Check out this email that I received from reader, Margaret….

I know I cannot be alone. I’m just wondering how other people handle the inevitable slump. I just don’t feel like clipping coupons, checking deals, or driving to various stores to get the deals — even though I am on such a tight budget that it’s a must. I skipped a week here or there over Christmas hoping it would help me get my mojo back. But here it is the second week of January (or is it the third) and I am still in a slump, a funk, or whatever. How do others shake that sluggishness and reclaim their get-up-and-go???

On a fairly regular basis, I receive emails (like the one above) from couponers that either say they are on coupon burnout or that they want to give up completely. They want to throw in the towel and the coupons! They’ve had a bad experience with a mean cashier, their coupon beeped, they’ve invested 5 hours organizing and still don’t know what is what, they’ve over-spent at the grocery store because their coupons didn’t scan properly, the person behind them in the checkout line scowled and glared, they just don’t feel like clippin’…. and the list goes on and on and on.

I know from experience that couponing can definitely present a variety of challenges, but I also know that in the long run, it is absolutely worth it! Have you ever fallen into a Couponing Slump? If so, please share your tips, suggestions, and advice for how you have climbed out of it. I can’t wait to read all of your words of motivation, inspiration, and wisdom!

* I am also excited to mention that I will be starting a new series in the next few weeks on simplifying couponing and making it feasible for everyone, so stay tuned!

How many of you have made a resolution to more effectively organize your finances and/or life in general this year? I am guessing that quite a few of you are looking to improve your organizational methods, as I have received many emails in the last few days regarding this topic. As a result, I decided to put together a post with some organization tools to help you get started. Please feel free to mention other organizational tools that you are fond of in the comment section below.

* FREE Coupon Savings Tracker Spreadhsheet
Head over here to download this spreadsheet for free (available for Microsoft Excel 2010, Microsoft Excel  2003-2007, or Open Office). Just go in and enter the information from your receipts and you can keep track of how much you are saving and how much you are spending.

* FREE Online Money Management Tool
Head over to Mint.com to create a budget, categorize your purchases and more – for FREE!

*FREE Downloadable Calendars, Meal Planners, To Do Lists, and More
- Head over to MommyTracked.com where you can download lots of free (and super cute!) schedules, checklists and more to keep you organized in style!
- Also, be sure to head over to IHeartOrganizing to check out her adorable and free printables. The Morning School Routine Printables and Bedtime Routine Printables are great to print and hang up for your kiddos.

* Consider joining FlyLady for FREE
Join FlyLady and you’ll receive daily FLYmail with lessons that will guide you through babysteps to help you set up routines, get rid of your clutter, and put your home and life in order.

How about you? Do you have any organizational tips and tricks to share with all of us?

If you’re still in need of a last minute teacher’s gift that is budget-friendly (and healthy!), check out this email that I received from reader and teacher, Jamie…

Every year at around this time, I see readers posting questions about what hip gifts to get teachers during the holiday season. I am a teacher and I would like to start by saying that absolutely nothing is expected from families this time of year. But, it is a nice surprise when parents send a card to school with students or something to say thanks for what you do. In a season where candy and cookies are almost unavoidable – this year I received the best teacher gift ever. A parent sent a fresh pineapple with a bow to school for each of their student’s teachers. I just thought that was a thoughtful healthy gift that I really appreciated.

I know that pineapple coupons periodically come available on Coupons.com and when paired with a sale this could be an inexpensive gift to let them know that they are appreciated.

Thanks for passing this idea along, Jamie! Also, if any of you have any last minute frugal teacher gift ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments below. Thanks so much!

Ohhh… I am so excited that my favorite time of the year is fast approaching! I absolutely love fall…I love the cool, crisp air; love how the trees change colors; love the scent of pumpkin pie etc. I also love that one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, is almost here. Although I would like to make creative and budget-friendly costumes for each of my kiddos, I am often at a loss as to where to start. So this is where you come in! If you have successfully made a Halloween costume in the past, please share your ideas, tips and tricks with all of us. If you are a fan of purchasing costumes, where is your favorite place to shop?

Plus, check out the awesome creation pictured above that reader, Lars, put together for her kiddos…

My son is three and in love with Thomas the Train so of course he wanted to be that for Halloween. I didn’t see any costumes that I liked, so decided to make something myself.  I think it turned out pretty good! I borrowed the wagon from a friend, got the boxes from another friend who had moved, used a 5 gallon bucket we had from our food storage and covered it in cereal boxes that I painted.  I got the paint and electrical tape from Lowes using my $10 off $10 email coupon.  I also bought a conductor hat (not pictured).  Total cost: less than $8! Pretty cheap for two costumes and they love it of course!

On a side note, I’m also always looking for creative Halloween treats and snacks too! If you have favorite Halloween recipes, please share them in the comments!

Check out the email that I recently received from reader, Cindi…

Hi there! My husband and I love using your site to find great deals for movies, dinner, and date nights… but when it comes to paying the babysitter, sometimes we feel like no matter how much we save on our night out we just can’t afford the high babysitting rates! So I would love to know what other Hip2Savers think is fair. Also, would it be weird to pay the babysitter in movie tickets and other merchandise that I can find a hot deal on?

So, this is where YOU come in! Please share your thoughts and opinions with us.

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 recently 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?

(Thanks to reader, Nichole, for sharing this guide with me!)