I’ve had a number of readers write to me lately asking how I organize my coupons. To be quite honest, I don’t think I’ve found my perfect coupon organization method.
I currently use the insert method where I label each insert with the date and only clip as I need. However, I worry about missing out on extra savings when I’m at the store and find a great unadvertised sale or clearance deals. I also still have a large quantity of loose coupons that I receive in the mail and print online, so it’s difficult to keep track of those. I’ve often thought about switching to a binder method, but I’m just not sure where to start.
So I thought I’d put the question to my dear readers!
How do you organize your coupons? Do you use the binder method? Are there any drawbacks to it?
Do you have a better way of utilizing the insert method? How do you ensure that you don’t miss out on unadvertised/clearance deals?
If you have links to posts you’ve written, feel free to include them in your comments.
If you have a question you’d like to ask fellow Deal Seeking Mom readers, please feel free to email me! I think having a variety of perspectives is really valuable, and I thank you all for your input.
Related posts of interest on Deal Seeking Mom:
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Binder with baseball card plastic inserts organized into categories. Eeeeeeeasy.
I use a combination of the binder and insert methods with a VERY important twist! I sort all my “loose” coupons (blinkies, from the mail, internet printables, etc.) in a binder with baseball card inserts. I use a Five Star Zipper Binder, I have tabbed dividers for the main sections, Frozen, Health & Beauty, etc. Within a section I further organize with a separate baseball card sheet for each type of items. For example in dairy, yoghurt usually has a page of its, but other dairy, milk, butter cheese might be combined, depending how many coupons I have. When I get the inserts on Sunday (I always buy 4 papers) I look through them and will clip the “I buy this item all the time and will use this coupon” items and file it in the binder. I cut the internet printables right up to the bar code and right below and date and fold them in half so they too will fit in the baseball inserts. All coupons for the same item will go in one slot even if they are for different amounts with the highest amount or the coupon that is expiring first on top. This binder came with three plastic pocket style dividers with little plastic envelopes attached to each divider–what could be more perfect. I pull all the coupons I will need for CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid and put them in the corresponding plastic envelopes. I can put the weekly flyer, ECB or RR rewards, Single Check Rebates, in the pockets of the dividers for each drugstore.
I label and date the inserts on the front cover and put in date order and file them in another zipper binder. When the matches for the drugstores and supermarkets come out, it is easy to find the coupons in the dated inserts and clip them as needed.
Now for the twist, and the answer to your question Tara, “How do you make sure you are not missing using a coupon on a sale item when it is filed in the inserts and not clipped yet”. I carry my I-Phone with me when shopping. I usually bring both binders with me into the store. When I am shopping and spot a clearance rack or an item on sale that I don’t already have a match-up for, I get out my I-Phone, pull up the DSM database, and do a search to see if and what types of coupons are available for the items that are on sale or clearance. If there is a coupon available, I can quickly locate it in my binder of inserts and clip with the scissors that are stored in the outside pocket.
This way, I don’t spend all day Sunday clipping coupons, and I still don’t miss out on items that I don’t have a match up for when I walk into the store. I just make sure I don’t miss a Sunday getting the paper, so I will have just about everything in the DSM database (minus maybe a few regional coupons).
This system has been working GREAT for me. I also make sure that I l all took through the inserts even if I am not clipping them so I will “sort of” be familar with the coupons, and if I see an item on sale, I can just search it in the DSM site. I’ll give you an example, I was in CVS recently and they had the refills for the automatic shower cleaner on clearance for $2.00 each (a great find to start with), I vaguely remembered there being insert coupons for the refills so I did a search and it quickly led me to the $2.o0/2 coupon I needed from a previous insert. I can also use this “Twist” to see if there are coupons for items that are not on sale that I might HAVE to buy. For example, I was shopping and spotted Lithium disk batteries that I needed for a toy. I didn’t have a coupon clipped but did a DSM database search and found a coupon for them, $1.50 saved in about a minute!
So there you have it, my system in a nutshell, One coupon-sorted zipper binder with baseball inserts, One binder with dated inserts in order, and a I-phone (and of course the DSM coupon database) and I am all set–I don’t spend too much time clipping and I never miss using a coupon that I need.
I have tried MANY systems for organizing my coupons.
They have ALL failed me in one way or another.
The one I use has failed me the least…so, that is why I use it.
It is the BINDER/BASEBALL CARD HOLDERS System.
The “down side” to this system is time consuming to set up,
though, once it is set up, it doesn’t take long to maintain.
I separate the coupons by CATAGORIES, SUB-CATAGORIES,
and ALPABETICAL ORDER (by brands).
BOTTOM LINE-
When I am in the store and something I use all the time
is on an “unadvertised special”,
I can quickly flip through the binder and find a coupon
that makes it “FREE or NEARLY FREE”,
IT IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE I SPEND ORGANIZING!!!!
I just posted about this. For more go HERE…
http://avisitwithgrammy.blogspot.com/2009/10/organizing-coupons.html
I keep all my inserts together and just cut out coupons when I need them. I also keep all my loose coupons in a Couponizer that I bring to the store with me.
Here’s a post I wrote about my coupon organization system with pictures – http://www.centsablemomma.com/2008/09/how-i-organize-my-coupons.html
I’m guessing someone has already answered this question but– where do you find baseball card sheets? I looked at walmart a couple of times and couldn’t find them. My little accordian thing is just too small.
Denise,
I got some of mine at Walmart and some at Kmart. Both places, I found them up close to the check-out lanes. Hope that helps.
Sharon
I have come up with an awesome organizer which I have made, nd gave my daughter in law one for X-mas and she loves it!!!!!!! I am now selling them for $20.00 each. There are a hundred clear dividers, so that coupons can go into every page. There is a catagory for everything, includding free items, restaurant coupons. I have a notebook on the inside cover, so you can make your grocerey list, pen inside and an envelope to put coupons that you are using at the store so that when you get to checkout, everything is there. We Love it!!!
I love couponing but don’t have time to run to different stores. So I just have an envelope and organize them by how things are layed out in the store, I only got to 2 or 3 stores so the food goes in front and other stuff in the back.
I HAVE A PLASTIC SHOE BOX WHICH I USE WITH DIVIDERS BROKEN DOWNUCH AS POSSIBLE, COFFEE , TEAS , OTHER BEVERAGES, JUICE , MAKE-UP, END OF MONTH MID MONTH EXPIRING, BREAKING DOWN FROZEN LIKE FROZEN MEATS, FROZEN POTOES, FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGIES, FROZEN MISC FOR REST ETC. OTHER SIDE IF NOT NEEDED HOLDS PEN, NOTEBOOKS ETC , WHEN I PULL WHAT USEING THE GO STRAIGHT OUT FRONT OF DIVIDERS STORE ADS FIT ON TOP INSIDE, I DECOUPAGE OUTSIDE GREAT METHOD AND HAVE EVERYTHING I NEEED RIGHGT THERE, JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET A SNAP TIGHT LID ,FOR 10.00 WOULD LOVE TO MAKE YOU ONE , BECAUSE SUPPLIES GOTTA CONSIDER SHIPPING .TERRY PANDA19571@AOL.COM
I USE A PLASTIC SHHOE BOX DIVIVED IN HALFDOWN MIDDLE FOR TWO EQUAL SIDES USE INDEX CARDS FOR DIVIDERSANY CATAGORY I USE PLUS STORE NSECTIONS, END OF MONTH MID MONTH, FREEBIES KEEP AS MANY FILED AS POSSSIBLE IF NOT ALL ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO ASK OH YEAH MAKE SURE LID IS A SNAP SEAL . PANDA19571@AOL.COM
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