Getting Started- Part 2 (Organization)

Now that you have got your coupons, the question is what should you do with them?

I think most people have good intentions by clipping and printing coupons but then throw them in an envelope and never do anything with them. It can be too overwhelming to be at a store trying to sort through an envelope with hundreds of coupons in no particular order. Throw in an unhappy 2 year old and you are ready to give up! This was my past experience until a month ago when I decided to get organized! Enter- The Coupon Binder!!

If you really are serious about starting this new way of shopping, you HAVE to get a binder. It will keep you organized, sane and also save you time in the end. No more sorting through that envelope trying to find that ONE coupon you know you have! You can get a fairly cheap binder at Wal-Mart or Target, some even on clearance. HINT: When I started, I wanted a cute binder and the only "cute" one I could find was a 1 1/2 inch binder from Wal-Mart. Mistake! It was broken within 3 weeks and I ended up having to get a bigger, tougher one. Go with a 2 1/2 or even 3 inch HEAVY DUTY binder. If you go smaller, you will wish you hadn't as you will fill it up quickly! Put some scrapbook paper in it to make it "cute" and this one will last!

Details: I printed off a Table of Contents and Dividers from an awesome website: The Krazy Coupon Lady and use that as my dividers. I recommend either doing the same, or making your own. This particular one divides your notebook into 31 categories and will make it easy to flip through in the store. You can go to her great website and find these to download on the lower, right hand side. You will need to buy plastic page protectors for these.


After you have your sections divided, you will want to buy baseball card holders from Wal-Mart of Target. I myself bought 2 packs (I think of 30 each). They are around $5.99. They have space for 12 coupons on each page. HINT: You will find them in the front of the store by the registers usually. I had to send Chris to get mine because I had looked everywhere and could not find them. I didn't have brothers- I don't know where that stuff is! I just assumed it would be by the scrapbook stuff ;) Once you have these- organize like this:

Once you have your sections all ready with the coupons in them, you are almost ready! I have found a few other helpful hints from the past few weeks. Add a folder or 2 to the back of your binder. These can hold your weekly circulars, receipts or even (like mine) rebates you are waiting to receive payment for.
I also have a few extra page protectors in the back of my sections as well as 1 for the front. The one in the front. When I am in a store, as I pull out coupons I am going to use I put them in the front page protector. This keeps me organized. One of the ones in the back I use for all of the coupons I get in the mail for restaurants, kids stores, etc.. And lastly, I have found it makes it easier if you have a few envelopes labeled with your favorite stores. This way, when you know of a deal going on, you can put that coupon right into that envelope. It will make it EVEN easier when you go into that store.

So there you have it! This is just an idea and you may find something that works even better for you. PLEASE leave me a comment and let me know if you have anything that has worked for you!

***EDIT: If you are buying 5-6 copies of the newspaper like me, it will take TOO much time to cut up all 6 papers and put them into your binder. What I have found to work is this: cut out the ones you KNOW you will use (either that week or soon) and maybe 1 set of the coupons from 1 newspaper. All of the others I put into a manilla envelope with the date I rcvd them (the Sunday they came) and what inserts are included.

So my envelope would look like this for this week :

5/3/09

SS, RP, & P&G (smartsource, redplum, & proctor & gamble)

6 copies

This way, when a deal comes up I can go right to that folder and find the coupons I need. NEVER throw ones away even if it is something you don't usually use. You never know when a deal will come along and make that item free! Even if you don't use it- donate it!