How to organize coupons
I took a break from organizing my coupons and the picture above is what happens when school starts followed by three major holidays. When my coupons are a mess, my brain is a mess and I can’t coupon as well. Plus, it takes time organizing all those pieces of shiny paper that come EVERY week!
Here are three different ways to organize your coupons in no time at all! Whether you have ten minutes, an hour, or somewhere in between, there’s a system that will work for your lifestyle.
Whole Insert Filing Method
Time needed per week: 10 minutes
This method is for those who are busy or simply want to spend less time cutting coupons and more time on Pinterest.
Step 1: Stack your inserts.
Step 2: Write the date you receive the insert big and bold on the front of each insert. (*Hint: You can use a magnifying glass to find the date on the teeny tiny spine of each insert.)
Step 3: Place the entire insert into a file folder or clear plastic page protector in a binder.
How to coupon with this method: Every deal we post here on Frugal Living NW has a coupon reference. When you spot a deal you want, open your binder, flip through until you find that insert and cut out the coupons you will use.
How to maintain with this method: Go through your binder every three to four months to discard expired coupon inserts.
Get more detailed instructions on how to organize your coupons inserts whole here.
Whole Insert Filing Method II
Time needed per week: 20-30 minutes
This method is for those who want to see every single coupon, but do not want to cut coupons.
Step 1: Stack your inserts.
Step 2: Starting with one insert, take apart the entire insert laying each page out onto the table. Take your second insert and stack its pages to match the first insert. Continue with the remainder of your inserts.
Step 3: Place each page into a clear plastic page protector in a binder. Place a label at the beginning of the pages to indicate the insert date and type. (1/5 SS = January 5 Smart Source insert)
How to coupon with this method: Every deal we post here on Frugal Living NW has a coupon reference. When you spot a deal, open your binder and flip through until you find that insert. Continue to search each individual page for that specific coupon and then cut the coupons you will use.
How to maintain with this method: Go through your binder every one to two months to discard expired coupons.
Coupon Binder (or Box) Method
Time needed per week: 30-60 minutes
This method is for those who want to see every coupon and organize them into categories. This is helpful for those who regularly shop the clearance section as you have every coupon imaginable on hand.
Step 1: Stack your inserts as pictured above.
Step 2: Starting with one insert, take apart the entire insert laying each page out onto the table as pictured above. Take your second insert and stack its pages to match the first insert. Continue with the remainder of your inserts.
Step 3: Cut every single coupon in the insert.
Step 4: Place each coupon in a baseball card holder pocket, organized by category. (Baby, Cereal, Cleaning, Food Storage, Medicine, Snacks, etc.)
How to coupon with this method: Every coupon is cut and ready to go. You can simply walk into a store and coupon until your heart’s content!
How to maintain with this method: Go through your binder once a month to discard expired coupons.
As for me, I am a combo girl. I like to see every single coupon, but I don’t like to cut every single coupon. I also shop the clearance sections at my stores.
Solution: I have two binders. My first binder is for my insert sheets. My second binder is filled with cut coupons that are organized by category. I only cut coupons I know I will use or would use if I found the item on clearance. For example, I cut all cereal and dairy coupons, but rarely cut make-up coupons. My second binder also helps me keep my printable coupons organized.
Looking to build your coupon binder? Amazon has two different products that will be perfect for any of the organization options described above: Avery Economy Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free, Box of 100 and Ultra Pro 25/9 Pocket Page Protectors (baseball card sized).
New to couponing? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Couponing in the Northwest!
This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.
右後 |コメント私は当初、新しいフィードバックは今added-チェックボックスや発言は、私はまったく同じ同じを持つ4つの電子メールを取得する追加されるたびにあるとき、私は-notify私をクリックし、コメント。そのサービスから私を奪うことができる|任意の方法は、あなたがされますあなたがよありますか？ありがとう！
I do a combo. I clip the coupons I know I’m going to use and file them alphabetically by manufacturer in several envelopes and out them in a box. The box is big enough that I can file the circulars and coupon policies as well as have a pair of scissors, pen, calculator, and highlighter. I also have my Target coupons clipped and filed in their own envelopes by category this time. I HATED lugging the big heavy binder with clipped coupons in the baseball card pockets. You could never see what the item was for and for how much at the same time. Not to mention when it came time to purge, you’d have to take each one out and look at it. Now I just take all the “a” coupons out, flip through them, find the one I want and out them back in the envelope. The box has a lid, Snapware made it. Much easier for me. I pull the coupons I know I am going to use at the various stores and paper clip them. The is fits in the upper basket where babies sit, of if there’s one in there, I just put it in the basket.
As for the rest of the inserts, I have a binder with page protectors and file by date and by insert, ss or rp.
Works for me! Just find a system that works for you and your shopping habits!
I tried 1 and it drove me batty, plus the weight of all the inserts was crazy. I know 2 would be to similar. I’m a tried and true 3.
At Staples in one of their Dollar sale I found a packet of coupon dividers, then later in another of their all that fits in the bag got the matching 9″ X 7″ binder. The only thing the printed coupons are 1/3″ too wide so either way trim the coupon or bend and make the pocket way thick. I keep it all in a mesh bag along with scissors, reading glasses, 1 of those bags that folds into itself and other misc savings tools to keep it all together.
I have a lot of down time at work, although not actually allowed since they know I send the expired and unable to use (major food allergies eliminates a lot of food coupons) to the troops and company policy is to support the troops is allowed.
I use the #1 method with a few tweeks. I have a file box that I keep all of my dated inserts in and each week I print out a list that shows every coupon, value and expiration date. There are websites that offer these lists for free! That way I can just scan the lists to see if I have a specific coupon before pulling out the actual inserts and once I have used all of each coupon I cross it off the list so I don’t waste time looking for something I don’t have.
The single thing I find the most helpful for organizing my coupons is my store envelopes. I purchased several plastic envelopes that have a zipper top and use them for each store that I shop at the most. I keep receipts, store coupons, coupon policies etc. in these. They are particularly helpful as I run across deals online I can take 2 minutes and find the coupon and stick it in the envelope. Then when I am ready to write and organize my shopping trip everything is all together!
May be it is a most time consuming, my way way is #3 organizing. Without any prep I can go to a store and quickly look for coupon through my categories for an item on sale or clearance. Ace, Fiesta Foods and some other in my area stores are not supported by couponning blogs, so have to adjust accordingly. Plus, I clip my coupons during TV time, so I kind of “spend time with family”, watching my show and being productive 🙂
Also, this way I can organize blinkies and peelies also. Just today Albies has Presidents brie rounds on sale for $2.99 and I had $2.00 peelie that was filed in Fridge Items. Great score for Super Ball party
Interesting comments and methods. As a 40-year, low-tech couponer, the biggest change I’ve made is not clipping nearly as many cpns as I used to. Since finding this site 2 yrs ago, I use the Cpn Database combined with the daily/weekly store posts that reveal where to find the sale items’ cpns. I still go thru the circulars (I get 2 Oregonians) early every Sun morning and clip out the ones I think/know I will or might use. I have a shoebox in which I file the cpns by category, each category in a clip. For example, dairy: butter, margarine, yogurt, cheese, Pillsbury refrigerated items. Near the end of each month, I go thru them and pull out those that have expired or will within a few days. (I used to leave those on store shelves for others to use; don’t do that so much any more.) I have about 12-15 clipped categories and probably no more than 200 total cpns in the box, if that many. Probably spend an hour a week clipping, filing and (occasionally) purging. Also keep store cats and Walgreens/RA rewards in the box, clipped and separated by store, in order of expiration date. If I have a decent-sized reward cpn, I write a reminder on my wall calendar. Haven’t lost any yet. For shopping, I recycle a junk-mail business envelope for my list and cpns. I make one list Sunday and another Wednesday. If there is an upcoming store or mfr cpn that I’ll have to clip, I write “SQ” or “MQ” on my list and circle it in red. For 1-day and 3-day specials, I’ll notate such on my list and try not to miss it. If Safeway has a $5 Friday special, I usually wait till that day to do the weekly shopping.
PS: I label and stack my inserts and keep them in the family rm near my shoebox and weekly ads, most recent ones on top. Usually in Jan and July, I throw out the ones that are 5-8 months old.
I file using the number 1/whole insert method but in an expanding file where each pocket can be 1 week of inserts or 1 month depending on how many inserts you have. I keep a wallet expanding file in my purse with each pocket dedicated to a store. Then I clip the coupons for the deals I’m going to do at each store and have them ready to pull at the register.
Another tip that works for me –
I’m a fast typist.
So when I get the ads in, I type on my “Grocery List” form.
It has two columns — one for items we need and the other column for items that we use and are on sale somewhere or free (those I highlight – to make sure I don’t miss it!).
I note the store’s name and expiration date of the ad and if I know I have a coupon … such as:
Silk soymilk $1.99 @ Safeway thru 1/20 Less Cpn
I frequently shop at WalMart (who matches competitor’s ads), so I can get my shopping done quicker and know that I’m taking advantage of all the good sales.
Since I’m familiar with the store’s layout, I also type the list in sections (such as health/beauty, dairy, etc.), so I just go down my list as I go thru the store and never have to backtrack for an item.
I have been trying to effectively implement coupons into my shopping routine for quite some time. I think your method, KC, is brilliant! I’m using your plan going forward. Thanks for sharing!!
I do # 2 —
But I don’t use a binder for storage of the coupon sections.
Instead, I utilize an expanded hanging file in the drawer by my desk for the coupon sections.
When the coupons come in with the paper (I get mine, plus several from neighbors), then I cut out the ones I need (and the ones I see the neighbors liked for themselves to give to them) and then put the ones I will use or would buy if free in my coupon binder.
For my coupon binder, I love my “CouponPro” binder — much easier than my old way of using a steel recipe box with sections that I’d have to go thru when I was in the grocery aisle.
Check out the binder at: http://www.thecouponpro.com/store/coupon-binder
Then I use a small post it to write the Sunday date on the stack of weekly coupons. I write the date on the small post it with a black sharpie and stick it on the top of the coupon stack (like a file folder tab) and then put it at the back of my hanging file folder … so the oldest ones are in the front.
Every month or two (while watching TV) I skim thru the older stacks and send the expired ones to the military, as well as ones I know I would not use.
I also do a combo style:
I stack all my inserts by date-keep the most recent month in file folders in a box-one for each week (or more for weeks there are many insets-but 2 inserts will fit) & the older ones stacked under my couch (there will be a few coupons that don’t expire for months, or even a year). As I get 20-30 a week (from my neighborhood’s mail room-most people throw away their red plum mailer inserts & I “retrieve” them :-)-so it would be impossible for me to even carry one month around with me!
As I have time, I look through & clip the ones I am more likely to use-after you coupon for awhile, you know what is likely to come up, or even be on clearance & also what you will want. I put these in a wallet type coupon holder- which have tabs for categories (I do not clip all of the inserts!).
Then when I am getting ready to go to a particular store, I look up the ones I haven’t clipped already-I also share coupons with others, so will take extras (don’t always clip all of them-may do a type of #2 above & just take the page). I put these in one envelope per store (I just use junk mail return envelopes I get in great quantity).
Recently I also got a plastic file folder that I have one area per store-this fits into my couponing bag-which also has other essential couponing items: scissors & a small calculator -as well as my store cards (they go in the file folder). I don’t actually carry a purse-so my money & debit card is in there too.
I do always keep inserts that haven’t expired yet, as you never know- even if it is an item you have no interest in-at Rite Aid, it may someday be a money maker & then you will want it (and that offsets the cost of the items I do want).
Holy Cow Carolyn! I can’t imagine keeping that many inserts organized! I get lost with the 2 newspapers I get each week.
Way to go on collecting them, I have thought before how nice it would be to still live in a large apartment complex where newspapers and inserts would be left all over, I could have cared less at the time about coupons and I certainly am not moving back to apartment living just for the extra inserts!
I coupon most similarly to style 2 with a slight variation. Once I have all the pages seperated and stacked I staple each stack on the side. That way all of the same coupon stays together and is easy to clip as I stroll through the store when I find an unplanned (clearance) item. I then put the insert back together and file it in my binder. I also print off a list of what coupons are included in that particular insert filing the list in front of the insert. I just cross off the coupons that I have used as I use them on the list. That way I don’t have to look through my inserts to realize I either already used the coupon or didn’t get the coupon that I am looking for. I also keep a very sharp pair of scissors in my binder to clip as I shop and a pen to mark off clipped coupons.
Where do you get your list for the inserts? I used to get them from fabulessly frugal since they had then specifically for the Oregonian. But it’s been several months since they’ve had Portland. And Sunday couponpreview is only like 60% accurate for what we actually get.
Number 2 is a great idea I never thought about before!
There would be a little wrinkle with this one for me, as I get my inserts from a few locations & although all are nearby, the inserts vary a bit-so not all coupons are in all of them & the order can be mixed up also.
Great for people who only get theirs from the oregonian for example.