How do you organize your coupons?

[Lark]

I have a purse full of coupons. I have them in a legal sized envelope, roughly filed by categories. It isn't really working for me. How do you organize your coupons so you can find the one you need while you are shopping. I've been thinking I need another empty envelope to transfer over coupons to while I'm shopping so I have the pertinent ones available and not floating down onto the floor ;) How do you organize your coupons? Is there a better way?

Expiry Date: Whenever you have a moment :)

[liljj07]

Have a binder with trading card slots in it

[CouponWhore]

i have one of these...

http://www.familymedia.com/market/images/co1.jpg

they sell them at the efads store for a buck. they work great. I just changed the labels to things I need.

you can get them on ebay too here...

http://shop.ebay.ca/i.html?_trkparms...d=p3286.c0.m14

cheapest you can get there is about $5 with shipping

[GracerB]

I have an expandable folder (plastic, from Dollarama) about 8 inches wide I suppose. It has 6 slots, which I labeled as Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, etc. to December. I organize by expiry date!

[Lark]

I like the looks of those folders with all the slots, never seen the like of them before though. I need to get out more ;) Thank you for the information Liljj07, CouponWhore andGracerB

[Neenerz]

Yup, i've got a similar folder but got it at walmart... i tend to organize it by 'type' and then they are in date order... first section is for all the big coupons (replacements ones, mir, etc.). i cruise the flyers, figure out what i'm buying and where, make a list for each place and attach the coupons i need with the list but never leave the house without my folder!!

[Lark]

Originally Posted by Neenerz

Yup, i've got a similar folder but got it at walmart... i tend to organize it by 'type' and then they are in date order... first section is for all the big coupons (replacements ones, mir, etc.). i cruise the flyers, figure out what i'm buying and where, make a list for each place and attach the coupons i need with the list but never leave the house without my folder!!

A list for each place and attaching the coupons to the list is a great idea! I tend to just fumble around in my envelope in my purse looking very shifty I'm sure No, always want to have the entire coupon arsenal at the ready in case of a good buy ;)

[liljj07]

I did start with one of those little plastic folders then we had so many we had 2 of them then that go to be to much to carry around the store so now we have an entire binder!

[mermaiden]

i purchased a "coupon file" at the dollar store. It is a little "accordion folder" that has labels on the inside where i can file coupons under the correct category eg.- dairy, frozen foods, cleaning supplies etc. It is small- it fits in my purse. I have all of my friends buying them too. They work so well! Check your local dollar store.

[Lark]

Originally Posted by mermaiden

i purchased a "coupon file" at the dollar store. It is a little "accordion folder" that has labels on the inside where i can file coupons under the correct category eg.- dairy, frozen foods, cleaning supplies etc. It is small- it fits in my purse. I have all of my friends buying them too. They work so well! Check your local dollar store.

Wow, the dollar store? I will certainly take a look, that sounds like a good way to organize them so I don't look quite so suspicious in the store digging and mumbling to myself "where are you? I know I have one" My kids will be happy if I get a better system in place too, they roll their eyes at me

[Lark]

Originally Posted by liljj07

I did start with one of those little plastic folders then we had so many we had 2 of them then that go to be to much to carry around the store so now we have an entire binder!

I am note quite at the binder stage, wish I had that many ;) I like the idea of having them in categories and easier to find. I am on a mission now

[CouponWhore]

lark... do you have an 'everything for a dollar store" where you are? they sell them at the one here... in the stationary section. they work great.

i sort mine by catergory, the in each catergory, sorted by exp. date. I changed a lot of the labels to suit what I use more.

[Lark]

Originally Posted by CouponWhore

lark... do you have an 'everything for a dollar store" where you are? they sell them at the one here... in the stationary section. they work great.

i sort mine by catergory, the in each catergory, sorted by exp. date. I changed a lot of the labels to suit what I use more.

We have a small dollar store in town here so I'm not holding out much hope of finding anything specialized there but when I get to the big city I will have to seek out one of the large dollar stores with a stationary section. I need a system that works! Thank you for giving me your great tips

[tottie666]

I got a coupon binder from Michael's (Obviously in the sale!!) It was c75. My husband mocked at the time - but doesn't when I present him will around $10 worth of coupons each shop!!!!

[cheetah]

I have a big fat binder with tons of clear plastic photo type sleeves- I use dividers for different sections- Food,Beauty,Household,Pets,Medical . Works great I can see both front and back of coupons so you can easily tell the expiry date and Have different size inserts. Full size sheets for rebates and mail in offers. Baseball card ones hold 9 x save.ca coupons. If I get a chance I will try to take a picture and show you all. It really really works well if you are a serious coupon clipper and far to big to forget in a store. LOL. I also have Lil jj go through the coupons and highlight the expiry dates. Yes right on the coupon. A different colour for each month. Blue for Sept- Orange for October-Yellow for November and Pink for December. This way if you just glance through you can see if is still good. Once an month go through and throw out any that are unused simply by looking for that colour. My admit It took Liljj an I a while to develop the whole concept but really worth it in the end. Just cut them out , highlight the expiry and put them in the right section of the binder. And duplicated coupons just slide in underneath the original one. Hope this idea helps some of the more serious coupon addicted people out there. Promise to post a pic sometime this week.

[Neenerz]

WoW! I love the binder idea! I've seen posts where people talk about their coupon-binders but I couldn't really figure out how it would be layed out! Thanks for the details Cheetah! My little folder is bursting at the seams and I had been thinking about getting a second one but now the binder is tempting...

[Lark]

Originally Posted by tottie666

I got a coupon binder from Michael's (Obviously in the sale!!) It was c75. My husband mocked at the time - but doesn't when I present him will around $10 worth of coupons each shop!!!!

At Michaels?! One of my favourite stores Good excuse to visit and scope out what these binders are about My husband makes a face everytime I send him to the store with a coupon but he uses them ;) and likes the savings.

[Lark]

Yes, Please Cheetah! I would love to see the binder in action! I have made a vow to organize and utilize my coupons to their best advantage
The highlighter tip is terrific, will initiate as soon as I get a few different colours to use

[Lark]

Originally Posted by Neenerz

WoW! I love the binder idea! I've seen posts where people talk about their coupon-binders but I couldn't really figure out how it would be layed out! Thanks for the details Cheetah! My little folder is bursting at the seams and I had been thinking about getting a second one but now the binder is tempting...

Right, I can't really visualize it either. I am looking forward to what Cheetah has to show us.

[cheetah]

I promise to have pics posted tomorrow after work. It is too late tonight to do them. Time for bed for me. But will show you all tomorrow afternoon. And by the way the highlighter thing is great and the cashiers appreciate it too it makes it easier for them to find the expiry date. It has never effected me using them either-no one has ever refused one due to me highlighting the expriy date. (just in case anyone wondered) See you all tomorrow after work. Goodnight!

[cheetah]

Ok as promised here is my coupon book- It is nothing fancy just an ordinary school type white binder with clear plastic photo type inserts (purchased at dollor store) and a couple of dividers to give me sections-Food-Beauty-Household-Pet-Medical The pouch in the front is for large printed out coupons and the first full sized plastic inserts hold rebate forms. You can buy all different types of plastic inserts from 1 section,2 section,4 section,6section or 9 section- This way no matter what the size of coupon you have a slot for it! When I get new coupons I just highlight the expiry and pop them into the appropiate spot. I throw the binder in my grocery green box with my re-useable bags and toss it in the car every Monday to go do my shopping-So easy just to flip to the section I need and turn the pages to pick out the coupons I need. This binder has a extra pouch in the back and I keep blank paper in or write my grocery list on lined paper and clip it into the front. Sorry the pics are so big but don't want to take any more time to edit them right now. Hope it inspires someone. I want a nice zippered one next with a built in calculator LOL

[Lark]

Outstanding Cheetah! That is the coolest thing I've ever seen. I didn't know those pouch things had nine slot options! That would work great. When I get more coupon savvy I'm going to create one of these little beauties. I think my first step is to get to one of the big dollar stores and scout out what is available and configure something workable. You have given me some super ideas, thank you

[cheetah]

It was a natural progression- I used to use a simple accordian file- but took me forever to look through it while shopping and then it was just too darn small. I usually go through it and select the coupons I need based on flyer deals for the week and paperclip them to my grocery list but sometimes it is amazing what deals are not advertised for example today at Fortinos they had the Gillette Power Fusion Men's Razor on sale for $6.99-$5.00 (save.ca) coupon or in store coupon for $4.00 off as well as Venus Embrace for $6.99-$4.00 in store coupon So I got the Gillette Fusion for $1.99 and the Venus for $2.99 SCORE!! I am so addicted to coupons now. I saved $15.35 on my groceries today without even really planning anything.

[drakesmom]

I love this system you guys have devised. being a new mom i am way more coupon savy then i ever thought i could be. I appreciate all the great advice everyone posts on here and look forward to putting them to good use in my life. thank you everyone!!

[Neenerz]

Wow! That looks great!

I didn't realize you could get the inserts from dollar stores - will have to keep an eye out for those! I had been wondering how cost effective it was to make one of those binders because I know getting different sizes of those plastic sheets could get expensive! Then again, I suppose you don't need the archival quality, etc. that you normally look for when your storing photos if its just for coupons!

Am going to have to start the binder sooner rather than later as I broke my little file thing yesterday!