How do you organize your coupons?

[mikkishelles]

So you separate by grocery department or by brand? I am trying to make this as easy as possible..so, what works for you?

 

[humalexis]

I am still kinda new to couponing and I have a little accordian file folder that is about the size of a wallet. I sort by department because that is how my grocery list is organized. I find that if I go through the ads and my grocery list with my coupons out that I remember to use them better. Then I keep the coupons I know I will use in a separate section.

I have seen some people use binders with what look like baseball card plastic sleeves and then have tabs to separate the sections.

 

[Meshell2002]

I've been couponing about a year so I know what I will use and what I won't. At home I have a coupon box (hanging file folder box) where i file my inserts by date (I get between 4-10 inserts depending on the week), and I save my store flyers and coupons too. I have a small check file to put my loose coupons in that I carry with me, it also holds drugstore rewards and coupons. I use online matchup sites and print the list of products I plan on buying....I pull from the box and clip ahead of time before my trip, placing those coupons in the front of the check file, I write how many items I plan on buying/ have q's for on the list. I shop from the list. If the list is not accurate(or a product is out of stock) I just pull the effected coupons from the pile as I go/ before checkout.

The check file is organized by my main store's department order.
HTH

 

[Kycha]

Like a pp, I don't clip my coupons until I need them. I keep the inserts in a file box, separated by date. Then when I make my grocery list, I check the coupon forums and blogs(afullcup.com, iheartkroger.com, hotcouponworld.com) that I use to get the coupon matchups. I clip and print the coupons that I need. Then I organize my coupons in an accordion folder by the aisles in my grocery store.

 

[mikkishelles]

Keeping the inserts like that is a great idea! I would have never thought of that...I am going to try it that way so that I don't spend so much time cutting and organizing.

 

[DawnM]

This is what i do too.

Like a pp, I don't clip my coupons until I need them. I keep the inserts in a file box, separated by date. Then when I make my grocery list, I check the coupon forums and blogs(afullcup.com, iheartkroger.com, hotcouponworld.com) that I use to get the coupon matchups. I clip and print the coupons that I need. Then I organize my coupons in an accordion folder by the aisles in my grocery store.

 

[PudgetteD]

I keep mine in a binder with baseball card sleeves and use write-on dividers. I used to have them organized by department but some were getting out of hand and I broken them down further e.g. health and beauty. That section was WAY to big so I broke it down further into oral care, hair, bath, etc. I also did that with the pharmacy section. For you that don't clip until you need them how do you take advantage using coupons with unadvertised sales/closeouts? I'd love to only clip what I need but I keep thinking that I'd miss out on unadvertised things like some of Kroger's 10 for 10s that aren't in the ad or things that are marked down. TIA.

 

[basketkat]

I clip only what I buy or will use. Then they go in my accordion file by grocery dept. And then they are in order by expiration date so I don't miss using any....

 

[PudgetteD]

I clip only what I buy or will use. Then they go in my accordion file by grocery dept. And then they are in order by expiration date so I don't miss using any....

I also clip only what we'll use. I just don't understand how those who keep inserts and only clip when needed are able to take advantage of unadvertised sales/markdowns on things that they'll use. (unlike my BF who clips EVERYTHING and has 40 packs of diapers in her hall closet-she has no children and doesn't plan on having any)

 

[Kycha]

I also clip only what we'll use. I just don't understand how those who keep inserts and only clip when needed are able to take advantage of unadvertised sales/markdowns on things that they'll use. (unlike my BF who clips EVERYTHING and has 40 packs of diapers in her hall closet-she has no children and doesn't plan on having any)

At this point, I don't take advantage of unadvertised sales unless someone else posts about it first. I usually do my shopping on a Wednesday. So if there is an unadvertised sale, that gives other people time to post it before I hit the store.

I would like to figure out a different system though. I really despise the actual act of clipping and organizing coupons. And when I find a good deal on a blog/forum they always list the coupons by insert/date. So it's a lot easier for me to just leave the coupon inserts whole.

I'm thinking of using a hole punch and just putting the whole inserts into a 3 ring binder. If I had a cell phone w/ web access I would probably do that. Then when I'm in store and find an item on closeout/marked down I can check a coupon database and access the coupon quickly and just clip it in the store.