A Q&A Interview with Hip2Save Founder Collin Morgan

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Gap

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Collin Morgan started the coupon and deal-savings website Hip2Save in 2008, to help herself, family and friends save money and live frugally in a hip and fun way. The site has grown beyond Collin’s wildest dreams and expectations and has a national audience of supportive readers.

We asked Collin six questions about her website and life. Read on to learn more.

1. You write on Hip2Save that blogging changed your spending habits. Tell us about that experience.
Originally, I started Hip2Save as a way to share my great savings with family and friends and it slowly evolved into the blog that it is today. As I gained more readers, I began to feel more accountable (both to myself and to my readers) about my spending habits. Since I was writing a blog about frugal living and couponing, it only made sense that I had to live a lifestyle that truly centered around frugal living and couponing. And several years later, I still feel the same way. Blogging about saving money everyday on Hip2Save and reading emails from Hip2Save readers who share their success stories with me just inspires me to want to save that much more!



2. How do you find the time to locate and use all these coupon deals as a military wife raising three young children?
First, I must say that I have an absolutely wonderful husband. He is very involved with our children and is great about giving me the time that I need to invest in Hip2Save. Since we live on a large military base, we are surrounded by other military families and lots of kids which means lots of playmates for my three kids, Nicholas (age 9), Ayden (age 5) and Piper (age 3). You can often find me sitting on our front porch with my computer watching my kids play while simultaneously working on Hip2Save. That is why I love blogging...I can literally take my work anywhere...a park, the pool, my car etc. With that being said, I do have an awesome babysitter who regularly helps me out so I can devote exclusive time to Hip2Save as well.

3. What merchants do you find provide the best coupon savings?
I absolutely love CVS and Rite Aid coupons. If you can snag items on sale that also qualify for Single Check Rebate/+Up Rewards (Rite Aid) or Extra Care Bucks (CVS) and pair them with coupons, you can snag some really great deals.

4. Which merchants make it easiest to use coupons?
Honestly, I receive the least complaints about CVS and Rite Aid. Rite Aid probably makes it the easiest because they provide a very detailed coupon policy. Despite the fact that CVS has no accessible coupon policy, I rarely receive complaints from readers who frequent this store.

5. How do online and downloadable coupons figure into your strategy?
I often tell newbie couponers not to purchase any newspapers at first. There are SO many high-value online coupons available via Facebook, printable coupon sites, and directly through manufacturer's websites, that it is not necessary to purchase the Sunday paper for coupon inserts. I like the fact that online coupons are instantly available and I reference them frequently on Hip2Save.



6. Non-coupon question: What gave you the idea to do "Follow Me Monday" video posts instead of a standard blog about your life saving money?
One of my main goals with Hip2Save is to demonstrate that saving money is fun and hip for people of all ages, demographics, races etc. Through my videos, I aim to let my readers know that I am a young, fun, silly, down-to earth military mother/wife with a passion for saving money. I hope not only to educate readers through my videos, but also show them that I am a real person who is all about having fun, enjoying life and saving money.

Do you have a favorite coupon blogger you'd like us to interview? Please let us know.