Coupon Organizing

If you love to coupon, you have an organizing challenge on your hands.  Those coupons come in all shapes and sizes and they are made of various materials.  This makes it even more challenging to use the coupons effectively and to achieve the maximum benefit.

One of the most popular ways to organize coupons is in a binder.  I suggest getting a large, durable binder.  Make sure you enjoy it; you’ll be carrying it around a lot!

Then, you want to get page protectors.  You can use whole sheet page protectors 8.5×11), or baseball card protectors (http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Pocket-Page-Protectors/dp/B005HIOVOG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395268771&sr=8-1&keywords=baseball+card+protectors) or even something you create for yourself.

I suggest creating categories.  Use groupings that make sense to you.  Here are some suggestions that will get you thinking about what you purchase and at what frequency.

• Frozen Food
  • TV Dinners
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Breads
  • Pizza

 

• Baby Supplies
  • Jarred Food
  • Formula
  • Washes
  • Wipes
  • Bottles
  • Diapers
  • Snacks

 

• Canned Goods
  • Vegetables
  • Soup
  • Beans
  • Sauce

 

• Baking
  • Boxed Mixes
  • Supplies-sugar, flour
  • Ingredients-Baking powder, baking soda, vanilla
  • Spices
  • Oils

 

 

• Bread
  • Tortilla Shells/Tacos
  • Loaves of Bread
  • Muffins/Bagels

 

• Fridge
  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Milk
  • Cookie Dough
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Meat

 

• Drinks
  • Tea/Coffee
  • Mixes
  • Milk
  • Juice
  • Soda
  • Sports Drinks

 

• Household Goods
  • Batteries
  • Cards/Wrapping Paper
  • Light Bulbs
  • Trash Bags
  • Seasonal Items

 

• Personal Items
  • Feminine Products
  • Deodorant
  • Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
  • Hair Care
  • Makeup
  • Nail Care
  • Vitamins
  • Shaving Needs
  • Soap/Lotion

 

• Packaged Goods
  • Cookies
  • Crackers/Chips
  • Baked Goods
  • Cereal
  • Beans
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Ketchup/Mustard/Pickles

 

• Pets
  • Litter
  • Food
  • Treats
  • Medicine
  • Supplies

 

• First Aid
  • Band Aids
  • Medication
  • Dental Care
  • Emergency supplies
  • Cold/flu/allergy

 

• Paper Products
  • Napkins
  • Paper Plates and Cups
  • Disposable silverware
  • Paper Towels
  • Toilet Paper
  • Kleenex

 

• Cleaning
  • Dish soap
  • Laundry Detergent/Stain remover
  • Floor Cleaner
  • Bathroom Cleaner
  • Antibacterial Wipes

 

Once you have established your groupings, you can sort through your coupons and make sure they are all usable.  I suggest organizing coupons by their expiration date.  Put the ones that expire first in the front.  Know what needs to be used before you head to the store.

If you want to take this one step further, organize by grouping AND my expiration date!  Once you have created your system, it will only take you a few minutes each week to take out expired coupons and add in new ones.

Of course there are already made coupon binders that you can purchase. These will save you a little time in the creation process.  However, you won’t be able to customize it to your specifications.  Here is an example of a binder that’s ready to go:

http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Closure-2-Inch-Binder-S-816-PUR/dp/B001GIP24O/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1395268870&sr=8-6&keywords=coupon+binder