Coupon organization

[FlyingDumbo]

What categories do you use? What kind of holder do you put them in?

 

[MissBritt]

Randoms (store-specific, freebies, etc), home, health, food. I did have a pet section when we had dogs, and a baby section before we switched to cloth diapers and table food. I had a cheap plastic one from Target's dollar spot but it fell apart so I got a quilted one from Lakeside when I ordered some gifts this month.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I have 2 holders, one for coupons for food items and one for non-food items (vitamins, health and beauty etc.) I have them both in abc order. It makes it easier to find something I'm looking for when I have it divided. It's a bit of a pain to carry them both around but when it comes time to find something it's easier. They both zip shut, they are like receipt holders.

 

[moobar25]

I just upgraded to a small binder, 5x8. I found clear coupon inserts which hold 6 coupons per page. Plus I got some clear business card inserts for smaller coupons. They also had a full page clear pockets for big coupons. All of this from Staples. I ordered some clear currency inserts from Amazon.com - was meant for a full size binder but I simply trimmed it to size. I like the smaller binder because it is more convenient to carry with me.
Now I feel like an 'extreme couponer' lol
My DH makes fun of me & says I'd better not send him to the store with that thing. But he likes all the savings I'm getting.

 

[Sandy61]

I do not cut my coupons out until I need them. I keep them intact in a big accordian folder according to date. When I see a store-coupon matchup it will say for example...
Hy-vee(grocery store) Hormel Compleats $1.66 use $1/1 coupon 9/23RP

I can then quickly find the coupon I need that week. Any coupons I cut out, I carry in my purse in a clutch size coupon holder. Same with any other coupons I come across that are loose like tearpads.

I rarely come across an item I wish I had a coupon for altho it does happen occaisonally. I keep up on coupon forums several times a day and know what is going on at the stores I go to.

 

[Zhoen]

I get by just fine with one of those cardboard accordion ones they sell at dollar stores. I clip the coupons I know I'm likely to use as I see them come out, but I save the rest of the inserts in a drawer in case something comes up later. (ie-I don't need more Head N shoulders right now, but I find a BOGO sale and I have coupons and when it all adds up I get ECBs or something, making it worth it to stock up.)

I keep the holder in my car so I can grab it when I go into a store, and if I can't remember what I have I'll quickly flip through before I go in to refresh my memory.

The one tweak I have made to my holder is that the cheapie ones I buy usually have one divider marked "new products" I take that one out and put it in the front and use it for "Today's Coupons" -- that's where I put the coupons for the products I put in my basket, so I'm not digging for them at the end.

I like the $1 cardboard ones, they work fine for me, and when I inevitably misplace them (with my kids' help, usually), I am bummed to lose the coupons, but at least another holder is cheap and easy to get. I've had about 3 in the past 15 years... I've never had one "break", they just get lost, then years later I find them and start using them again...

I've never watched the couponing shows, so I don't understand the appeal of the notebooks-- I'm sure there's a good reason for them, I'm just uneducated as to what that might be, and happy to remain so.