Hip2Save This Holiday: Christmas Money Bags

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Hip2Save This Holiday Guest Post Submitted By Reader Salina…

Here’s an easy Christmas gift for people who have everything, or for family flying back home! My grandmother came up with “money bags” a few years ago since most of my family flies in for the holidays and can’t take big items home on the plane. Instead of just putting money in a card, she places rolled bills tied with festive ribbons in a ziploc bag adorned with some sort of Christmas cut-out. The notes on top vary, which is fun because you can be as creative as you want. The one pictured above was for my little cousin Sam and reads:

Gingerbread men with yummy icing, are oh so good and extremely enticing.
I set out to make you a dozen or two, but time ran out so now what to do?
SO instead of cookies I tied with a bow, your own personal serving of holiday dough!

It’s a super cheap, super easy idea and brings a smile to everyone’s face… plus, who doesn’t love money?


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Comments 41

  1. jan

    This is so cute and such a great ideal!!

  2. Jennifer

    That is so stinking cute!!!

  3. Alea

    Super cute idea!!!

  4. Ashley

    Wow! I’d love a money bag for Christmas! Nice way to make giving money more thoughtful looking than the usual cash in a card.

  5. kathy

    Such a cute and creative way to give a cash gift! Thanks for sharing!

  6. joly

    this is a good idea!!!

  7. May

    I’ve done that, but rolled up dollar bills and decorated a mini tree.

    • Patricia N.

      I love your idea of a Christmas money tree. We used to do this at work when someone retired. We would accordion pleat the paper money, tie the middle with a ribbon and put them on the tree. Looks like a bunch bow ties on the tree and very festive.

  8. darla

    great idea!!

  9. alison

    We do money books. Ones, twos, fives, tens stacked up and rubber cemented (on the top) together with a personalized cover and back. The money tears out easy for use.

  10. Rona

    Great idea i love it!

  11. JJ

    Oh goodness!! Must show to family for my upcoming graduation on Saturday! All I hear is how hard I am to shop for! Thanks for sharing!!

    • Char

      I did this for my nephew’s graduation…they looked like diplomas.

      • JJ

        That is too cute, Char!! Thanks for sharing!

  12. resalemaiden

    I love it !

  13. Nikki

    My goodness I like this idea…
    hubbs sisters always get $100.-that’s alot of rolling lol!

  14. amanda

    I’ve also seen it done with balloons (to mail to a loved one). Roll up the bills, place inside a balloon and blow it up. The box shouldn’t cost much to mail because it will be very light. How fun to pop balloons and see what’s inside!

    • JR

      Like this idea!

  15. Valerie

    We celebrate Hanukkah in my family, so that would be a very sweet idea, since giving GELT is the norm. I’ll mix it with all the chocolate Hanukkah gelt!

  16. JR

    One of my favorite childhood memories..My aunt wrapped a roll of toilet paper. When I opened it, I was dumbfounded…turns out the whole roll had dollar bills taped inside and then rolled back up! I loved this gift and plan on doing to my child this year!

  17. Mo

    that’s such a cute poem! thanks for sharing!

  18. Mel

    Love this! It’s a fun twist for teenagers who really only want money anyway.
    Anyone have a creative birthday poem for a money bag?

  19. Jessica

    That is so cute! I always feel like money is not a thoughtful gift even though my college and high school aged family would much prefer to receive that. I am going to do this!

  20. Kele B

    I love it! We planned on gift cards but this is in a way more thoughtful!

  21. Ketsy

    This is a cute idea for teenagers… Not so much kids!

  22. Jena

    If anyone else is looking for more poem options like I was…here are a few options:

    Been from store to store
    Looking for just the right gift
    I couldn’t find it anywhere
    It really had me miffed
    And so I decided
    After making my mad dash
    The best thing I could give you
    Would be some cold hard cash.

    It was time to go shopping,
    Didn’t know what to do
    Wanted to get something
    Perfect, as special as you.
    As I sat there in panic,
    The answer came in a flash—
    Along with warm, loving thoughts
    Give the kid COLD, HARD CASH!

    • Karri

      Thanks for the different poems, I always have a hard time coming up with them.

    • Karen Thomas

      LUV IT:)

    • angela

      Thanks for the poems!!

  23. Belinda

    Sorry but I can’t help myself. Rolled up dollar bills seems more like a New Year’s Eve party favor.

    • Elaine

      I’m coming to your party then! Sorry I couldn’t help myself either.

  24. Crystal

    What a cute idea. Thanks

  25. Joanne

    wow! GREAT idea! I love it~! I’ll definitely use this one 😉

  26. shanshan

    No rolled up dollar bills for me, no time! Will roll $5 and $10 instead.

  27. Tara

    This is a fantastic idea! I’ll do this for my sisters this year 🙂

  28. kathleen

    I love pinterest and came upon a similiar idea I am using for my stepson. Use a bag with a count on it (such as at the dollar store they have christmas items that have say “20” items inside and says “20 count” on the front. Then roll up $20 worth of money and put a to & from tag over the ornignal name of the product inside the bag. Gives an idea of how much is inside and a fun way to give it without having to come up with a poem. Just another idea.

  29. Gabby

    I love this, but for my teenager I bought a really cheap box of chocolates and replace the chocolates with money. He will be so surprise!

  30. Michele

    I got a similar gift for our wedding. They purchased a crystal candy dish and inside they had “candy wrapped” (colored plastic wrap twisted on both ends like candy) $1 coins. It was a a lot of fun to open.

  31. laury kossoff

    I emptied out a square box of tissues.Then I taped $1 bills end to end. I stuffed the tissue box with the taped money and taped the end to the lid and wrote on the lid “Don’t BLOW it all in one place”. When the birthday boy (man) opened the lid, he pulled out a LONNNNGG string of dollar bills ($20). It was very funny seeing his face when he thought I bought him a box of kleenex. I saw it on pinterest and couldn’t wait to try it. I’m going to do it at my Chanukah party gift exchange. https://www.lovezilla.net/2012/03/15/dont-blow-it-all/

  32. Jeanine

    Very cute idea, I’m just too lazy to do something like this though. I buy those little stockings or money envelopes to put money in and call it a day.

  33. Jenny

    That’s A good idea May. Make sure no one steals your money!!😂😂

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