Save Money by Organizing Those Coupons

Friday, November 19, 2010

Save Money by Organizing Those Coupons | Family Economics

How many times have I been at the grocery store, mall or big box store only to realize I could be saving money if I brought my coupons, gift cards and special offers or even knew where those items were in my home? Now I have created an organizing system to help me begin saving money on every shopping trip.

1. I purchased a medium size organizing accordion file folder unlabeled.

2. Next, I gathered all my money-saving coupons, free-offer coupons, dinning-deal coupons, discount cards, gift cards and printed coupons from the Internet I had been saving.

3. Then I separated them into categories so I would know how to label my file folder.

4. Finally I came up with the following categories and I labeled the sections with these different categories so I can file my money saving coupons, offers and gift cards in their correct sections. I keep my file folder in my tote bag so when I’m on-the-go I am prepared to save money.

• Use now – for those coupons that will expire soon and I really want to use. They are usually great money saving offers.

• Free – any coupon offering an item for free; even the buy-one-get-one-free offers go in this category.

• Big box store – money-saving coupons and in-store coupons for items I regularly buy at my local big box store are placed in this category (cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, snacks, etc.).

• Dining – all restaurant coupons, discount cards and gift cards are placed in this category.

• Mall – any money-saving coupons and offers that can be used at my local mall go into this category.

• Discount warehouse – I place the discount warehouse coupons I receive in the mail in this category.

• Groceries (boxed/bagged) – all grocery money-saving coupons for items that are in a box or bag go in this category.

• Groceries (canned) – all grocery money-saving coupons for canned foods go in this category.

• Groceries (refrigerated) – all grocery money-saving coupons for items that are in the refrigeration section go in this category.

• Groceries (frozen) – all grocery money-saving coupons for items that are in the frozen food section go in this category.

• Gift cards – any miscellaneous gift cards go into this category (coffee shop, non mall stores, etc.).

Also when creating my weekly shopping lists from the weekly advertisements I am able to pull out my coupons and attach them to my shopping list to help speed up my shopping trips.

How do you organize your coupons and money-saving offers so you are prepared to save money while shopping?

4 Comments so far

On Thursday, April 07, 2011, maryann hendrix wrote

Just getting started

On Wednesday, November 24, 2010, Melanie from "Adventures in Couponing" wrote

Here is a great alternative that some people might find easier to use. I personally think it is much easier to use because it saves you from having to weed through each separate category of coupons and cuts shopping time way down. It is SO EASY to flip through this binder at home and at the store and viewing all of your coupons is much easier. I also made a "coupon sorting mat" out of an old pillow case - I just made columns and rows that match with my binder categories, drew in the lines and rows and labeled each little section, all using an old white pillow case and a fabric marker. You lay it on the floor, sort your coupons that you have cut, then file them away in your binder. It folds up small for easy storage and is washable if it gets dirty! Here is a link to detailed instructions as to how to make your own coupon binder! http://www.adventuresincouponing.net/search/label/coupon%20binder">http://www.adventuresincouponing.net/search/label/coupon%20binder

On Wednesday, November 24, 2010, need to be organized in Tacoma wrote

What a GREAT idea to clip them to your shopping lists!!

On Wednesday, November 24, 2010, momisbestjob wrote

I have SO been wanting to get organized with my coupons but was overwhelmed with how to do it....THANKS for the category ideas!

Thank You

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