Know a Grad? These Easy College Gift Bags Only Cost Reader Michelle $3.50 Each to Make!

By Emily | SEO Manager

May 17, 2019 @ 4:50 PM MDT

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gift bags with flip flops and monogrammed towels

Attn: parents, relatives, friends, or anyone who knows a grad.

This week’s Happy Friday idea onlinees in from Hip2Save reader, Michelle, and she put together some cute and easy graduate gift bags for only $3.50 each!

flip flops with university logos

Thank you for the $1 flip flop deals! I made these cute flip flops for some high school seniors. I cut out the university logo using heat transfer vinyl and just heat pressed them into the heel.

towels with custom embroidered names

I am coupling these “shower shoes” with an embroidered bath towel with their name for a nice grad gift!! I picked up the towels at JCPenney with a $10 off of $10 coupons (with the help of my husband and daughter). Each towel cost about $2.50.

line of assembled graduation gift bags

Total cost for each grad gift was $3.50! I am so excited to give these away! Thanks, Hip2Save!!

What a thoughtful gift!

Not only is this college-ready gift bag such a sweet gesture, but we also love that Michelle upgraded her frugal finds with personalized touches. What a fun way to send those recent grads off to college.

Thanks for sharing your adorable gift idea, Michelle!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo or tip to share?! Fill out our Happy Friday form. Every Friday, we post one photo, submitted by a Hip2Save reader (view past submissions) 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!

Submit your Happy Friday post HERE!

Want to recreate this yourself? Check out where to get the cheapest flip flops!

About the writer:

Emily obtained her Bachelor's degrees from Clarkson University with 5 years of content writing experience specializing in health, beauty, fashion, home, & living frugally. Connect with Emily on LinkedIn

Join The Discussion

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markiesluv May 17, 2019 at 5:08 pm MST

Such a great idea Michelle!! Those shower shoes are awesome and the monogram towel will help with the disappearing act of their towels that sometimes happens at college! LOL! You rock!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:30 pm MST

Thank you for your kind words! 😊

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SJ May 17, 2019 at 5:10 pm MST

How creative and super cute!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:48 pm MST

Thank you! I am so happy you like the idea!

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Sandy May 17, 2019 at 5:12 pm MST

Awesome gift idea!! Nice work!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:46 pm MST

Thank you, I am so excited to give them away!

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Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick) May 17, 2019 at 5:21 pm MST

I love your gifts Michelle!! Great work ❤️🙌

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:38 pm MST

Thank you, Lina! You are the queen of fun, frugal gifts! 💕

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sara May 17, 2019 at 5:31 pm MST

I love this!!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:49 pm MST

Thank you😬

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K80 May 17, 2019 at 5:39 pm MST

Love it! I always envy people who can be soo easily creative. Such a unique idea but also simple and not pretentious. Nothing beats the feeling of a cool gift that everybody who sees it talks about. This IS that gift… 👍👍

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:33 pm MST

Thank you, this made my day! ❤️

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Angelica May 17, 2019 at 5:43 pm MST

Did you get them embroidered or did you do it yourself?

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 6:57 pm MST

I embroidered the towels myself!

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Evan May 17, 2019 at 9:52 pm MST

What did you use to embroider the towels if you don’t mind sharing. Thanks!
This is super! I’m looking for ProGrad gifts & this would be a winner!

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 8:53 am MST

Hi Evan, I have a Pfaff Creative 2144 sewing machine that I purchased 15 years ago. Still works great! Maybe you could find a used machine. Otherwise, you could find a local embroidery place that would embroider a name onto your towel for less than $10. Just an idea to check out.

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shelly May 17, 2019 at 5:51 pm MST

Michelle, what brand of vinyl transfers did u use? I know some are not that good. Are these ones I can pop into an inkjet printer or are these cricut ones? Thank you!! Love your idea!!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 6:59 pm MST

I use siser easyweed HTV. I cut it with my silhouette cameo. Super easy. Just heat press for 10 seconds, doesn’t require a lot of pressure. Hope this helps!

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Mel May 18, 2019 at 9:31 am MST

Super cool idea. What do you use to heat press?

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 10:47 am MST

You can use an iron or a heat press. I have a heat press that I bought on Craigslist, but I know cricut has a craft press that is reasonable. For this small project an iron would be just fine.

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Tina May 17, 2019 at 6:17 pm MST

How creative! And useful!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:43 pm MST

Thank you!

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Shirl May 17, 2019 at 6:27 pm MST

How perfect! Great job!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:45 pm MST

Thank you for the sweet onlinement!

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Gisette May 17, 2019 at 6:42 pm MST

Love this idea!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:43 pm MST

Thank you!

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Mimi May 17, 2019 at 6:49 pm MST

Such a great idea and something they will use daily!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:42 pm MST

I sure hope they use them! Thank you!

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Patti Smith May 17, 2019 at 7:31 pm MST

Wow, so very impressed! You did a super job, thanks for sharing!

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Michelle May 17, 2019 at 7:42 pm MST

I am glad you like them! It was a fun project!

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Dawn May 17, 2019 at 8:31 pm MST

These are gifts that will get used again and again. I love personalized embroidered towels!

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 7:36 am MST

Me too! Thank you!

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Tammy May 17, 2019 at 8:52 pm MST

This is so creative. Love your personal touches on these. It adds so much!

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 7:49 am MST

You are so sweet, thank you!😊

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Angela V. May 17, 2019 at 9:52 pm MST

Wow, these turned out great! You are so creative! The towels would make an awesome wedding gift too! 🙂

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 7:36 am MST

Yes, I have made these towels for wedding gifts too! They are also great for birthday gifts at any age!

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Katherine May 18, 2019 at 6:21 am MST

I don’t have a way to embroider but I can use my cricut for the flip flops. What would be something else that I could make that is inexpensive to go along with some flip flops?

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Michelle May 18, 2019 at 6:49 am MST

You could personalize a make-up bag, or a laundry basket. If you find a towel that has a non-loop stripe, you could use HTV to personalize instead of embroidery. Or personalize a pillowcase using flocked HTV. I have also made university logo car window stickers using Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl. Or customize a small dry erase board for them to hang on their dorm room door.

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Katherine May 18, 2019 at 8:16 am MST

Wonderful ideas. Thanks so much.

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Know a Grad? These Easy College Gift Bags Only Cost Reader Michelle $3.50 Each to Make!

Attn: parents, relatives, friends, or anyone who knows a grad.