Happy Friday: Christmas is Going to the Dogs

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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! 😀


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

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Comments 43

  1. Jennifer C

    That is wonderful!!! Yes, let’s not forget the animals 🙂

  2. Kristen

    I need to know how you got this!!! We have ten dogs…gets pricey lol but so glad your helping those sweet little pets..I’m an animal lover 2! 🐶

  3. Kim

    Love this! That’s exactly what I do. I have no dogs and 2 cats, and I’m strict about what I feed them so most pet deals don’t work for me. But any time pet freebies are available I grab them up and donate!

  4. Catie

    This is really awesome!

  5. mj

    I almost started to coupon to save on pet food and I cant ever get any good deals and Im not saving any money …I wonder how that lady did this

  6. Kim

    I’m with you! I volunteer for Harney County Save a Stray and just recently sold raffle tickets for 2 large baskets to help them…thanks to Hip 2 Save I was able to fill 2 laundry baskets (That were free this summer at Rite Aid) with over $200.00 worth of pet products… I made over $150.00 to donate and only spent maybe $20.00 out of pocket! Thanks Hip 2 Save!

  7. David Clausi

    Very nice!

  8. Ang

    That is awesome! What a great idea!

  9. Donna

    You are an angel, Michelle! I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, all strays. I love animals so much and give monthly to our local animal shelter. Thank you for remembering the innocent animals – we must remember we are their voice!

  10. Taraneh

    I’d love to know how this user was able to do this! I haven’t found any couponing sites that have great match ups on deals for animals but I’d love to be able to purchase and donate things to my local animal shelter!!! Anyone have suggestions? Or can the user who sent this in share tips with us?!

    • Meme M.

      I did this same deal 🙂 There was a $10 off 1 Canyon creek dog food on their website about a month ago. It was 9.99 at Petco so free after coupons. And on the bags there were peelies for Get 2 cans of Canyon wet dog food with Purchase of the bag. So 2 cans for free as well. And also on the Petco site for members there was a $5 off 1 bag of Beneful dog food and Petco’s bags were 6.99. So I pd 1.99 for each bag of beneful. It was a great Deal and my dog is well stocked. Im not sure if this is the exact deal she did but Im pretty sure it was. If you are not a petco member you can easily sign up for a free membership on their page they always have great coupons 🙂

      • Gina

        Thanks for the tip about Petco. Didn’t know they had a membership program.

      • Karen

        I have 2 bags of the Canyon Ranch to donate too. You’re lucky your Petco let you use the peelie for 2 free cans. Mine didn’t saying I got the bag for free so the computer wouldn’t take the other coupons 🙁

  11. Caitlin

    Awesome! I rescue dogs and love seeing people reaching out to animals, especially during this time of year, when there’s so much stress on us to give to various organizations.

  12. Kayla G

    As an animal lover I always look for good deals for my pets and when I come across when my pets won’t use/like I donate it. Hope Hip2Save posts more pet deals in 2013!

    • Taraneh

      I agree Kayla! I’d love to see Hip2save do more pet posts in 2013!!

  13. Eryin Morrison

    Teach me! Not just for my kitties but I would love to help local shelters as well!

  14. Amber

    As a couponer as well, I would love to know how you are able to get the large bags of food? Where your shopping for them or any tips to help us other animal lovers help as well!

    • Crzycpnldy

      I would like to know as well. The best I can do is a couple bucks on a bag of dog food.

  15. Michelle

    The large bags of Beneful came from using Petco store coupon ($5 off any bag) and pairing it with a sale at Petsmart. This coupon is no longer available, however you can find new coupons each month from Petco.com. The Canyon Creek deal is listed above, paired with the Petco sale and $10 coupon Collin posted a while back.
    Best of all, the cashiers at Petco and Petsmart know we donate to the shelter and have never given me a hard time. In fact, sometimes they give us better coupons!

    • Mandy

      actually, the beneful coupon is still available. I just found it

  16. cara

    That’s so awesome Michelle! Thanks for remembering the animals 🙂

  17. Megan

    Another way to help shelter animals, and even your local veterinarian office is to donate your old towels, baby blankets, food dishes etc. Many of these items are needed for daily care and can get expensive. Dogs don’t mind if the blanket they’re laying on is stained or has holes in it!

    • Taraneh

      A lot of shelters will take newspapers as well (I believe for lining cages?)! I know most of us couponers have at least one newspaper a week and that adds up fast & I figure every little bit helps shelters!

  18. Annie

    Do they still have the beneful coupon?

    • Annie

      nvm i found it

      • KP

        I can’t find it, help please!

        • Cheri

          On petco main page, scroll all the way to the bottom. It is in the second column, it say petco coupons. HTH

        • Annie

          Search google and type in retailmenot petco. Someone posted it on there ! Have a great day 🙂

  19. Kellen

    This is fantastic! I also coupon some for my own groceries as I come across them, but my main purpose is collecting anything and everything my local Humane Society can use. I can’t tell you how much they appreciate it, and it is a way I can say thank you for how much I appreciate them! And have some fun doing it! I also have been able to find lots of great things and deals on Hip2Save I wouldn’t have otherwise. Thanks for everything you do!

  20. Savedbycoupons

    On a side note, please check with the shelters before you make purchases. When my daughter was in Girl Scouts, her troop wanted to help our local shelter. We were given a list of the types of food they would accept. They would only take the expensive animal food. I was surprised by that. They preferred old blankets. Just thought I would post this as I am an animal lover.

  21. DR

    I am picky with what I feed my dog, but have been cashing those free sample of foods when I can. I have yet to manage a good stock to donate, but I would love to have it. I mostly keep it in the car, when I see a homeless person with a pet companion I offer that to them. Gotta love the pets who stick with the forgotten. 2013 resolution: follow this sample and donate. Thanks for the tip.

    • Emily

      That’s another amazing way to give away dog food! Helping the homeless! I don’t have pets so I never clip those coupons but I’m going to try to do this in 2013 too!

  22. Misty Nicole Overstreet

    I love being able to do this as well. In my state, we are able to give to a local pet shelter and receive a small tax write off, though only a few hundred dollars we use these funds to coupon and stock pile food for the local pet shelter and the women and children’s home as well. Every bit helps!

  23. sue

    I’ve volunteered at animal shelters for years and while the shelter where I volunteer participates in the pet food program where they receive free dry food in exchange for giving new adopters a small bag of the sponsor’s food, they have a wish list for items they could use such as treats used in training, and operate a food/supply bank for low income residents with pets to help them keep their animals and not have to surrender them. They accept donations for the food bank year round. I’ve read that some food shelters also provide pet food. Most animal shelters also would love blankets and towels and dog/cat toys. In addition to actual shelters, volunteer rescue groups who foster animals in their homes often welcome donations of food and supplies to help out their fosters. Feral cat groups can also use cat food to feed the community (feral) cats. Petco typically has coupons on their website, often for 1 free dog and cat food item a month. You just need the coupon and to have signed up for their free rewards program. You can sometimes find bags of litter that end up being free after rebate and deeply discounted holiday themed pet toys after the holidays. The shelter dogs don’t care if they are playing with Santa toys in June! Thanks for remembering the animals! Many shelters and rescues operate on shoestring budgets and appreciate even small donations.

  24. Cindy

    Wow, very neat! I have two bags of the Canyon Creek Ranch dog food too and a few cans of cat food waiting to be donated. Hope my collection will get as big as yours someday. 🙂

  25. Brenda

    I’m happy to hear of so many people with a desire to help the animalsand who are using the tips on this website. Aside from our own indoor and outdoor kitties, we give what we can to a local organization who distributes food, blankets, toys, etc. to the pets of the homeless and very low income famlies. One of the resources we use is rebates. Recently there were rebates for Hill’s Science Diet and Avoderm. As one reader mentioned, Petco and Petsmart frequently post coupons for free cans of high quality food. If you are a PALS member, (Petco) you receive five dollars credit on every one hundred you spend online or in the store. I also receive coupons in the mail from these pet stores, sometimes for twenty-five percent off an entire purchase. We also took advantage of the Kohl’s Black Friday sale and purchased several fleece blankets regularly priced sixteen dollars each but with the sale, extra twenty perecent off, Ebates cash bach and Kohl’s cash, they ended up costing a little over two dollars each. We shipped some to New York emergency pet shelters and distributed the rest locally. We also purchased sveral yards of the fleece fabric at Joanne’s

  26. Suzy

    That is lovely, Michelle. 😀

  27. Mary Kraft

    Our local animal shelter also asks for office supplies, so in the fall when Staples and Office Depot have cheap or free supplies I stock up to donate. All year long the office stores offer cheap office paper. the shelters use a lot of paper mailing fliers. The shelter has a deal with a large dog and cat food supplier so they do not accept food. I donate to the food pantries for families that have pets. I like the idea of keeping a few bags in the car to give to people asking for donations on the street. They also go through a lot of bleach.

  28. Mary K

    Our local animal shelter also asks for office supplies, so in the fall when Staples and Office Depot have cheap or free supplies I stock up to donate. All year long the office stores offer cheap office paper. the shelters use a lot of paper mailing fliers. The shelter has a deal with a large dog and cat food supplier so they do not accept food. I donate to the food pantries for families that have pets. I like the idea of keeping a few bags in the car to give to people asking for donations on the street. They also go through a lot of bleach so watch for bleach deals.

    • Mary K

      Opps sorry!

  29. Becky

    Thank you guys for helping out your animal shelter, because I volunteer for the Humane Society and that is the only way they get their food most of the time. Thanks for giving people like you….I also wanted to let you know to price match Petsmart 10 days until Christmas deal at Walmart. I live in a small town and got to price match Whiskas cat food. It was only 31 cents a can as opposed to 59 cents a can!!!

  30. shellyb1202

    How did you get all of that for only $2.00 total?? I do the same thing, with the same coupons, getting the same food, and I always have to pay tax on everything, which can add up pretty quickly. The tax on those Canyon Creek Ranch bags is over $2 for each bag. Is there something I don’t know about? Some way to not have to pay tax if you are going to be donating the items?

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