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5 Ways To Organize Coupons

in Couponing on 01/14/14

Couponing can get overwhelming fast, if you don’t stay organized. Organizing your coupons is a vital part. If you can’t find a coupon you want when you need it, then you lose out. If your coupons expire before you can use them, you lose out.

As you can see organizing is a must. Today we’ll discuss 5 ways to organize your coupons, because 1 size does NOT fit all. Let’s get to it.

Finding the best way that works for you to organize your coupons is essential to getting the best deals. Click through NOW to find a way for you...

How To Coupon:  5 Ways To Organize Coupons

So, hopefully, you have gathered your coupons using the 10 Places To Find Coupons post from this How To Coupon series.

Primarily we will discuss 5 Ways To Organize Coupons from coupon inserts. The rest can be filed the same way as the insert coupons.

Now coupon inserts, as we discussed before, are coupon booklets found in the Sunday paper.  There are Red Plum (RP), Smart Source (SS), Procter & Gamble (P&G), Target, Unilever, and General Mills (GM).

You are going to want more than 1 of the same coupon when you start coupon shopping.  We’ll discuss why you need extra coupons in a later part of the series.  But, for now, we are discussing organizing multiple identical coupons for items such as personal care food items and more.

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5 Ways To Organize Coupons:

1.  File the inserts

a.  You can file your grocery coupons whole by date and name, and then when you’re ready to use them, you can go to the specific file folders and pull out the ones you need and get your individual coupons. 

Be sure to file them spine side out. If you look closely at the spine on the outside of the insert, you will see the date, in case you ever need to know if they are misplaced.

Coupon insert date on spine of insert
The date for the coupon insert are always on the outside spine.

b.  For the next organizing system, you can file your new coupons separated by page and either stapled or paper-clipped together. This method will allow you to cut out a group of coupons instead of just one at a time. 

I normally buy 10 papers a week, which gives me 10 identical coupon whole inserts from that week.  For instance, if there are RP & SS inserts in the paper that week I will have 10 SS and 10 RP for that week.

Coupon pages laid out on a table
When filing multiple of the same insert stacking pages is the best way to go.

I will begin by taking the first of the 10 and laying each page out in order, and then I will take the second identical insert and lay the same pages on top of the same pages so that now I have 2 of each coupon page laying on top of each other. 

I continue that until they are all 10 coupon deals laid out.  I will have 10 copies of each page laid out in order.

How To Coupon:  5 Ways To Organize Coupons!Then I will either paper clip or staple each coupon stack by stapling or paper clipping each coupon. Be sure to never staple through the date, bar code, or return address. 

When I am finished, I have 1 set of 10 identical pages with each coupon (front and back) on that stack being either stapled or paper clipped. 

This comes in handy when you are ready to cut out individual sets, they’re already all paper clipped or stapled together, plus they hold the page still for you to cut through 10 sheets at once.

Identical coupon insert pages paper clipped together
Paper clipping each set of coupons makes cutting them out fast and easy.

Then you can file the entire insert by date and name, and when you go to pull the coupons you want, they will be all together and ready to just cut them out.

Coupon sets laying on a table cut out and ready to go
Getting ready for a shopping trip is much easier when your coupons are organized

2.  Notebook

For this insert method, you can clip all of your coupons and then file your clip coupons in a notebook that you take with you to your local grocery stores. 

That way, if you find a great deal in the store, you have all of your clipped coupons with you!  You can file your cut coupons in individual categories using:

  • baseball card sleeves
  • plastic sleeves
  • photo book pages
  • photo albums

I have used all of these at one time or another, so whatever works for you.

I bought a notebook with a handle and zipper and pockets for scissors, paper clips, and a pen, as well as a place for things like rain checks and receipts.

pink coupon notebook
Having a notebook with all your coupons with you at all times means you never miss a good deal.

I use dividers for my different types of coupons just like you used in school to separate specific coupons into categories by type of product, ie:  Dairy, Deli, Frozen, and so on. 

Set your notebooks filing system or binder method up like your favorite store is laid out, so it’s easier to navigate through the book and the store, saving you a lot of time.

You could even put your shopping list in sheet protectors then insert that into the binder.

How To Coupon:  5 Ways To Organize Coupons!

3.  Shoebox

For the simplest method, you can cut them and file them in a file box or shoebox and use index cards in your coupon box to separate the categories.

The woman I learned from had 15 different clear shoeboxes filled with coupons and dividers. She used a separate grocery cart just for her coupon boxes.

4.  Baggies

You can cut them and put them in baggies and label the baggies in categories.

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How Many Do I Have To Buy

5.  Coupon Wallet

You can buy a little coupon wallet, also known as a small accordion file, almost anywhere, and they already have pockets and dividers for easy access.

You can just label your categories by type of coupon and drop either all of your coupons in or use it to organize just the coupons for your next shopping trip.  This is Hubby’s coupon wallet:

How To Coupon:  5 Ways To Organize Coupons!
Using a coupon wallet for all your coupons or just to organize the ones for your current trip makes things easier.

As you can see, there are many different ways to organize your coupons.  You may try all of them before you find one that is just right for you, and it may not be any of the 5 Ways To Organize Coupons above!

How do you organize your coupons?

Finding the best way that works for you to organize your coupons is essential to getting the best deals. Click through NOW to find a way for you...
Dian1

5 Comments

Comments

  1. Ivonne Lopez says

    at

    I will definitely try this thanks

    Reply
  2. Paula Coyne says

    at

    Nothing is better than shopping with coupons. I never leave. home without them.Best shopping spree was when I bought 215.98 worth of groceries for only 2.33 cents. That was what i paid for tax. Definitely made an impression on my dad!!!

    Reply
  3. Nakisha @ Making organized moms says

    at

    Thanks for sharing – I gave you a share over at http://www.makingorganizedmoms.com/becoming-organized-shopper/ today. I’d love to have you check it out!

    Reply
    • Dian says

      at

      Nakisha,
      Thanks – that is a great post!
      Dian

      Reply

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  1. Free Monthly Meal Planner | Dian Farmer says:
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    […] – besides a free Monthly Meal Plan, is the fact that a meal plan is as personal as creating a coupon organizing system – you need to do what works for you.  The big BUT here is that you have to do it if […]

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Welcome to GSFF! I’m Dian, a wife of over 20 years, Mom to 4 grown kids… Read more about Dian, Shopping, Finance, & Family

Dian is a mom of four grown children, Nana to 6 beautiful grands, wife to an amazing husband, social influencer, and blogger. I love all things gardening, saving money, tips & tricks to make life easier, ANY cool new gadget, and feeding my Reality TV addiction (it's real y'all, you have no idea!) Dian has been featured in person, in print, and on sites like Huff Post, CBSNews, Blog Talk Radio, NBC DFW, Babble, Woman's Day, All You Magazine, Super Market News, Clark, & Pinner's Conferences. Want to know more? Check out the full bio here!

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