Did you ever pick up one of those free coupon books from the Student Union Memorial Center, only to find it months later under your bed or under the trash in the car, neglected, stained and expired? There are ways to make this incredible waste of trees useful before that happens:

1) Use one to stop a wobbly table, like those in the cafeteria on the third floor of the SUMC.

2) Fold them into little triangles and play football with a friend.

3) Don’t think of it as a “”coupon”” book so much as a “”bookmark”” book.

4) Impress your friends: cut one of the coupon books down, wrap a 20-dollar bill around it with a rubber band and pretend you’re loaded!

5) With the coupons, a little chicken wire and glue, you could have yourself one fine piÇñata.

6) Save up a bunch and stick them to something with wheels to make your own float for Homecoming.

7) Black out some of the letters on a coupon, leaving enough letters to spell something funny, and then tape it up where appropriate.

8) Ladies: When you’re out of laundry, staple/tape enough coupons together to make a tank top to get you to and from the laundromat.

9) Use your origami skills to bend and fold your way to a new friend.

10) Use your not-quite-origami skills to bend, fold and tape your way to a not-as-picky new friend.

11) Roll up a bunch of coupon strips to make those little toe spacers you need to paint your toenails.

12) Fold a couple up and stick them in your bike wheel spokes for that distinctive sound of yesteryear.

13) Cut out a shape from the middle of a coupon to make your own special “”viewfinder,”” then hold it out in front of you and tell everyone who notices that they are “”fabulous.””

14) Cut out the images from a bunch of coupons and glue them to some those free advertising magnets to make your own fridge diorama.

15) Make a wind chime with a bunch of coupons, some string and beer bottle caps.

16) Use one as a very limited spelling dictionary.

17) Crumple up a bunch to refresh your couch’s stuffing.

18) When someone on the UA Mall hands you a brochure, return the favor by handing him or her a coupon.

– compiled by Jennifer Tramm