The biggest hurdle to coupon use is the time it takes to organize them. Here are two different ways to organize your coupons. Some people like to do one or the other but many people use both methods.
Stephanie Nelson created this system which will eliminate weekly clipping, sorting and filing. It will keep you organized so you can take full advantage of all of the offers available. All of this will save you valuable time; time you can use planning your shopping trip, creating menus and counting up all the money you are saving!
To begin using this system, you simply remove the inserts from the newspaper and file them inside page protectors in a three ring binder or expandable file. Label them with the type (Smart Source, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, or Red Plum) and date of issue. You can find the name and date on the binding of the insert.
Step One: Get your paper on Sunday morning.
Step Two: Remove the coupon inserts.
Step Three: Put them in a file folder.
Step Four: Label the folder (i.e. “Smart Source 1/6” or “SS 1/6”).
*You can also include an index card to note any coupons you removed, so you can easily see what you have already used.
With this system, you only cut out the coupons you are going to use the day you go to the store. When we plan our trips we make an index card of all the coupons we need and then before we go shopping we remove only the coupons we will use that day. This should only take about five minutes to complete.
When you go to Becentsable.net, and many other frugal sites, you will see all the coupons are identified in the same manner. When you see “12/16 P&G” noted beside a coupon offer, you will know to take out the insert labeled 12/16 from the Procter & Gamble insert to find your coupon.
If you need to find a coupon for an item you must purchase on your weekly shopping trip and we have not listed it at our blog, you can check our coupon database to find out if one is available. Simply enter the item you are looking for (product name or brand) to see if there are any coupons available and from what insert and date. If you are looking for Dannon yogurt first enter “Dannon” and if there is no result you can also try “yogurt”.
The loose file system is when you cut all your coupons and file them in an organizer. Our favorite coupon organizer is The Couponizer! The Couponizer has three different sections to keep you organized. You will find a spot for your shopping list, store cards, and all your coupons!
Read our review of the Couponizer here! Many people find that despite their “clipless” method, they have a lot of clipped coupons floating around so they still need a method for organizing them. Order your Couponizer HERE
Keep tabs on all the hottest deals by subscribing to our FREE daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook!
Wow love it!! I have just started trying to do the whole coupon shopping. Wish I would of read this before I started cutting!! Thanks for all he amazing ideas. I did my 1st CVS trip and goofed it up a little bit. I will get there one day!!!
Don’t worry, I goofed a ton when I first started 😉
been couponing for a year now and still learning by trial & error and having a blast doing it! i like to cut out my coups in advance … file them in notebook binder with 9-pouch baseball card protectors in categories … go thru paper sales and pull coups for those sales … put coups in separate envelopes for each store … works great for me … takes time at first but saves time & savings in the end!!!
We are using a 3-ring binder with the page protectors and just insert the coupons from Sunday’s paper and write the date on them. One question though, how many months do you keep before you throw them out? Do you have to go through each one and see if they’re all expired before tossing them?
I keep about 16 weeks. I don’t check them before I toss them because I just don’t have time 🙂
I’m just starting (organizing) also alot of mistakes but alot of savings too. instead of thowing out your old coupons have you considered donating them to military members and groups that take them and use them?
Yes! We do send our expired coupons to military families.