Who’s Ready for 2021?!
So long, 2020! 👋 Despite all the 💩 (and NO TP to clean it up!), we are filled with gratitude. 💕
The end of 2020 is finally in sight, and although it may feel like we’re limping across the finish line, there’s cause for celebration too. This was a year like no other, but it’s been an absolute privilege to get through it together with all of YOU!
The kindness all of you readers show for each other, for the whole Hip2Save team, and for me personally lifts my spirits every single day. Thank you! Experiencing that connection and sense of community was truly a bright spot throughout this challenging year, and I hope you’ve felt it too. ❤️
The far-reaching effects of the coronavirus pandemic were a poignant reminder that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, as they say. It’s about learning to dance in the rain, or maybe even in a poop emoji costume. 💩 We’re going to carry that lesson with us into 2021, but first, we’re taking a look back on the last 12 months.
(If I was a bird, I know who I’d poop on. Looking at you 2020! 💩 – Stetson)
We’ve all had quite a busy year with over 166 million views on the site, over 22k posts, and generated over 210k comments. 😱 We were the busiest on November 27th (hello, Black Friday!) with over 1.3 million page views! We’re so appreciative of our Hip2Save community and how much you’ve engaged with us during 2020. ❤
Here are our 2020 highlights!
Highs & Lows From 2020
The Highs
- Family came first. Spending more time at home surrounded by my family had its own set of highs and lows, but having the opportunity to reconnect was such a blessing in disguise. We found fun things to do to pass the time and our bond is now stronger than ever to carry through into the many years to come!
- Living in loungewear. Looking back on 2020, it’s easy to see that this year was full of countless challenges, but one of my favorite silver linings was being able to spend every single day in loungewear without guilt! 😂 We have some new favorite pajama brands now too, like Latuza and Sioro! Plus, did you see our post about our favorite pajamas and this one on our fave rompers and jumpsuits?
- Seeing people rally around small businesses during a difficult year. This year was particularly challenging for small businesses and restaurants, but they kept adapting to a rapidly-changing situation and finding inventive new ways to serve their customers. Meanwhile, our readers amazed us by finding creative ways to support their local businesses at a time when their communities needed them the most.
- We launched some fun challenges & series. We decluttered with a 4-Week Cleanout Challenge, got hydrated with a month-long Water Challenge, tried our best to stick to the 30-Day Dine-In Challenge, toned our booties with a month-long Glute Bridge Challenge, caught some much-needed ZZZs with our month-long Sleep Challenge, and tightened up our financial game with our Financial Boot Camp series.
- We perfected our quarantine cooking and baking. Since we couldn’t really go out, we spent a lot more time in the kitchen. Coming across countless viral recipes and cooking hacks, we simply couldn’t resist trying them all, and many were home runs! Make sure to keep reading through this post for a list of our most popular recipes of the year!
- We were reminded that laughter really is the best medicine. As always, Stetson was a human highlight reel of deal-shopping, taste-testing, and general good times, and he didn’t let a global pandemic slow him down one bit. He showed up often to shoot fun Facebook and Instagram stories, spreading smiles and laughs from behind his mask. We also went ahead with our annual April Fool’s Day celebration and giveaways, and it felt really good to laugh amidst so much uncertainty.
- We celebrated 1 MILLION Facebook fans with a fun giveaway. Early in 2020, Hip2Save passed a big milestone when we welcomed aboard our 1 millionth Facebook fan! I am so incredibly grateful for each and every member of our amazing Hip2Save community, and we celebrated with a fun Amazon gift card giveaway.
- Getting personal on Instagram. It’s been so amazing to be able to connect with readers in a more personal way via Instagram. That’s where I find myself sharing more intimate stories from family life, giving readers a peek behind the scenes at Hip2Save, and using a PG-13 doughnut to tell the story of 2020. 😉
- Connecting with readers in more ways than ever. This year, I started texting back and forth with many of you awesome readers, and this is now one of my favorite ways of connecting with the Hip community! It’s been so much fun chatting with you about all the hottest deals and answering your questions. If you haven’t signed up for texts from me yet, head on over here to learn how! It’s easy!
The Lows
- The human suffering caused by COVID-19. We’ve all been affected by the coronavirus in one way or another. Even those of us who haven’t experienced illness or the loss of a loved one have endured feelings of uncertainty, worry, sadness, isolation, financial hardship, and missing out on important events.
- The impact of COVID-19 on the world of retail. For a while, nearly everything was closed, and some restaurants and stores never recovered. Ruby Tuesday, Chuck E. Cheese, Pier 1, J Crew, Gold’s Gym, JC Penney, Hertz, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant, Catherine’s, Justice, GNC, Art Van Furniture, Earth Fare, and Papyrus either filed for bankruptcy or went out of business this year. We also experienced supply chain issues, mass shortages, shipping delays, and restricted shopping hours at brick and mortar retailers.
- Learning to speak COVID. Is it just me, or does it feel like we’ve all learned to speak a different language this year? Here are things I never thought we’d be saying on a daily basis, but they’re now a regular part of the English language, unfortunately:
- the ‘Rona
- quarantine
- flatten the curve
- social distancing (6 feet!)
- new normal
- lockdown
- community spread
- contract tracing
- super spreader
- contactless delivery
- WFH
- PPE
- N95
- Zoom
- virtual learning/family gatherings/happy hour
- drive-by birthday parties
- COVID bubble (your “safe” circle of ‘Rona-free family and friends, AKA your “quaranteam”)
- learning Pod
- maskne (those pesky mask-induced pimples)
- coronababies (another silver lining… a coronababy boom could be coming soon!)
- COVID-15 (weight gained during quarantine)
Last year at this time, we had never even heard of some of these terms, and now many of them are a part of daily life. I hope that by next year at this time, we’ll be well on our way toward putting the language of COVID-19 behind us for good.
Top Deals From 2020
These deals were simply too good to pass up, based on popularity among our readers and team members who actually bought them! Note that these hot buys are no longer available.
Reader & Team-Favorite Deal: TWO Free Slices of Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake w/$25 Gift Card purchase
What can we say – Hip2Savers love their cheesecake! Getting two free slices of our favorite dessert was one of the most popular (and yummy) deals of the year!
I asked our team what their favorite deals were, and here’s what they had to say:
- “I was so pumped to scoop up a new garbage disposal for my kitchen renovation! I was looking to get an InSinkerator brand one, but this was an insane deal and had way better reviews. My mom ended up getting one too!” – Emily
- “I bought one of the Waste King garbage disposals, too! Is it proof that your HIP addiction is out of control when you get up on your day off and buy a garbage disposal of all things, for crying out loud?! I also scored an early Black Friday deal on a $88 TV from Walmart. My fam laughs about both, but I’m still soooo happy about those purchases! 😂” – Lori
- “One of my favorite deals of 2020 was definitely Kroger’s $5 Candle Day sale in December. Every jar candle in the store was just five bucks, including the large Yankee candles – no coupon needed! 😱” – Bryn
- “I loved getting the free People Magazine subscription! I also loved all the freebies for first responders that were offered this year.” – Erica
- “My most recent fave deal would have to be this light strip from Amazon. I bought one for my hubby for Christmas thinking he’d put it behind his credenza where he keeps his record player, but he stuck them to the back of the TV, while I cringed the whole time, and turns out… we LOVE it! You can’t see any wires from the front or the side (which is a HUGE pet peeve of mine) and it looks SO neat, especially when we’re watching a movie. He put it up on Christmas Day and we can’t stop talking about it… LOL!” – Cass
- “I got the light sets that Cass mentioned for my boys too and all three are obsessed. We put them on the living room TV and on the boys’ gaming set up. They’re awesome! I also used a 20% off coupon from my baby registry to get these giant boxes of diapers for just $12.49 each. I totally bought one in each size!” – Alana
- “The Giant Charmin rolls! 😆 I ordered the starter kit when we posted that deal at the end of 2019. Come February, my son said he loved those rolls and asked me to order more. I went online and they were giving an extra discount if you bought 12 rolls (a year’s supply). I thought ‘why not’… and then, of course, 2020 happened and it was the best decision ever! It was 12 rolls and we still have 2 left. So when everyone was having trouble with getting TP, I had it covered with my forever rolls!” 🧻 – Jen
- “My Walmart+ membership is probably the best thing I bought all year long. It has saved me SO much time and money and I haven’t had to actually go inside a Walmart since March!” – Jenna R.
- “I loved the crazy good Coach deals we posted during the week of Black Friday! This coach wristlet for $23 was an insane price so I bought a few to gift. I also sent my mom a link to the sale and she got me the cutest leopard Coach crossbody and a tote for my sister-in-law for Christmas. I also grabbed these leggings that the amazing Lina spotted at Costco. Pretty much anything she buys I grab too and haven’t been steered wrong yet. The fabric is so soft and the quality really surprised me! I got one in every color! 😆” – Jessica
- “I’m loving my Apt 9 jeans, my $35 Keurig from Walmart’s Black Friday sale, and Disney+! When we first ran the Disney+ promo, I signed up for 3 years on the cheap! Then, Verizon had a promo for another free year. Now I have Disney+ for 4 years and don’t have to worry about the monthly cost. My adult kids in Idaho and Washington also use my plan, so big savings for them!” – Jen
- “I agree with Disney+! I did the 3-year deal as well and we use it daily! Plus, they are raising the price next year and I don’t have to worry about it for a few years! Also, this may sound super boring, but it’s something we use daily – Listerine! It’s usually $5+ a bottle so anytime I can find a deal on it, I buy it. Especially if I can grab it for free! I grabbed three of these when they were free, and then I was recently able to get five more bottles using this deal too!” – Chelsea L.
Our Instagram followers shared some of their favorite deals of the year too…
- A Razor kids’ motorbike for $150!! All the Target deals/codes aligned! – cebhoff
- An XL $39 Air Fryer for $39 – stlucia01
- Hidden Hearth & Hand clearance at Target – up to 70% off! – summerleighandersons
- Makeup brushes from Amazon – guerami
- The Ulta deals made Christmas gifting easy and I saved SO much!! Thank you to your whole team! – jacrazybaker
- An iPad in February for the 2019 Black Friday price – a lucky lifesaver for school/COVID! – robinvellacott
- You all scored me an amazing deal on a Nerf gun ($29, originally $70) and my nephew loved it! – jlcxv4
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer – bentracynyder
- The $99 Blackstone griddle – julie.wendt
- The off-brand throw. I love that thing and want to get more but my husband says no – too many! – kelc_parker
- I bought two huge king-size down comforters for $40 + shipping for me and my parents. – shelethersoulshine
- Got a Nespresso for $75 at Target with their 40% off Target circle offer. – anna83113
- I saved SO much money on Christmas gifts just by listening to your stories – THANK YOU! – bascue
- Favorite deals this year are the Hip2Save giveaways – I won!! No deal like FREE! – als12
Other insanely hot deals and freebies we shared in 2020:
- FREE Eco-Friendly Clif Bar Water Bottle
- Bath & Body Works Annual Candle Day Sale
- American Eagle Jeans Only $19.99 (Regularly up to $90)
- 75% Off Home Decor During Hobby Lobby’s Semi-Annual Sale
- FREE 500 Robux eGift Card for Verizon Members
- Free Thanksgiving Dinner Bundle After Ibotta Cash Back at Walmart
- 50 Non-Medical Disposable Face Masks Only $10 Shipped (Just 20¢ Per Mask)
- Walmart Black Friday Deal: Up to $150 Off Roku Smart TVs
- $10 Off $20+ Amazon Purchase for Select Accounts
- Score FREE Panera Bread Coffee & Tea Daily with a FREE 3-Month Panera+ Subscription!
Top Tips & Helpful Posts From 2020
Your favorite frugal tips, tricks, and hacks to make life a bit easier and save you some money!
Most loved: Hey, Parents! These Companies Hire 14- and 15-Year Olds
This year, we had a lot of interest from parents who wanted to help their young teenagers look for work. We also heard from so many kind-hearted teens who wanted to find a job so that they could help their families during a financially difficult year.
Other popular tips:
- 3 Ingredient DIY Puffy Sidewalk Paint
- 11 of the Best Lululemon Dupes on Amazon
- A Second Stimulus Check Is Likely Coming Starting December 28th
- Help Teachers Clear Their School Supply List
- 10 Legit Apps That Pay You to Shop
- Don’t Fall For This Amazon Scam – Here’s What Happened to Me!
- How Much to Tip in Every Situation – From Your Hairdresser to Pizza Delivery to a Massage Therapist
- Ex-Goodwill Employee Shares How to Save DOUBLE at Thrift Stores
Top Recipes From 2020
One of the quarantine’s silver linings was having more time for cooking, baking, and trying new things in the kitchen! This year we expanded our dinner rotation, tried new desserts, and tested viral kitchen hacks.
Most popular: 25 Easy Crockpot Recipes
Meals couldn’t be easier thanks to the trusty slow cooker! And with this roundup, you’ll have nearly a month’s worth of Crockpot meal ideas.
Other popular recipes of 2020:
- Easy 3-Ingredient Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
- 4-Ingredient Shamrock Pretzel Treats
- Serve 4 Different Cheese Dips on 1 Sheet Pan
- Viral Whipped Instant Coffee Hack
- Apple Dump Cake
- Viral Oreo Mug Cake Recipe & You Only Need 2-Ingredients
- Genius Breakfast Hack – Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Crazy Simple 2 Ingredient Air Fryer Bagels
- Hack a Box of Cake Mix to Make it Taste Like it Came From a Fancy Bakery
Top Products From 2020
These are a few of our favorite things… and readers loved them too!
Most Popular: Flex Menstrual Cup
This Flex Menstrual Cup is the period product that’s eco-friendly, easy to use, and a HUGE money saver! Not to mention better for your health.
Other popular products of 2020:
- Swedish Dishcloths
- Gold Bond Anti-Chafing Stick
- Traeger Renegade Pro Pellet Smoker
- Sallye Ander’s “No Bite Me” Bug Repellent
- Blackstone 36″ Griddle
- Personalized Name Necklace
- Amazon’s Lululemon Legging Dupes
- Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser
- Dawn Powerwash Dish Soap Spray
Here’s to a new year full of hope, happiness, and plenty of toilet paper! 🙌
We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2021 and we hope you will continue on with us into the new year feeling hopeful, positive, and ready for more amazing deals, tips, recipes, and so much more!
See you in 2021! 🎉
Praying for a much better 2021 for everyone!
🙏
Me too! ❤️
Thanks Hip2Save! Y’all are awesome! ❤️
Happy New Year, Tonya S! You are awesome, too!
You are so welcome! Happy almost 2021 Tonya! 🎉
Happy new year to everyone !!! PS if you haven’t tried flarp noise putty for 1.00 from big lots it’s so funny it makes farting noises LOL LOL
We love flarp!
lol I am totally going to have to check that out Kelly! That’s something people in my household will probably love. 😆Happy New Year! 🎉
Thank you to the Hip2Save team. Wishing you a happy, healthy, safe New Year. I was able to buy so much to donate to the shelter we support thanks to your great finds. Times are tough for us, I lost my job. There are so many so much worse off and you helped all of them.
Thank you so much for helping your community, acgold! I’m sorry you lost your job. Our thoughts go out to you. ❤
Wow! You are awesome! ❤️I love that you were able to donate so much from all of the deals you scored. Thanks for being a reader, and I hope 2021 is such an AMAZING year for you. 🤗
I just want to see 2020 go away. Lol
See ya 2020! 👋
Collin looks likes she is ready for more crapola. 🤪
Thanks so much for what you do for us!!!
What a crazy year it’s been! I think COVID impacted everyone in some way, hopefully bringing people together and realizing that everyday is not promised. My grandma passed away from COVID around thanksgiving, while it was sad, it truly brought us to realize how important it is to cherish everyday and know that we can keep moving forward despite the difficulties we have gone through. Hopefully 2021 brings more positivity to everyone.
I’m very sorry to hear about your grandmother, huertac1. I’m also happy you took away something important from it.
So sorry about your grandma.
Thank you for sharing, and so sorry for your loss. ❤️ I really appreciate your comment.
Thank you. Love this site. Made our Christmas wonderful!
Happy New Year. I hope we all remain resolute and kick this pandemic to the curb. Buh-bye Corona.
Happy New Year Sue! 🎉
Thank you so much for all of the Hip2save team. You are just awesome and yes to a better year in 2021.
You are so very welcome Carol! Happy New Year! 🎉
I think this year will be much worse. With millions out of work and on eviction lists, how could it not.
I really feel sorry for a lot of people.
This is government and corporations fault!
Phew…sadly you are so correct. This NEW year may be bringing us the vaccine and I would hope much much less death and sickness, we are only at the tip of the iceberg with job losses and (if any) new decent jobs, businesses not being able to revive themselves, evictions and oh my goodness just the endless inevitables. While all we really can do is stay positive, it kind of is just the beginning for an entire new pandemic – Day To Day Survival. Prayers to each and every family who has or may have to struggle to feed themselves and or keep a roof over their heads. I do understand the hardship as I too have been looking for work since the spring. 🤗🤞
Happy New Year to you and your family and all your sidekicks. you guys are amazing.
Thank you so much Mary Drebot! Happy New Year from the whole team!
Add to the new vocabulary list: herd immunity and long haulers
“Working Poor” is going to be a more common term in 2021. So many people working 2 or even 3 jobs and barely make ends meet or have to get government subsidies.
It’s 2021 on the east coast! I’m an introvert so I actually like the mask and will be sad to see them go eventually. I’m hoping it’s a better year for everyone.
Happy New Year, Lo! Hope 2021 is a wonderful year for you!
So ready for 2021! Happy New year to all!!🍸🎊🎉🍾
Same! Happy New Year to you, too, hip2trade! 🎉
Happy New Year to everyone at Hip2Save. Thanks for the inspiring meals & deals & smiles!! Everyone should still continue to be safe & do the appropriate things to do so. Here’s to a New Year!! Again thanks
With high hopes of a better New Year ! Thanks for all the deals . It certainly has helped my family this year . Happy 2021 🥳🎉🥂
Thanking Hip2Save for another AMAZING year!🥳 I also want to say to Collin that I enjoyed seeing your other half Stetson entertaining us all🤣🤣🤣what a guy! So BLESSED to find this site long ago and sharing all my blessings with so many.I have an enormous family that I help out throughout the year,they’re blown away with everything they get and I also help many of my clients at a individually hair salon I own with everything I can donate to them as well, just doing my part.To a great year ahead everyone!!!2021🎊🎊🎊
Tina. Stetson is her brother in law.
Ohhh!! Hahaha either way love it!!!!
Thank you so much, Tina9222! I love that you are helping others with the savings you found. Happy New Year!
We need more men on the team! Husbands would be great 🙂 I know most men hate shopping so it is refreshing to see. Great job to everyone on the team…. happy new year!
LOL! Happy New Year, Jen S!
A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.
Thank you Hip2Save for all the amazing deals and for always having something fun posted to help us take a minute away from the outside sadness
You guys rock
Be blessed in the new year
Awwww, what a sweet message! We really appreciate your kind words! Thank you, anika, and Happy New Year!
Thank you Hip2Save team! I’ve followed your site for years and it’s been amazing watching the site grow and spread onto the social media scene. Thank you for all the deals, freebies, tips, etc. you’ve shared with us. You are so much more than a coupon site. 🙂