I’ve been using coupons since I was a little girl. I would help my mom clip coupons and them file them away in her coupon file – a Tupperware container with homemade index cards! I’m still a little “old school” when to comes to coupon organization because I store those precious bits of paper in an expandable coupon file (top and bottom expansion is a must).
I like this system because the file is small enough to toss in my purse whenever I leave the house. Coupon Crazy Mommies NEVER leave the house without their coupons!
Now, I only clip the coupons I think I might need and I save the inserts containing the unclipped coupons. Those inserts are stored, by month, in hanging file folders and kept in a desk drawer in my office. That way, they are easily accessible if a hot deal pops up and I need a coupon from a previous week or month.
Some ideas for categories in your file would be: Baby Beverages Baking/breads Breakfast Canned/Jarred Foods Oils/Spices/Condiments Dairy Fresh produce/vegetables Health/Beauty Household Cleaning/Maintenance Meats Paper products Laundry Pets Snacks Misc.
A lot of couponers prefer the “Binder Method” for storing their coupons. This method utilizes a large 3-ring binder, clear baseball card holders, and indexed pocket dividers. It’s definitely a great way to organize your coupons, but a LOT more time consuming to maintain, plus it’s big and bulky to tote around. I like to be “the cool couponer” and just quietly swoop into stores with my coupons neatly tucked away in my purse. When you have a binder, there’s no hiding the fact that your there to snag some deals! =)
