Happy Friday: Frugal Birthday Surprises
Sent from reader, Callie:
I am so grateful for all the deals you post! As a sixteen year old girl in a family of six, it’s hard to find (and afford) presents for everyone in my family without having to save up all year! 🙂 When my dad’s birthday comes on Groundhog day, I’m always scrambling to find a present for him, usually out of ideas from Christmas.
This year, I had absolutely nothing for him, and this morning, when he was opening up presents that my sisters had made or bought with their Christmas money, I felt bad. Then, I saw your post about the $10 Dunkin’ Donuts bonus. I went and searched all our gift cards until I found a DD one (harder than it sounds ;)), and downloaded the app on my iPod. When the bonus appeared, along with the free drink for signing up, I was able to take him out on a daddy-daughter date!! We rented a movie from Redbox using a free code you posted, and got the free coffee from Chick-fil-a. In addition to that, we had won a $25 Moe’s gift card from a contest; therefore, the whole family was able to eat dinner, get coffee, order two dozen doughnuts, and watch a movie for about $1.80 total. Plus, I still have the free DD drink coupon for my dad to use one morning on his way to work! Not a bad birthday present.
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
[h2s_box width=”2″ style=”dashed” color=”#E87909″]
Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo to share?! Email us at happyfriday@hip2save(dot)com. Every Friday, we post one photo, submitted by a Hip2Save reader, that gives us a glimpse into their frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile. If your photo is published on Hip2Save, we’ll email you a $10 Amazon e-card![/h2s_box]
What an amazing young lady, I think she’ll be a CEO of a big huge important company in a few years, due to her smarts already!
And a Big Hand for Colleen and her team @ Hip2Save because they help a lot of families.
This brings such a smile to my face. Too many people in our generation (I’m 22) get caught up in how much is spent on a gift. The way I see it is that by being thrifty I can give more for the same price (or less). Way to go! High five!
Well said!
LOVE it!
Ok. my eyes started to water reading this! What a thoughtful, amazing young lady you are. Your parents are very lucky to have you! Best wishes!
You are a sweetie!!!!
You’re an amazing young lady!
What a sweet present……and I bet it was your dad’s favorite because he got to spend quality time with you:) Thanks for sharing with us!!
Way to be frugal, girl!! And LOOK! Now you’ve won a $10 Amazon for being featured here! Woot woot!!
What a great story! You should be proud of yourself…I’m sure your parents already are!
What a thoughtful, smart girl! I’ll bet her parents are very proud of Callie.
This reminds me of when my sister and I were about 6 and 7 years old and were trying to buy a Christmas present for everyone in our family with a total of $2 to spend. It was about 1967 and there were 7 in our family but we did it with a penny or two to spare. It was a great feeling!
Thanks for sharing Collin and Callie!
What a nice daughter! Such awesome ideas for a birthday present on a dime.
Great story! You’re such a great daughter! Perfect gift.
How can u save so much?
The best gift you gave your Dad was him knowing that you will be able to take care of yourself when you leave home one day.
Great! Way to go young couponer!
Awesome!!!!
You sound like an awesome teenager!!! I have tears of joy in my eyes reading this. You are so sweet and I know your parents must be so proud of you!
What a sweet daughter! Sounds like you are part of a wonderful family!
Love this! Pretty impressive for 16:)
Blessings to this young lady and her family xoxo What a wonderful daughter you are!!!
Those are the best presents! It came from the heart and didn’t spend barely anything! Plus you got it for the whole family. Very sweet and unselfish of you! Bless you Callie!
This post warmed my heart. THank you for sharing Collin. And way to go Callie, you are an amazing young lady.
Onions!! Onions everywhere!! 😂 ((ok, so maybe it’s just my tears…)) What a wonderful daughter you are , Callie. I can only hope that I can teach my daughters to be as resourceful, kind-spirited and thoughtful as you have shown yourself to be. Well done!!
Awesome, dam now im craving dunkin doughnuts.
Lovely story!
Good for you Callie. You are a wonderful daughter! Love this story.
So sweet
great presents sounds so nice and heartfelt and it goes to show you its not about how much things cost.
I think it’s insane this girl is 16!! I just learned about couponing at 25 amd I have been married since I was 18. Good for you girl!
After seeing this post .. I wAnts to share my happiness with you Collin.
I am a housewife with h4 visa. So I am not eligible to do any job in USA. Every time and in any occasion my husbend take cares of everything. I use to feel bad i am not giving any gift to him in his birthday or in our marriage day…. So on. But in last year first Time I found your website for my new born girl daiper deal. I felt lucky day that day.. That day I don’t know not only that day.. Most of the days are my lucky days in future.. I earned 50 dollers in ebates, total 75 dollers gift cards from Boddlup, most saving on daipers for my baby, forgot share I bought 3 shirts in Macy’s presented him fin his birthday which I was won in Macy’s instant game. I took my family for morning bf in DD with same dunkin bonus. I forgot to tell for DD bonus I used coke rewards DD card( which is also learnt from your blog). In routine day time my most of the time in you blog only.. Waiting wat next deal is coming.. What I am going to saving… . I am very happy finding such a nice blog and helping me to feel pleasant.
I don’t know much English .. If any spelling and sentence mistakes.. Please apologize.
Awh great for you archana! You are doing great for yourself. God bless you, your baby, and husband. <3
Thank you Jackie
Well done Archana. godbleas u and your family 🙂 wishing u all the best. Btw, your English is very good 😉
Great job. 🙂
Way to go, Archana! You write very well in English and you seem like a great couponer, as well! Most of us wouldn’t even attempt to read a blog or comment in another language. All the best to you and your family!
Thank you all!
Archana, awesome job. Being new to this country i am amazed at the efforts you put into couponing. You are brave. And between your english is awesome! 🙂
Very sweet! Smart girl! You really don’t need an expensive gift to prove that you love them, this is an awesome gift.
So sweet! <3
What a wonderful birthday present for your dad! You are a sweet, thoughtful and smart young lady. Your parents must be so proud of you. This post totally made me smile! XO
Great job, Callie! What a sweet, thoughtful, and intelligent girl! What a gift you are to your family!
One tip I have for you is to start doing swagbucks. My son did this and was able to pay for all of his college books and more! Best of luck!
Callie,
You are awesome! What a great birthday for your whole family! I always have extra coupons and would love to mail them to you and your family if you’d like them. If so, please email me at tina101177 @ gmail.com
Keep up the great work 😄
Tina
So impressive! I hope my (now 9 yr old daughter) can be like that when she’s your age! You’ll be so grateful you have these skills as you get older. Way to go!!:)
So sweet!!!
Awesome scores!
Wow!!! Very impressive! Coming from a parent those are the best gifts!! Way to go!
Well done, Callie! Collin, you deserve a lot of credit here, too, for making saving fun and relevant to the younger generation!
I love this story. What a sweet, caring daughter.
Callie, I am mostly impressed that a 16-year-old can write so well, so much better than most posts I see from adults. Good grammar and spelling will serve you well!
I wish there was a like button because that’s simply amazing. It would also be cool if there was a section to post comments like this outside of emails you recieve. You could highlight the ones that stand out on the start up screen, but it would be cool to read all the same wonderful success stories as you do! It would also be cool to have a place to offer codes or coupons we just are not going to use.
Wait did I read the story right….you are having trouble making ends meet yet you own a $1000. IPOD ? Seriously…I guess our families priorities are slightly different.
Good fiction though!
What iPod model
Costs $1000???? The last time I bought one it was a few
Hundred
No, you did not read that story right AT ALL.
Apparently I didn’t read it right..? What the heck are y’all talking about.. I didn’t even see her mention anything about buying an iPod?
A) iPods do NOT cost $1,000
B) YOU have no idea how she got the iPod – could have been a gift from a relative, could have been from a summer job
Do us all a favor & keep your uninformed judgments to yourself.
Ya that story warms my heart (lol)…and their welfare check comes out of my taxes.
HEALTHY DIET THOUGH..coffee and donuts.
Dang! This girl mentions having to buy gifts for a large family and y’all take that to the extreme..I think this is an awesome post, I’m not sure why some people on here are so grouchy?
This is an amazing story! You have your priorities more in order than many adults I know. Way to go!
Great story! It sounds like a fun day and you were also able to include the rest of your family on some the treats too. Way to go!
Great job! I also grew up in a family of six and it can be tough getting everybody something. That was so thoughtful and resourceful of you. Your dad must be very proud!
love this young lady!!
Wow! You go girl. Have an awesome life ahead.
What a sweet story! Congrats and best of luck to and your family savings! I am sure you will have continued success no matter what you do in life with the mindset you currently have!