ORGANIZING YOUR COUPONS
ORGANIZING YOUR COUPONS
What are the options for organizing my coupons?
The most popular include:
o Envelopes: Some people use envelopes for their coupons. This is a nice, cheap option if you have only a handful of coupons. If you like this system and have more than will fit into one envelope, you can try using a different envelope for each category of coupons.
o The Accordion File: The accordion file is a compact organizer with built in divided sections. These usually come with a snap or band closure. This is a great organizer to start with if you have a small to medium amount of coupons.
o The Index Card Box: There is also the index card box. This system uses an index card box with index dividers for the categories. The coupons are kept freely between the dividers.
o The Binder System: The binder system is very popular. This system uses a 3-ring binder with clear baseball card or photo pages. Slide the coupons into each slot in the pages. Use divider pages to separate each category. This option is great because you can see the coupons at a glance and they’re expandable. The zippered type of binder works well to hold everything neatly inside. And one with a handle is even better.
It’s all about finding what works for you.
So now you have your system. What next?
How should I organize the coupons?
Like the system, choosing the organizational method will be solely based on personal preference. There are tons of variations on organizing coupons. Here are some ideas:
o By Category: This is the method I personally use. Each section of the organizer is a different category in an order that works for you. For example, categories could include Baby, Baking, Canned/Bottled, Cereal/Breakfast, Cleaning/Laundry, Dairy, Drinks, Frozen, Personal Hygiene, Meat, Paper Products, Prepared Foods/Pasta, Produce, Health & Snacks. Within each category are pages labeled with more specific categories. So, within the Paper Products category you could label pages Tissues, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, and Plastic/Paper Dinnerware, you want to go whatever works for you.
Should I take all of my coupons to the store with me?
Absolutely! I know there are some people out there who only take those coupons they plan to use. But without all of your coupons you might miss out on unadvertised sales and clearance items. Stores can only fit so many sale items in their flyers. You won’t know about the other sale & clearance items until you get to the store. You don’t want to be without your coupons when you find out that your favorite shampoo is on clearance for $1.00 and your $1/1 coupons for that shampoo are at home!
