Now that you have started to compile your coupon stockpile, you will want a way to keep them organized. You should organize them in a manner that works best for you. I started with a smaller accordion style folder. This worked for awhile, but as my stockpile grew, I out grew the folder, and then upgraded to the binder you see above. There is a nice deep pocket on the front of this binder that is perfect for keeping the weekly ads of the stores I frequently shop at. This allows me to carry around my ads from home in which I have marked items and/or written notes in.
When you open the binder, on the left side of the binder is an accordion style filing system. The file pockets are perfect for storing the weekly coupon inserts from the Sunday paper or any internet printed coupons until I have time to clip them.
On the right side of the binder I have inserted sheet protectors designed for baseball cards. There are nine pockets to each sheet which I slip my coupons into. This allows me to flip through my binder and be able to see all my coupons without flipping through them. These sheets are broken into categories by indes tabs. The categories I use are: Produce/Bread, Cereal, Dairy, Groceries, Frozen Foods, Drinks, Snacks, Paper, Household, Personal Care, Pet, Baby, and Healthcare.
My binder has a place for me to store pens, scissors, calculators, and notepads. This way I have all the supplies with me that may come in handy. You would be surprised at how often I need my scissors while shopping.
One of the features I like best about my binder is this clear zip pocket. Sometimes I plan my trip(s) out the night before. I then paperclip my list to my coupons and insert it into this pockets, so all I have to do is grab this pocket from my binder to take into the store instead of my entire binder.
My binder is working well for me. The only complaints I have when it comes to my coupon organization is my lack of ambition to keep my coupons organized. I have the tools in place, but sometimes I fail to take the time to get everything orderly. My advice (based on the examples set by friends) is to clip your coupons on Sunday and get them filed away into your binder immediately. Once you have this task done, your coupons are organized in a fashion you can quickly flip to, rather than stuffed into your binder in a manner that causes you to have search for a particular coupon. In the long run, it saves you time. I am working on this because I know once I can get in the habit of keeping everything organized, I will be able to plan and execute my trips much more successfully, saving me not only time but money.
Please share your coupon organization system with us by leaving a comment below. We could all use other ideas!
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