Hip2Save This Holiday: Christmas Money Bags

By Collin | Owner

Dec 11, 2012 @ 12:44 PM MST

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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?

For more information on my Hip2Save This Holiday series and to learn how you can participate in the fun, click here!

Join The Discussion

onlinements 41

jan December 11, 2012 at 12:46 pm MST

This is so cute and such a great ideal!!

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Jennifer December 11, 2012 at 12:46 pm MST

That is so stinking cute!!!

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Alea December 11, 2012 at 12:47 pm MST

Super cute idea!!!

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Ashley December 11, 2012 at 12:47 pm MST

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.

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kathy December 11, 2012 at 12:47 pm MST

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

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joly December 11, 2012 at 12:49 pm MST

this is a good idea!!!

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May December 11, 2012 at 12:49 pm MST

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

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Patricia N. December 12, 2012 at 5:37 am MST

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.

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darla December 11, 2012 at 12:50 pm MST

great idea!!

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alison December 11, 2012 at 12:51 pm MST

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.

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Rona December 11, 2012 at 12:52 pm MST

Great idea i love it!

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JJ December 11, 2012 at 12:56 pm MST

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

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Char December 11, 2012 at 6:33 pm MST

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

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JJ December 11, 2012 at 10:17 pm MST

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

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resalemaiden December 11, 2012 at 12:57 pm MST

I love it !

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Nikki December 11, 2012 at 12:59 pm MST

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

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amanda December 11, 2012 at 12:59 pm MST

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!

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JR December 11, 2012 at 1:03 pm MST

Like this idea!

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Valerie December 11, 2012 at 1:01 pm MST

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!

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JR December 11, 2012 at 1:01 pm MST

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!

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Mo December 11, 2012 at 1:04 pm MST

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

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Mel December 11, 2012 at 1:05 pm MST

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?

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Jessica December 11, 2012 at 1:05 pm MST

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!

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Kele B December 11, 2012 at 1:09 pm MST

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

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Ketsy December 11, 2012 at 1:14 pm MST

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

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Jena December 11, 2012 at 1:30 pm MST

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!

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Karri December 11, 2012 at 1:39 pm MST

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

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Karen Thomas December 18, 2012 at 11:03 am MST

LUV IT:)

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angela December 20, 2012 at 9:35 pm MST

Thanks for the poems!!

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Belinda December 11, 2012 at 1:39 pm MST

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

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Elaine December 11, 2012 at 1:47 pm MST

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

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Crystal December 11, 2012 at 1:41 pm MST

What a cute idea. Thanks

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Joanne December 11, 2012 at 1:50 pm MST

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

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shanshan December 11, 2012 at 2:00 pm MST

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

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Tara December 11, 2012 at 3:43 pm MST

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

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kathleen December 11, 2012 at 4:35 pm MST

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 onlinee up with a poem. Just another idea.

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Gabby December 11, 2012 at 5:01 pm MST

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!

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Michele December 12, 2012 at 5:11 am MST

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.

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laury kossoff December 12, 2012 at 7:44 am MST

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/

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Jeanine December 12, 2012 at 10:18 am MST

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.

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Jenny November 24, 2016 at 8:47 am MST

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

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