I get asked all the time about how I organize my coupons.  I  tried several different methods, but after some trial and error, I prefer the Binder method.  However, there are numerous ways to organize and here are a few ideas for you.

• Binder:
  • I have a Case It Binder that has baseball card holders in the main compartment and also has files in the front and back and a place for pens, calculator, scissors.  Inside this binder I file all the miscellaneous coupons I print from different sources, peelies from grocery products, etc.  I have them arranged by product type -( ie: breakfast, beverages, health & beauty, etc. )  I patterned the different sections based on the primary sections in your typical grocery store.
  • In the beginning, I tried to cut every coupon and file it, but since I buy duplicates of newspapers that have good inserts, this became TOO much!  Now I have hanging file folders in my desk drawer with each date tabbed. Inside each folder is that days inserts. I also write the date on the front of each insert just to make sure.  When I’m ready to get my coupons together for a shopping trip, I cut what I need and leave the rest.
  • I tried taking my entire binder with me on shopping trips, but for me, it was way too cumbersome.  If I lived in a rural location where I didn’t have close access to all the big stores, I would probably still take it – but I’m close to everything!  I put all the coupons I’ve clipped for that trip in its own envelope – CVS, Walgreens, Target, etc. – along with a list of what I’m purchasing, how much the regular price should be, the coupon amount I have clipped and what the bottom line price is.  This way, I don’t mistakenly pick up the wrong size item and pay more.
• Envelopes:
  •  When you are first beginning, and before you start accumulating a ton of coupons, it might be easiest to start clipping and simply put them in an envelope or file.  You can make one legal size envelope for each grocery category, IE: Meat, Cleaning Products, Health and Beauty, etc..  You can also sort each envelope by expiration month. This is definitely not that efficient, but its an easy way to start
• Accordian File Folder:
  • Pick up an accordian folder at Walmart, Target or any office supply store, but make sure it has a band that secures it all the way around - this will lessen the likelyhood that you will lose any coupons!  You can sort each pocket in the same way as envelopes - by expiration date or alphabetically.
• Index File Box:
  • You can use a recipe box, index card box or even a shoe box if you like. Believe it or not, index boxes are a very efficient and easy way to organize.  These boxes hold more coupons than you would think!  Again, sort by category , expiration date or alphabetically 

That is pretty much it in a nutshell!  Like I said, after trying a lot of different things, this is the easiest for me. I’m dilligent about cutting the ones that go in the binder and labeling the others that go in the file.  Organization is the key to making this work and believe me, I WAS NOT the most organized person in the world before I started collecting coupons. I’ve found that the harder I work on organizing ahead of time, the quicker my trips to each store are and the more fruitful they are!

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In an earlier post, I had stated that I had decided to go the route of using an accordion folder to organize all my coupons.  BUT, after all of the reading I did yesterday, I am back-pedalling a little.  I read a ton of stuff yesterday and everyone seems to have a different system.  After watching about 20 YouTube videos about coupon binders (let me just say that I was shocked at how many there were!), I have a concrete system that I'm putting in place.  So here goes:

Number one on my list was to return the previous folder I purchased.  I won't use it for anything else and hey, 15 bucks is 15 bucks!

I went to the Office Depot and I was floored by the number, size and shape of the binders/organizers they had.  There are zipper, 3 ring, 1 1/2 - 3 inch, ones with straps, etc.  I picked up and looked through every single one until I was happy with the one in my hand.  I decided on the "Case It" brand, 3-Ring, 3 Inch binder with a built in expandable file. At $19.99, it was a little more than what I wanted to spend, but I'm perfectly happy with it. This took about 20-30 minutes.

So, I've got a smile on my face - off to find what I'm going to put inside!  Where the heck are the baseball card holders? While I was wondering around looking for them, I'm scanning the end caps where all the clearance stuff is.  I haven't been in a big box office supply store in ages.  I typically pick up what I need as far as office stuff at Walmart, CVS and sometimes the Dollar Store.  I had no idea they had so much stuff at great prices there.  Of course, since these things are on clearance, I must look at them.  After wasting another 20 minutes, I decide to get back on my mission.

As I'm rounding the corner of the aisle that has the sheet protectors, I notice some binders on clearance.  You guessed it!  The exact same binder that I had spent 30 minutes trying to find was right there on the end cap for only $8!  Woohoo!  Ok, so it is Purple and looks like it should be used by a 10 year old girl, but who cares? (picture below, let me know what you think) I got it for cheap!

Off to find the baseball card holders.  After watching those videos last night, this just seemed to be the most efficient way of organizing the coupons.  Very clear cut and easy to see.  Much easier than envelopes and zip lock bags!  I finally find them, but they only have 2 packs left.  So I pick up those at $3.49 each for a 10 pack - they will hold 18 coupons per sheet when put back to back.  Remember, you will have duplicates of coupons sometimes that you can just put in the same sleeve. Here is what they look like:

Next, tab dividers.  I pick up the cheapest pack I can find at $4.49 for 24 dividers.  This is more than enough.  I'm sure you know what these are, no picture required!

I also want to use plain sheet protectors (for a full 8 1/2 x 11 sheet), but I have some of those at home.  I'll expand on what I'm using them for tomorrow.

I take all my stuff up to the register while trying very hard not to look at all the clearance items.  All the while, chanting to myself  "I don't need anything else, so I'm not gettin' anything else".

Here is how it breaks down:

Binder	$  8.00
Tab dividers	$  4.49
(2) Baseball/Trading Card Page Packets	$  6.98
TOTAL w/ Tax	$20.89

So, I've got my binder materials ready and tonight I plan to start putting it together and adding all the coupons. Hopefully I'll make a nifty little video of the binder when it is all finished! Wish me luck please.

Here's a quote for today and so very true:

"Today, there are three kinds of people: the have's, the have-not's, and the have-not-paid-for-what-they-have's."
-Earl Wilson

Happy Wednesday!

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I thought this was pretty cool. Someone has a youtube video of their coupon binder. Just one take on organizing!

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Ok, so you started clipping coupons and you have all good intentions on getting these things organized, coming up with a system and sticking to it - right?  For me, good intentions - abolutely; organized - absolutely NOT!  I've been clipping my coupons and searching, downloading and printing them from all sorts of websites.  Now here I sit with these beautiful piles of coupons and not a clue as to how I'm going to organize them.  Where do I start?  This feat lands squarely in my "tedious" category and I'm not quite sure how I plan to tackle it.  Back to the internet to search around for the best way to organize.  Everyone has their own way of doing it and I, need to find my own way also.  I'm sure this will be trial and error, but I plan to post each and every step right here!

First I want to back up a second and talk about the actual "clipping of the coupons".  There are quite a few ways you can do this:

• Don't clip them until needed:  You can choose to save the entire newspaper insert or sales ad and store them in a large notebook.  Remember, when choosing the container you plan to use to organize, you need to take into account the room needed for inserts.  Personally, I won't be doing this.  I want to be organized from start to finish and don't want to be stuck with 2 months worth of coupons that haven't been clipped, only to go back and see that there were actually coupons in there I could have used.
• Clip the coupons you plan to use: You can sit down with the inserts and clip out only those that you or your family will use.  This will take some time because you will need to look at each and every one of them.  But if you are very brand loyal, this might be the right way to go.
• Clip them all: This is my plan of attack for a couple of reasons. (1) It just seems easier to allot a specific time to sit down with all your coupons and cut - like when you are watching tv, or sitting at one of your kids sports practices.  Its mindless work and you really don't need to concentrate very much - except on the scissors!  No running with scissors!  (2) Since I'm a member of FreeCycle, there may be people on there that could use some of the coupons I don't need.  Like diapers and other baby products.  I'll just offer them up to someone!  Believe me, there is someone that can use them and its like throwing away money - I don't want to do that anymore.

After I decided that I would be clipping them all, I purchased a cheap little organizer on clearance at Target on Saturday.  I wanted the accordian file type where I can choose to alphabetize by store, department or brand.  I can then further organize within the tabs with envelopes or ziplock bags.  This is my plan and we will see how it works!  Here are some of the other options for organizing that I found:

• Baskets: Some people use small baskets to organize them.  You can find cheap 4x6 or so baskets at a dollar store OR they have plastic organizers with drawers.  That would be handy also.
• Shoeboxes: Something that most people have lying around!  These would work great for organizing if you used tabbed index cards between each section.  At the very least, you could use a shoebox to stack your coupons in as you are clipping.
• File (4x6) or recipe boxes: You can pick these up at a dollar store also and most of them come with blank index tabs.  Since I plan to clip a lot of coupons, I didn't think this was the best route for me!

So now I have my coupons and my organizer - how am I going to organize it all?!  That is my task for later today and I'll fill you in on it tomorrow. Until then, here is your quote for today:

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”  Appropriate, huh?

Happy Tuesday! 

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