Coupon Organization

Ask five ladies how they organize their coupons and you're likely to get five different answers. I will cover the ways I've seen most talked about/popular/convenient ways to do this.

More than any other system, I read that ladies are using this system (copied from HCW):

"Binder with 9-pocket baseball card inserts, plus a few 8 x 11 page protectors for miscellaneous stuff at the back. The baseball inserts are $1.44 for a 10 pack at Walmart. The actual organization is an ever-evolving process! For example, page 1 is Breakfast items: Kellogg's General Mills Post Other Cereals Pancakes & Syrup Oatmeal Snack Bars Bagels & Muffins Bread Page 2: Baking Page 3: Dry Goods & Spices Etc."

But there are other methods that work as well:

"2 big FAT filled to the brim CD binders (that hold 100 CD's) with baseball pages."

"I use the binder method too. I have a 2-inch zippered binder.... I use mostly 5-pocket photo page sleeves (4x6), but I do have a few baseball card inserts that I bought from the dollar tree a few months ago. I have 20 main catagories, which are then divided into subcatagories. Baby is my 1st catagory and I have a page for Bath/Body, another page for Diapers, another for Wipes and another for Misc Items. I also have a few 8x11 clear page protectors for notes. In 1, I keep a copy of the UPromise grocery list and another has CVS and Catalina info."

"I use a briefcase...no kidding. I made dividers down the middle and three spaces on each side to keep it neat. Food on the right, non food on the left. The lid holds all my fliers, small scissors, calculator, stapler and puller. I have room for my lists and small accordian file labeled for each store."

I was going to try the first method mentioned above..the binder with the baseball card inserts. Here is a picture of the binder I was going to use (this is the exact type of binder most recommended by those using this method, a Case-It 3 ring binder):





















The baseball card holders were to be inserted to hold the coupons. But this system was WAY too bulky for me so I found another way. I like to fly under the radar in the stores and not make a spectacle, KWIM? I just felt this binder called too much attention b/c of its size.

So I bought a photo album and have used it for well over a year.





























It's still in good shape and although it is nearly bursting at times, it is perfect for me. I can just tuck it under my arm and go. I can lay it in the seat in the front of the basket where the kids used to sit and it lays nicely down in there with no problem. I can refer to it easily. I organize the coupons inside according to the store aisle of the store I use the most (The Commissary). I just flip the pages as I pass the items on the shelf.

Some will say that they have a really big filing system for their q's and they just take it in the car with them and pull the coupons they'll use in the store as they get out of the car. That doesn't work for me...just b/c I often find unadvertised deals in the store and hate having to go back for my coupons.

The photo album doesn't hold all of my coupons, so I keep some at home. I will file up to 10 of a the same coupon in the album to take to the store, and if i have 11 or more of them, I file the extras at home in another type of filing system. I use the following system at home and it works WONDERS. (pics provided by Courtney (waytoomuch) at Gymborebel.com).

File Box















Separated by type of Q. I use file folders, Courtney is using envelopes.
















Tools.......
















I take the inserts apart and put all the pages together that are alike. Then I staple each set of coupons this way.........above the expiration date and words, "manufacturers coupon". When you tear the coupon off to use it, you don't want it tearing off the important info.















Once the coupons are cut, they are neat and tidy, like this:
















Organizing and stapling this way gives you a tear pad affect and keeps the coupons from sliding all over in your filing systems.

I hope that if you are still trying to decide how to organize your coupons, this will help you out a little. Of course, if you have any other suggestions or anything to add, leave a comment!!

Also, click HERE to go to HotCouponworld.com to see pictures of many of these organization systems the ladies use toward the top of this post.