There is a particular kind of gift that lands better than cash alone: cash that has clearly been made into something. The money heart bookmark is exactly that — a dollar bill folded into a tidy heart with a pointed tail that slides into a book like a real bookmark. It says "I put a little effort into this," without saying much at all.

The fold is friendlier than it looks. It leans on one classic origami structure, the waterbomb base, and then a handful of repeats that reshape the bill into a heart. You do not need any special paper — just a crisp dollar (or any rectangular note) and a few quiet minutes. By the end you will have a small, heart-shaped keepsake that is equal parts money and sentiment, ready to tuck into a novel, a journal, or a congratulations card.

You might consider adding this Money Heart Bookmark the next time you give someone a book as a gift. It is easy to fold and gives a personal touch — a little something extra that makes the book feel more special.

Instructions for the Money Heart Bookmark

STEP 1. Start with a crisp dollar bill with the green side facing up. Fold and unfold it into quarters lengthwise.

STEP 2. Fold up the bottom-left corner to make a diagonal crease, then unfold.

STEP 3. Fold down the top-left corner to make another diagonal crease, then unfold. You should now have an X-shaped crease. Turn the dollar bill over.

STEP 4. Fold in the left edge of the bill so the fold crosses the X-crease you just made. Unfold, then turn the bill over again.

STEP 5. Pinch the bill near the vertical crease and, at the same time, fold its left edge toward the right.

In progress. Once the fold is complete, you will have a triangular flap on the left side of the model. This shape is called a waterbomb base.

STEP 6. Fold the tip of the waterbomb base (the triangle) down to the base of the triangle.

Unfold. This crease will be useful later.

STEP 7. Lift up one of the flaps of the waterbomb base.

STEP 8. Fold up the bottom quarter of the bill, using the crease from Step 1 as a guide. Make sure the fold goes under the waterbomb base — you will need to lift the layer on the left so you can tuck it underneath.

STEP 9. Pull down the two flaps from the waterbomb base.

STEP 10. Repeat Step 8 at the top of the bill: fold down the top edge. Remember to lift the waterbomb base so the fold tucks underneath.

STEP 11. Fold one of the waterbomb flaps back up. This gives you a shape that looks like a dollar arrow.

STEP 12. Fold the top layer of the waterbomb toward the left, using the crease from Step 6 as a guide.

In progress.

STEP 13. Make valley folds so the paper lies flat.

In progress.

STEP 14. Mountain-fold the corners of the bill as shown. You will get a heart shape.

STEP 15. Swivel the right side of the model to the left.

STEP 16. Rotate, and the Money Heart Bookmark is complete! Below is how it looks if you had started with the black side of the bill facing up.