” on, although we DO look for used Irish dance items when we can.

SO…..I truly HAVE to shop daily with Coupons and Sales, visit Thrift stores for clothing, use Craigslist and KSL.com, share and receive on Freecycle and with friends/neighbors, enter/win Contests/Sweepstakes, and often simply Do Without to help there be enough every Paycheck for what we absolutely NEED (food, gas, rent money) so that we can also pay for things like her dance that we WANT. In addition, my boys do competitive gymnastics and our family cleans 3 nights a week at their Gym in exchange for their monthly tuition. We are NOT rich people and this isn’t easy, but we are proof that saving in all other ways can help us pay for and enjoy what we choose. I also feel my kiddos are learning good lessons from us about working hard, saving, spending and just “doing without” other things so they can continue learning awesome skills….like Irish Dance!

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, Tera:

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, my girlfriend and I decided to have a little silly fun celebrating our inner Irish by making leprechaun mustache straws and homemade shamrock shakes.

I picked up these cute green and white striped paper straws on Amazon.com, but you could use any green straws you happen to have around. Just cut a mustache shape from orange paper–I printed out some mustache clip art for inspiration–then cut two slits for the straw to slip through.

We used our Leprechaun mustaches to drink yummy homemade shamrock shakes. To make your own, blend together 4 c. vanilla ice cream, 1 t. vanilla extract, 1/4 t peppermint extract (more or less to taste), and enough milk to make it the consistency you want–I used about a cup. Add some green food color and enjoy!

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, Samantha:

Last year, my mother started mentioning how she couldn’t believe she was going to be 50. So, around the time you posted the first Depends sample, it gave me an idea. I wanted to make sure she was well prepared for 50. It took about 9 months in the making, but with the help of your site, between samples, in store deals, and coupons I was able to equip her with an over-the-hill-survival kit and gifts with a value of over $85 that I paid about $3 (mostly coupon tax) to put together. She was a good sport, too. After about 20 minutes of nonstop laughter, she thanked me for the thoughtfulness and the stuff she could use.
Thank you, for all the time you put into your site. It helped provide me with means to give my mother a memorable and fantastic milestone birthday.

P.S. Pictured are the contents of the kit, plus a bottle of twilight woods (her favorite), a vitamin book, Robin Mcgraw’s book, a personalized card, and a certificate for a free blonde roast (her favorite) all free w/ coupons and deals, but priceless.

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, Jessica:

Attached are some pictures of a little craft project my 3 year old and I did, all for free. 

I’m sure everyone gets those nice large boxes from Costco to carry groceries in. A few weeks ago we kept one to play with. We covered it with red construction paper, made wheels, eyes and a mouth all out of paper we had lying around. My son was convinced it was Lightning McQueen from Cars and the whole time we were making it he exclaimed, “It’s perfect! Good job!”. He had a ball for days getting rides in it from Daddy, revving engines and all. He’s already made plans for what new car we will make the next time we go to Costco and get another box. Thought it would be a nice activity people can do at home, without spending any money!

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, Kristen, who posted about her upcoming mission trip on the Hip2Save Facebook page previously:

I got home today and found a box sitting on my counter. I haven’t ordered anything, and so I didn’t know where it had come from. I opened it up and I found an envelope laying on top that said “coupons” and inside had a bunch of coupons I had listed I was looking for to trade. Underneath the envelope was all of this!!!

Nivea, toothpaste, toothbrushes… all for my mission trip! I was so excited and so touched that someone I didn’t even know would send that to me! Shipping alone costs a fortune! But, I had so many people email me with coupons, I didn’t know who this was as to address them by name (address label only had a last name). I just want to thank whoever this is – definitely a sweet, kind, person who I just want to send a big thank you to for making my day!! And I know the people who receive these bags I’m making will be even more excited than I am! Of course, I got the return address off the box to send a thank you note, but I just felt like sharing with others what this wonderful person has done for me! Thank you to all who helped out! I appreciate it more than you know!

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 Susan over at The Royal Cook:

 For my kids birthdays I sometimes give them a stack of coupons instead of a bunch of “gifts”. They get coupons for dates with Mom or Dad, other outings, and special privileges. They love that they get their very own coupons and that they get special one on one time with Mom and Dad. It’s also fun for them to spread out their birthday fun for longer than just one day. I love it because we are making memories together instead of just giving “stuff”.

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, Katie:

Wedding season is coming up and this is something that I did for my bridesmaids that everyone loved! I “hosted” a Thirty-One party and I bought everyone a Thirty-One lunch box with a print that fit their personality. The lunch boxes were on sale but I also spent enough money that I was able to receive hostess credit and was able to get other gifts that I gave to the hostesses of my bridal shower for free!

Inside of the bag, I included a survival kit. Between free samples and couponed items I was able to score great deals and only spent about $3 per survival kit. For the items such as bobby pins, Band-Aids, Chapstick, Tums, alcohol, nail files, and chocolate, I bought one pack and then split them up between the girls. I typed up this poem (that I personalized to go with the goodies in the kit) and put it inside of a card where I wrote them a personal message.

This Survival Kit was made just to say, I’m thrilled you’re beside me on my wedding day!
There’s chocolate to give you that sugar high and a packet of tissues in case you should cry.
Lip gloss to help you care for your smile. If a nail should break, I’ve included a file.
There is Shout if you should spill on your dress and lifesavers to keep your breath minty fresh.
There’s Aleve and Tums if it’s ill that you feel, and Band-Aids to help you tackle high heels.
I’ve put everything in this handy pack, so you’ll know that this bride has got your back!
This kit was created so that you can see, how much you mean to the bride-to-be!

I also included their jewelry that I made. Total I spent around $23 per bridesmaid. It did add up with five girls but it was a wonderful gift that they actually were able to enjoy and use! Happy Friday! 

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, Terri:

I am hosting a Super Bowl party again and my guests look forward to the basket of prizes for guessing the scores and trivia (actually, I put them in a small toolbox for “the guys”). All the prizes are great deals…most were free or less than a $1… Cracker Jacks, Chex Mix, Goldfish crackers, Flipz, Andes Mints, Starbucks Frappucino (1 bottle!), Fisher’s trail mix, Toblerone, and more!

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, Caroline:

My 6 year old daughter recently earned $2 for doing a chore around the house. Right away, she wanted to waste it at the Dollar Store. I told her I didn’t want her to waste it because I wanted to show her how to make her money stretch further. So we printed coupons, made her list, and went off to Shoprite. This is her haul:

4 dole smoothies
12 jars baby food (she bought these to donate to a food pantry)
3 candy bars
Total = $9.07

Coupons used:
$0.75/1 (our store doubles up to $1)
$1/4 stage 2 Beech Nut
B1G1 free 3 Musketeers

Total Out of Pocket = $1.09 ( + received a $1.50 Catalina from Dole!)

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, Nel:

This is a message I found on the local coupon Facebook chat group that I follow from the Walgreen’s Manager, letting us know a deal is coming up and asking if us “couponers” were planning to purchase much or not and giving his contact info at the store to let him know if he should order large quantities for us. I have NEVER seen customer service like this! Especially toward the couponing crowd. I love it!!! I had actually stopped shopping that store and am now totally motivated to get back in there. What if all managers were that helpful?!?!

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, Jamie:

A couple of weeks ago, I decided that I was going to try emailing companies and asking for coupons. I sent out a bunch of emails and was so surprised when my mailbox started filling up with coupons and even a package at my door with products! I have received positive responses from 9 companies so far. I wasn’t successful with many of my emails; I did receive a lot of responses telling me to check my local paper for coupons. However, the coupons that I did receive definitely
outweighed the no’s!

My method was going to the websites of the products that I love and use frequently and clicked on their ‘contact us’ link. I would write them a short note telling them why I liked their product and how I use it. Then I would ask if they
could direct me to where I could find coupons for their products and leave my name and address. I thought that your readers could benefit from the coupon friendly companies that I have come across!

Chobani – 3 magnets, 3 coupons for FREE 6 oz yogurt, and 3 coupons for 30 cents off a 6 oz yogurt
Fresh Express – 2 coupons for 55 cents off any packaged salad
Ocean Spray – 1 coupon for a FREE juice 64 oz or smaller
Skinny Cow – 2 coupons for 75 cents off any product
Edy’s – 2 coupons for 75 cents off any product
Barilla – 1 coupon for $1 off any microwaveable meal

Earthbound Farms and Yoplait responded to my email saying mailed coupons were on their way but I am still patiently checking my mailbox.

But my favorite of all was from Five Hour Energy – they sent me a package with 6 Five Hour Energy! When I opened it, I squealed like I won the lottery and my husband thought I was nutty!

I plan on continuing to send out emails to see what responses I can get next!

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, Andrea:

To share our second pregnancy news with our family, we took a picture of our daughter with a sign that read: Only Child Expiration July 2013.

Since we learned of our expecting just before the holidays, I took advantage of one of the many card freebies shared on Hip2save to make these announcements. I created the card using the picture of the big-sister-to-be and inserted the following caption:

Guess what?
I’m going to be a BIG sister.
Mommy is due with Baby #2!

They were a huge hit with our family and friends! Thanks for posting the many free and discounted card opportunities. We really loved sharing these special (and completely free!) announcements with our family and friends! Thanks for all you do!

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, Daniel:

I’m 17 years old and a senior in high school. I started couponing a while back, and I’ve learned to be more responsible with money and how to make a dollar stretch. I know college tuition and books will cost a fortune, so I’ve been planning ahead.

For the past few years, I have been slowly accumulating school supplies to use when I’m in college. Pens, pencils, folders, post-its, notebooks, you name it. I make an effort to donate half of the supplies I collect every year, while stashing the other half in my “For college” pile. Why spend $4 for a Five Star notebook at the school bookstore when I will be able to use the same notebook I got on sale for $0.50? I plan to continue couponing in college as well. My future college roommates won’t have to eat ramen noodles every night, we can eat the delicious and healthy food I’ll get for a good price with my coupons and frugal ways. And if any of them ever run out of school supplies, they can just dip into my stockpile.

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, Michelle:

I came across Hip2Save a couple years ago and became hooked. Couponing is a passion for me, and since I’ve started using coupons, I now have the opportunity to help those pets in need. Thanks to Hip2Save, I have been able to donate over $300 in food to my local animal shelter. The picture above is just a sample of a monthly drop off, about $2 total after coupons.

It’s amazing the difference you can make without breaking the bank! I hope others will see how easy, they too can make a difference for a furry friend!

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, Stacey:

I just wanted to share a picture of an inexpensive gift that I put together for my parents and in-laws. I made them a “Date Night in a Box” that had things for before, during and after the date.

The before was some body wash and body spray that I had gotten with some good coupon deals at Bath & Body works and some Listerine strips that I got for free at CVS. The during was a Restaurant.com gift certificate that I got when they were $2, but it is worth $25. The after has some of their favorite snacks and candy to go with a free movie from Red Box. (The gift certificate that you see contains the code for their free movie.) All in all, the box came to $15 or less but was worth so much more!

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, Diana:

You may have seen this before, but I thought I’d share just in case. A couple years ago we got our kids a lemonade stand/grocery store stand on clearance. Rather than buy mini fake food boxes at a toy store, I use plastic grocery bags (because I never remember my reusable ones) to stuff empty real food boxes when we’re done with them. The kids love shopping for the foods they actually eat. And it saves us money and “recycles” both boxes and grocery bags at the same time.

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, Blossom:

I just want to share how easy it is to make a difference no matter what your budget is! I was introduced to Hip2Save about a year ago and ever since then me, my best friend and my mom are HOOKED! In just a year I have collected soooo many freebies and deals, it’s insane!

When Hurricane Sandy hit, I really wanted to help the people who are without power, food and toiletries. They lost everything in the hurricane, but I felt so powerless. I’m a senior in college with no job. Then it hit me, I may be broke but I have TONS of stuff that people really need! So me, my best friend and my mom decided to donate all of our stock pile to Hurricane Sandy victims.

I also had won a $10 Amazon gift card from the Panel App Sweepstakes (it’s an app on the phone and you redeem points you get for entries in drawings). So with this I decided to use Amazon to ship directly to shelters in the New York and New Jersey area. It’s so easy to donate with Amazon! You simply put the address of a shelter and send them things they need like toilet paper, Chapstick, ANYTHING!

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, Kim:

The idea that I’d like to share is my family’s nearly free picnic. We collected everything in the photo (including the bag) and had a wonderful picnic. Many of the items were mentioned on your site, a few were not. The apples were “purchased” with a rebate coupon from Fred Meyer – get $3 off $3 of produce, and the eggs were a freebie from signing up with the new Safeway program. It cost us about $1.50 out of pocket – including milk for our tea, and the extra we paid for the lunch meat, which was only 20 cents a pack. It was a great family experience to collect and gather the necessary items for a picnic!

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, Meghan:

This past Friday I got home from work and was talking to my boyfriend as I was going through our mail. I was really excited because I got 3 months of the Whole Living Magazine I just signed up for using my Recyclebank points (I am in LOVE with getting all my magazines through Recyclebank!) Sticking out of the top was an advertisement with a special offer. The print and color was really cute so I pulled it out to see what type of product it was for. As I was looking at it I was like, “HEY, that’s me…a picture of me” and then thought “these photo companies are getting really high-tech” (assuming they sent me an ad to entice me to order by using an image on file from one of my previous coupon deals).

However, it wasn’t for a free photo deal, it was for a Free Husband! My super special guy figured out the perfect way to propose to this couponer! He even included coupon terms and a UPC code (the 08132006 portion is our anniversary). He works at a printing company, so a coworker helped him make this for me, which makes it super thoughtful, sweet, special and FREE!!! I feel like the internet and all these YouTube proposals put a lot of pressure on guys to do something grandiose and expensive, so I just wanted to show that something thoughtful and FREE could stack up just as well

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, Brandy:

I am an artist at heart and I absolutely love to paint. I occasionally do 3D pumpkin carvings around the Fall season and I find that everyone enjoys them and generally walks away feeling inspired to carve their own. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, “If my art leaves people feeling inspired, then that is enough reason to keep me painting for the rest of my life – money or not.”

Having said that I just wanted to let you know that I have been following your blog for many years thanks to my friend Sarah. I have seen your blog develop from its early stages into what it is today and I am always so amazed at how you never cease to give so much advice, time, and money away to those in need, including your readers – inspiring others in the process. This e-mail is to remind everyone that whether your talent is saving money, art, cooking, writing, or you name it, it is always important that we remind ourselves to use our talents to inspire others and give when we can. Happy Halloween everyone! And Happy Friday!

* To see more of Brandy’s amazing artwork and Pumpkin Carvings, check out her web-site here.

Sent from reader, Liz:

Here’s an inexpensive, easy, and fun costume idea– a movie theater floor! We hot-glued empty candy and popcorn boxes, soda cups, straw wrappers, popcorn, wrappers, etc. to a black sweatshirt and beanie. It was a huge hit!

Sent from reader, Heather:

Just wanted to send you a quick pic of our brood’s Halloween Costumes this year. We LOVE Halloween, but it can get expensive so following the sales the past few months we were able to come up with costumes for all 4 of us and a pirate ship for under $30.

My son got his pirate costume from the Children’s Place sale you posted about a few weeks ago, with free shipping and cash back his costume came out to $14.57. My other son (the baby) was his parrot. I made the costume myself using a romper I bought on sale at carters for online for $6 (another sale with free shipping). I got the felt, eyes and fabric glue at Michael’s which was on sale and I paired with another 20% off entire purchase coupon you posted totaling a whopping $5. A few stitches later he had a great costume.

My crafty hubby made the pirate ship around our kiddo’s wagon with cardboard (free at the appliance store), tape (free during a Staples sale after coupons and rebate) and misc paint and parts we had lying around the house. I made the jolly roger flag with felt included from my Michael’s purchase.

And My husband and I who were also both pirates got our costumes totally free at a Costume Swap our Parent Group had! Everyone so far has loved our costumes more than those pricey store bought ones, my kids even won the costume contest at our local farmers market~! Thank you for always inspiring us to save creatively…See you can have fun on a budget!

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, Jillian:

I absolutely LOVE your website! And, I thought it might be helpful to remind all the Hip2Savers that you can find some really great deals at yard sales….and, in particular, community yard sales. There is so much more to choose from when there are a lot of sales in close proximity to one another. And, it’s much more efficient from a time and gas perspective!

Last weekend, I went to three community sales that were near my house. I couldn’t believe what I found……so many great brands including: Baby Gap, Gap, Justice, Mini Boden, Gymboree, Children’s Place, Old Navy, Carter’s, Nine & Co, Build-A-Bear and more! And, some of the items were brand new with tags!

Here is a picture of my haul……40 items in total…..and, my total cost was only $20!! I couldn’t believe it! There are quite a few items that would retail for over $20 EACH! I actually picked up a few items for people that I know who are on a limited budget and need clothes for their children! So, it is a very affordable way to help others and it is a fun adventure. You never know what you will find! Have fun!!

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, Amanda:

My now 5 year old little boy LOVES construction. This year, using some ‘hip tips’ from your site, we were able to make these super cute cupcakes for under $2 for 2 dozen!

Here’s how:

Buckets- Using our Oriental Trading rewards $ during the free shipping event that you posted about.
Stickers- $10 off any order at Shutterfly that you posted about.
Cupcake mix- Coupons that you posted about combined with a sale at our local grocery!
Sprinkled the tops of the white cupcakes with crushed animal crackers to be “digging in sand” and sprinkled the tops of the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate animal crackers to be “digging in dirt!”
The kids at the party had cute buckets and shovels to take home and play with after they ate their cupcakes! WOW!!! Thanks Collin!

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, Tiffany:

Hello. I thought this may be a great Happy Friday post. We were at CVS today and stumbled upon this box of cereal. This price is insane!!! Thank goodness we coupon, deal hunt and bargain shop as I’m pretty sure no Hip2Saver would ever pay this much for a box of cereal!

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, Abby:

For a few weeks now, I have been seeing a homeless woman sit outside of our post office every day with a sign that says she lost her job and is looking for work. Every time I drive by my heart goes out to her. I have talked to her and prayed for her in the past, but I decided I wanted to put together a bag of things for her. Because of all your Hip2Save tips, I was able to collect a good number of great items to give to her! I had lotions, nail files, nail clippers, body washes, makeup, toiletries, febreeze, a loofah, and even a cute bag to go with everything – all for almost free! Thanks to Hip2Save I am able to bless someone who is in great need. I hope others out there will use their “couponing abilities” to reach out to those who are in need. It’s such a simple way to let someone know you care!

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, Deborah:

I am doing some updates to my house and wanted to send in this awesome floor that I found. I am using brown paper……as in brown paper bag type paper. I bought the roll of brown paper for $10, a gallon of Elmer’s glue for $12, and a gallon of floor grade water based poly for $50………so I have a beautiful new floor for less than $80!!

If you get a moving packet from the post office, there is a 10% off Lowe’s coupon that will make it even less! I am putting it right on top of the vinyl that was there when I bought the house (which you can see in the picture, but what you can’t see is the ugly yellow stain that was running down the middle of 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, Jamie:

I am finally getting around to sending you this photo of all of my GREAT finds this year for school supplies. Each year I have a $10 budget for my donations and I see how far I can make it stretch through all of the deals out there. This year was exceptionally great as added to that $10, I received a $25 gift card to OfficeMax from the rewards program that I applied to school supplies, and a free $5 Office Depot gift card from the Wrapp promotion.

With my $10 cash and the two gift cards many promos, deals, rebates, MaxPerks rewards, etc. I was able to accumulate ALL of this stuff to donate to our local school. I give directly to the school that my family goes to and the teachers are so excited when we make our delivery each year! My little buddy (he is three) always is in tow with me collecting the deals and helps me make our annual delivery as well

I kept track of the retail value of all of these items and it amounted to over $700 worth of items! It sure takes a lot of time, energy, patience, and work to collect all of these goodies but each year that we do we are thrilled to be able to make school supplies one less stress on those hard-working teachers.

Thank you for all of the school supply posts that you have done it allowed me to be really organized this year and get everything accomplished. As a full time working attorney, mom to an energetic three year old, and wife every second counts! Your posts always allows me to use my seconds wisely and I wanted to say thank you for all that you do.

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.

Need even more inspiration to snag great deals on school supplies?! Be sure to check out my Staples Video here and my OfficeMax Video here. Happy shopping and saving!

Sent from Tera over at Adventures in Mommy-Hood:

With all the free pens available in the weeks leading up to the beginning of school, I bet a lot of your readers are like me: fully stocked up. In fact, I even skipped some of the free ones recently because I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. But my sister in law, inspired by the teacher gift I made using the cheap markers I picked up using a coupon at Walmart, came up with this fun teacher gift using pens. I just *love* puns

Both of these ideas can be adapted to fit pretty much any situation. And I can guarantee that a gift of markers or pens will be appreciated and used by your favorite teacher!

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, Brandy:

Today I received a surprise package from my thoughtful husband who is currently deployed to the desert. I opened the package and immediately cracked up. It totally made my day because it is so true and so me! I thought you would get a kick out of it as well!

Even though he is 6,000 miles away, he loves all the packages I have been sending for him with all the hip deals I learn about thanks to you and coupons! This last package was loaded with razors and goodies that I scored for free or better than free! He had this shirt made for me while he was just hanging out thinking of me. Hope it makes you laugh too!

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, April:

I did Teacher Survival Kits for my son’s teachers for Back to School Night. I used coupons for most of the items and made the baskets for around $5 each! They included:

* Bic Pens (free after $1 coupon)
* Paper Clips ($0.29 at Walgreens)
* Revlon Nail File ($0.69 after coupon)
* Deodorant (free after CVS coupon)
* Lint Brush ( Dollar Tree Item)
* Nivea Hand Creme ($0.99 at Ulta)
* Hand Sanitizer ($0.25 at Office Depot)
* Candy (free after CVS coupon)
* Gum ($0.50 after coupon)
* Basket (Dollar Tree Item)
* I also included some Post It Product Coupons that I snipped from last weeks paper

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, Kim:

This morning when we woke up, this is what we found in the yard. My mom turned 50 today and our friends have left her a gift (one we can use on someone else when they turn 50, or change it for another mile stone if need be). I think this is a riot and a unique way to say Happy 50th Birthday. Hope this will help someone else have a good day as well.

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 Jessica from Butter, With a Side of Bread:

Hello! I thought I’d share a fun little activity with you in honor of National S’mores Day today!

Our family created a solar oven out of a pizza box and voila- Solar S’mores! We learned a little science, ate a little chocolate- really, it was a win, win! I gave step by step instructions here. Kids do need help from grown-ups, but it was a pretty easy project.

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, Allison:

My husband’s grandparents just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary. A huge occasion to celebrate, for sure! Even though we knew it was going to be a big event, we didn’t want it to be a huge cost. So we did what we could, used things that we had, couponed, and smart-shopped our way to a much lower budget that it could have been.

First, we hit the clearance invitations at Michael’s. Combined with % off your entire purchase coupons, we saved over 50% on those. The couple of honor are very active in their church, so instead of sending every member an invitation (which would get super pricey), we posted one on their bulletin board and the pastor made sure to make an announcement to the congregation.

When it came to decorations, we scoured Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, Party City, Dollar Tree, and others, to get the best diamond anniversary theme products at a minimal expense.

For food, we hit the nearest warehouse club for produce, made our own finger sandwiches, bbq pork, meatballs, and more. The church hosted the event, and we were able to use their abundant supply of plates, platters, service items, pitchers, tables and chairs. It was truly a blessing to have a kitchen full of supplies for no cost!

And finally, my favorite piece. The giant “60″ photo collage! I scanned photos, both old and recent, onto my computer and printed them on regular paper in black & white. I cut the numbers out of plywood that I had laying around my basement using a jigsaw, then painted it white with paint left over from other projects. I used spray adhesive that I’ve had forever to adhere the pictures to the numbers, and then sealed it all with Mod Podge that I had bought at Joann’s for $5, using a 40% off a regular priced item coupon, making it $4.

The result was better than I could have hoped for, and everyone said it was a lovely event. Most importantly, my husband’s grandparents absolutely loved it, and now have a beautiful keepsake for their home.

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, Kim:

Does anyone out there know some little kid that just loves Angry Birds?? It seems that the ALL of them have an obsession with this fun phone game, right? Well, here’s how my children’s obsession manifested itself via the creation of our very own backyard version of the game. Though we didn’t plan on creating an Angry Bird game when we started, it seemed to just materialize…

This past weekend, we hosted a super-fun summer party for our kids and their friends. In trying to think of fun and budget-wise games for the party, I scoured my old Family Fun magazines for ideas. As I’m sure your readers know, Family Fun is a GREAT magazine, and I’m happy to report that my subscription was free thanks to a long ago post from Hip2save.

Anyway, in the magazine I stumbled across an old-fashioned ball tossing game whereby balls are used to knock over a pyramid of tin/steel cans. When I asked my sever yr old what she thought, she instantly said that it would be so much better if the game was like Angry Birds with the cans being pigs and the balls being birds. So, with a roll of green Frog Tape (painters tape that retails for approximately $8-10 for a HUGE roll) and some black and white Wet-n-Wild nail polish (which I got for FREE at Walgreens in June) we transformed tin cans (many of which I got from my neighbor) into little green pigs.

The kids enjoyed handing me the cans to tape up and they even got to help color on the eyes and noses. Using old tennis balls which we had on hand, I colored them with Sharpies (also free from last year’s back-to-school shopping) and created our Angry Birds. Overall, the making of the pigs was VERY easy and the total cost of the game was approximately $10, for the tape. However, I still have half a roll of tape left for future projects and the game we made will last for several more parties. Best of all, the kids LOVED the game.

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, Joy:

I have a dear friend who is turning 30 this year and wanted to do something special for her. I wanted to give her 30 things for 30 years, but I am on a tight budget. Thanks to Super Collin, I have a bunch of freebies and great deal items stocked up! I received the summer bag just this week and was so excited to have it to put everything in! I can’t wait to give this to her this week!

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, Jen:

I’ve written to you a couple times before about good deals that I’ve found, but I wanted to say thank you again and show you what I’ve been doing with the deals you’ve shown me. My husband and I had a beautiful baby boy last August. Dylan faced many struggles and we said goodbye on Oct 17th, after only two short months. (This is the VERY abbreviated story) Our son has inspired us to do so much more than we ever imagined.

We formed a March of Dimes team, Devoted to Dylan, and raised over $33,000 and finished 9th in the country. And with coupons, I have been buying shampoo, toothpaste, etc and making family care packages to donate to our local Children’s hospital (where Dylan was SO wonderfully cared for) that I’m calling Devoted to Dylan Family Packs. I just wanted you to know that you are helping me create these packs in honor of our sweet baby and wanted to thank you. I know that you like to post happy/upbeat stories on Fridays and I thought this was a good one

* For more about Jen’s story, check out her blog or click here.

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, Brittany:

The attached picture is evidence of a free date night thanks to tips and tricks I’ve learned from Hip2Save! My husband and I love to have a Friday night Date Night on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, due to a weekend out of town trip, we hit our “eating out” budget early. Still wanting to go out, I got a bit creative.

I had a left over gift card from a MyPoints redemption that had $8.69 left on it. That was my starting point. From there, I remembered I had banked quite a few points in my Viggle app. Since that is an instantaneous gift card, I redeemed those points and printed out another gift card for $15. THEN, using my best Hip2Save thinking cap, I checked Macaroni Grill’s website juuuust in case there was a coupon. Sure enough! If I signed up for emails, they would send me a $5 off coupon! So between my two gift cards from redeeming points and my coupon, we had $28.69. It turned out to be just enough for our delicious dinner when the bill totaled $28.39. Lastly, I rounded out my Hip2Save knowledge by how much to tip from the interactive guide you posted!

Thanks so much for helping me learn how to be creative and still be able to have a fun time! You will never know how much your website has impacted my life. Thank you for all the time you spend and “saving” knowledge you share!

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, Jesse:

Attached is a pic of the way my husband and I broke the news of our first pregnancy, via our two adopted pups. I got the idea from Etsy, but couldn’t afford $30+ each (and they don’t even make them in the Doberman’s size) for the fancy, ordered T shirts. So, I made my own. I hit up Hobby Lobby for the ultra cheap T shirts (heck, the pups will only wear these once) and used a Hobby Lobby coupon. I used fabric pens and Sharpies I’ve had on hand in the house for years. $8 for my (online) baby announcement, not bad!

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, Carissa:

I have been following hip2save for about a year, and I am amazed at how much money I can save by using coupons AND by being aware of freebies and deals!  In 20 minutes today, I scored all of this for $4!  I stopped at Walgreen’s to pick up my FREE 8X10 photo, I returned a FREE Redbox movie and scored a second FREE movie for tonight, I picked up a Cherry Berry Chiller at McDonald’s (coupon expires today) for FREE, and I grabbed a $4 Large pepperoni deLITE pizza from Papa Murphy’s (standard price on Friday in the summer).  When I got home, my 50 Shades book was on my doorstep from Amazon, purchased for FREE with a gift card from Swagbucks!  I am so thankful for your site and for all the work you do bringing us deals everyday!  Thank you, Collin!

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, Laura

My husband and I will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary tomorrow. Being the savvy shoppers we coupon for everything. I began couponing with my dad who was a banker as a child. We couponed so my mom could stay home and we could go on great vacations every year. We always had a stockpile and my sister and I would “unrotate” his stock just to get a rise out of him.

So when it came to planning our wedding last summer was no exception. We rented a lake house for the occasion so we had complete control over the menu and drink options. Renting it for the week also gave us a nice lakeside honeymoon destination!

We had a laid back affair with about fifty guests. We bought all of our appetizers with coupons (cheese and crackers, stuffed mushrooms and veggie trays). We used soda coupons and sales to offer soda to all of our guests free of charge. We were also able to have a limited open bar thanks to rebates offered on liquor last summer. I made all of the flower arrangements myself using free milk bottles from a local dairy and flowers from Trader Joes (only $3.99 per bouquet!) I bought my dress off the sale rack at David’s bridal. I even encouraged my bridesmaids to just wear a black cocktail dress and flip flops they already owned. My husband and my father bought suits at a buy one get one sale at Men’s Warehouse. Buying two suits was cheaper then renting one- go figure!

Since we began couponing two years ago our life has changed so much and for the better! We have paid off all of our credit card debt, opened and maintained a savings account and just purchased our first home last month. With the help from friends and family we collected enough free paint from the recent Ace promotion to paint every room in our eight room house for free! Living frugally and responsibly has made our lives better and will continue to for years to come! Thank you for everything you do Hip2Save.

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.