Thanks - all good suggestions.

posted on 9/14/2011 2:21:00 PM

I need to do this

posted on 4/18/2010 11:54:15 PM

I love the binder tutorial! I am going to do this ~ Thank you so much!

posted on 3/31/2010 1:53:30 PM

Coupons are a big part of helping my 2 grandsons at college.   Espcially on double coupon day!  Lets me help them by getting more value than just giving them cash.

posted on 3/30/2010 3:36:11 PM

I use a greeting card binder that I was lucky to find at Tuesday Morning for $6. It is a 3 ring binder that has clear pockets that are 5"x8" (2 per page) top loading. It also came with dividers, which I use to section off my book. I have frozen and  fresh food, then a section for baking and snacks. The last 2 setions are for household goodies and then personal care. Each page has  2 pockets-- example: frozen meals and the pocket below it would be frozen meat. The sizes of the pockets are better than the baseball pages, and because they are clear I can see what I need pretty easy. The binder has a zippered cover with a handle so as to make it easier to keep with me whenever I go to the store. I am a very serious couponer have managed to save at least 60-70 dollars with every trip. I even get free stuff with Walgreens and CVS...its awesome. It does take time to get your system set up, but once you do, weekly maintenance should only be about an hour (including gong through the sales ads and matching coupons). The biggest savings are finding sales and coupons that match! I would feel lost without my coupon binder!

posted on 3/13/2010 8:38:12 PM

These are great ideas, I alwys lose mine when i get to the store, also how do i donate them to the military, i haven't heard of this, Thanks

posted on 3/9/2010 11:12:17 PM

i do the same as caroline and maggie i use an small accordion envelope with a tab for each store i visit when i look thru the flyers at home i put the list, the coupons i want to use together this way i am not fussing in the store looking for coupons  I use a larger type accordion that i also carry in my bag to hold coupons i might use in the future or for a last minute deal that i just can't pass up i love coupons and i think everyone should use them yeah to couponers

posted on 3/9/2010 3:43:49 PM

I just use a cardboard box.  I add the date with a Sharpie, and toss them in the box with the newest on top.  Then I can easily find the inserts to clip the coupons I need.  (This method works great with websites like SouthernSavers and GroceryGame, and saves a lot of time.)

posted on 3/3/2010 9:23:47 AM

I sort my coupons by expiration dates so that I don't forget to use them before they expire. This works very well for me. I use to sort them by category but found that I ended up with alot of expired coupons. Then I'd use alot of language not befitting a lady!!!

posted on 3/2/2010 3:11:07 PM

I use mine in coupon holders & in baggies too. I need to get better organized as coupons save so much $$ on my groceries bill each week.

posted on 2/28/2010 12:52:33 AM

I use a 5 pocket file folder. I put the date on each newspaper insert with a marker and file it in it's pocket (Red Plum, SmartSource, printables, those received in the mail, etc.)Most of my match ups are found on website blogs and are listed by insert/date so this makes it fairly simple without having a lot of loose coupons. I did try the binder method, but this works better for me personally. I have a spreadsheet savings tracker. So far this year I've managed to save $800 on groceries the past 2 months-certainly not as good as  some people who coupon, but definitely better than nothing!

posted on 2/25/2010 3:58:39 PM

I use the binder method also.  I do love the idea of using the 3x5 inserts that Kami mentioned above.  I've been folding mine to make them fit into the baseball card sleeves.  I have mine sorted by the aisles of my favorite grocery store.  I have a sheet protectors with the aisle numbers and description of the items available in the aisle.  Ex.  Aisle 26 has paper towels; toilet paper; plastic cups; plasticware; kleenex; zip loc bags; trash bags; etc.  I have a divider for:  Expiring soon; Misc Coupons (ie. restaurant, lowes, etc); Aisles 26 thru 1; Produce; Deli; Cold Items; Frozen Items.  I've been putting my greenbags in the child seat and propping my binder on top open to the aisles.  I start on the general merchandise side of the store (aisle 26) and work my way to the non-perishables (aisle 1) then produce, deli and cold/frozen items so that my cold stuff is still cold when I am ready to check out.  I think I'm going to check out Kami's site and I may revise my system a little.  I like her idea for flipping it open from the side.  Might work better for me. 

posted on 2/24/2010 8:01:19 PM

I cut mine (usually only 1 newspaper per week) and divide them into 2 recipe boxes - one for me and one for trading/giving away. Sometimes I take only mine in the store (then I buy less) but if I find a good clearance I might bring the second one in from the car. I file them by type of food: Dairy, Meat. Frozen, etc.  Before I leave for the grocery, I plan the night before by checking www.afullcup.com to see what's on sale and what printable coupons are availlable for the things on my shopping list.

posted on 2/24/2010 3:19:25 PM

Colleen,I formerly used a fabric coupon wallet. I made my own dividers out of file folders. At the end of each month, I'd go through my wallet and pull out all the cpns expiring the following month and put them behind a divider labeled "Expiring Soon". Then it was easy to just toss those that expired instead of searching each category. Just thought that might help you a wee bit. Now I use a three-ring binder with sports card holders and some photo pages. A pencil pouch in the front holds cpns to file, fast food cpns, rainchecks, small scissors and a pen.

posted on 2/23/2010 10:43:00 PM

I don't clip my coupons until I need them because I get over  12 sets each week and tend to lose track of them if I clip them. I also make sure that I have one full set in shoe box. When I am looking for  a coupon I will look through the one in the shoe box. When I found out which week it is from then I will clip from the pile of inserts for that week.I make my own envelope using a translucent plastic pocket folder and use a velcro dot to seal it. I then label each envelope with the shop name, eg. walgreens, cvs etc. Then when I see a deal on line I will put those coupons in the envelope together with a shopping list. I know exactly how much it will cost in the end and how much I will get back in either register rewards or extra bucks.

posted on 2/20/2010 11:45:22 PM

I cut and sort mine in two different coupon caddies, one for food items and the other for household/personal/misc items.  This way when going to a "drugstore" I only take one in. 

posted on 2/20/2010 9:43:07 PM

I leave mine in a pile.  I need t get better at this but I really just don't have time right now.

posted on 2/20/2010 3:30:16 PM

WHAT A GREAT IDEA I'M A COUPON FANATIC !!!!  I HAVE THEM ALL IN DIFFERENT CATAGORIES PAPERCLIPPED AND THEN AN ENVELOPE, I THINK I'LL TRY YOUR IDEA INSTEAD OF BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORE DIGGIN FOR ONE!!!  THANKS WENDEY

posted on 2/20/2010 10:23:39 AM

LOVE coupons!!!  I use a CD box with an accordian folder in side of it.  My kids were laughing that I was going to take it into the stores with me --  untill -- they saw some of the things that I got for free or darn close to free.  My Daughter was yellling in cvs I LOVE COUPONS !!  LOL  We spent 71.00 in cash thats including meat that you can never find coupons for and a total saving of $97.00.  She was amazed!!

posted on 2/20/2010 10:14:40 AM

I too love the three ring binder method. Please check out my post in regards to the subject at http://dollarstoday.com/?p=288. 

posted on 2/20/2010 9:07:21 AM

I too love the three ring binder method. Please check out my post in regards to the subject athttp://dollarstoday.com/?p=288. 

posted on 2/20/2010 9:06:26 AM

I have the 3 ring binder with baseball card holders but I also have file tabs in there with tabs in sections of Coupons to use (When I go shopping I pull any before hand I know I want to use and then as I'm walking through the store if I see something else on sale & have a coupon I pull it up to this tab. This way I'm not standing at the checkout flipping through my book looking for all the coupons I need.)  Then there is my Menu, then Food, Household, Health, and Resturants.  Coupon shopping is so much fun!

posted on 2/19/2010 11:47:14 PM

I currently file mine in a binder with baseball card holders, but am thinking of changing and trying to find a way that takes less time. I have WAY too many coupons to sort in check boxes, though!

posted on 2/19/2010 10:15:36 PM

I spend 6 to 8 hours a week couponing. I follow some money saving blogs that offer the clipless way of doing coupons. You save your inserts from your Sunday paper and write the date on them. The bloggers tell you the local deals and which dates to look up to find matching coupons. For the first three weeks of Februrary I have spent just under $300 and have purchased $1100 worth of products.

posted on 2/19/2010 9:27:27 PM

Anything that I buy I try to find a coupon first.

posted on 2/19/2010 9:00:18 PM

I use a binder that I designed myself.  Instead of baseball card inserts (too small for the coupons I have), I went with 3.5x5" photo pages and there is a space at the end of each to add the label.  I LOVE it because I put it spine side down in the cart and just flip it back and forth while shopping and the labels face correctly.  Here is my tutorial on how to make your own:  http://tinyurl.com/yd9o5p8

posted on 2/19/2010 8:31:27 PM

I use an expanding legal envelope size holder, with my own categories.  I only use coupons when the item is on sale and try to stock up. I see more and more shoppers with organizers in the stores.  Good for us!

posted on 2/19/2010 7:38:17 PM

I loved doing the baseball card inserts until I outgrew them. I just couldn't justify spending so much time to cut them out and having 2 full 3" binders full of cut coupons.Now I don't cut mine out until I go to use them. I keep a spreadsheet of the coupons that I have and how many. I file the inserts in a file cabinet. When I hear of a deal, I can quickly search my database and know how many coupons I have and where they are. Then I pull the inserts and cut the coupons. I put the coupons in an envelope for "Whatever Store" and print out a list of what I'm picking up, including item, price, quantity, coupon, incentive (Catalina coupon should print, ECB, RR, etc).

posted on 2/19/2010 7:31:46 PM

I use a photo box and use ABC file holders to put them in alphabetical order.  Though I tend not to always cut out ALL of my inserts as I buy 10-20 papers a week in order to maximize a deal to its fullest.  Plus, I can use expired coupons by 3-5 months at one store, so I keep my coupons longer than most people.I tried the baseball album, but there was no way that the holder part would keep 10-20 of each coupon in them.  I also love MinnesotaCouponAdventure.blogspot.com and couponmom.com as they tells me what insert the coupons are in for the sale.

posted on 2/19/2010 7:30:11 PM

This is the site I use to send my expired coupons to the military.http://www.ocpnet.org/

posted on 2/19/2010 7:14:25 PM

I use a 4x6 index card box w/ the alphabetical dividers.

posted on 2/19/2010 7:13:32 PM

I've been through lots of methods, but the best by far, is what Lisa was saying.  I have baseball card pages in zippered binders.  I actually have two, one for grocery stuff and one geared toward drug stores.  I bring both with me, though.  I orderd a pack of 100 pages and each one has 9 squares, so figure I have the better part of 900 sections for coupons.   Wow, it seems like a ridiculous amount when I write it out.  The notebook is so much easier to flip through and view .  

posted on 2/19/2010 7:07:11 PM

I have a category for each grocery store I go to.  That way when I go through the ads I have a list and a set of coupons for each store and don't have to waste time going through all my coupons.

posted on 2/19/2010 7:03:37 PM

I use a coupon binder that I put together after researching it online first. It's a very easy and simple way to organize your coupons and view them quickly.

posted on 2/19/2010 1:07:54 PM

My method is similar. Each category is in a small letter size envelope. The envelopes are kept in an old wipes container. I keep my categories in the order they appear in my most frequented grocery store. A friend keeps hers in alphabetical order. - It all depends on what works for you!

posted on 2/19/2010 11:01:18 AM

What an excellent idea Lisa, I spend a lot of time clipping coupons and the freebies seem such a waste if not used!  Do you have a link where to send the unused ones to the military? Thank you;

posted on 2/19/2010 10:57:34 AM

I use a coupon binder. I am a visual person, so it helps me to be able to visually scan the pages to find the coupon I need rather than sort through them by hand.

posted on 2/19/2010 10:31:24 AM

Paperless Coupon Sites

posted on 2/19/2010 10:14:24 AM

I sort, cut and file mine in baseball card holders front and back and store in a zipped binder.  I never discard any unless they are expired which are donated to the military.  It might be something we don't normally use but if it's free we will use it or donate. 

posted on 2/19/2010 7:15:02 AM