Tuesday, May 10, 2011

My Coupon Binder

Most couponers will tell you that organization is the key to savings success. You can't use a coupon if you can't find it, right? The Krazy Coupon Lady has a great little video here explaining two different methods of setting up your coupon binder. I like the clipping method just because I can then toss, or pass on, the ones I know I won't use. Less clutter.

Now, I'm a homeschool mom so I had most of these 'supplies' already laying around the house. With the purchase of a package of baseball card holders ($5 at Target), I was good to go.

Target also has some REALLY cute binders that looked all fun and girlie but I already had this plain black one and it worked for my budget :)


This is the first page: A plastic page protector where I keep my designated coupons for a particular shopping trip. I tossed a few paper clips in there to clip them together and some post-it flags to label each group of coupons with the name of the store I plan on using them at. This way I can plan several different trips at once and they are ready to go when it is convenient to go to that particular store.

The second page is a homemade Table of Contents. Krazy Coupon Lady also has a printable one of these that's very cute but I knew I didn't want all of her categories and it's not alterable so I opted to make my own. (Sorry, these pictures are not very good, at all)


Next I have a copy of sales cycles in the left pocket. This is a list that breaks down each month and lists items that typically go on sale during that time. I keep the current month on the front page for easy reference. In the opposite sleeve are all of my store coupon policies. This way I can refer to it if there is ever an issue with a transaction while I'm in the store.


The next sleeve is where I keep my Walgreens Coupon Booklet. (A book of coupons you can find at the front of the store with the regular weekly ad.) I also keep retail store specific coupons in this sleeve. For example, here I have some coupons for Compass Trading Co. because I've got a graduation gift to buy soon.


This next sleeve is usually empty but this week I happened across two really good coupons that I knew my sister Erin might use. It's her sleeve. Sometimes it holds sales ads.


And finally, this is what the rest of the binder looks like. Pages and pages of baseball card holders precisely stuffed with various coupons. Each page has its own category designation. I think this part is pretty. It strangely makes me happy to see all of these useful pieces of paper neatly tucked away. I know. I'm odd.

So there it is. Now, show me yours.

6 comments:

dallascmd said...

Does it take a ridiculous amount of time to collect/clip/store/find/lable/organize all of these?

What are your sources for coupons? Are you using just the newspaper, or online as well?

Have you ever put coupons on your store card? (like your Kroger card)

If you are using the newspaper did you get a subscription or are you buying multiples at the store?

Do you want coupons that I don't use?

Are you collecting just for grocery/household items or are you doing fast food/clothing/services/etc as well?

What are all your categories for your pockets?

How is the money saving going?

Sorry for all the questions I am SUPER intrigued...

Lori said...

Look for tomorrow's post. It will answer almost all of these. And I'll start working on another post to answer the rest. :)

Erin said...

Wowza, Cathy is inquisitive!
And I have my own page?!!? That's awesome!!

LOVE all the organization!

Jennifer Williams said...

Where did you find the coupon cycles you mentioned? I didn't see it touched upon in the How I Coupon post.

Lori said...

Jennifer, I found it on thekrazycouponlady.com ... try here: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2010/08/17/sale-cycles-how-to-be-a-coupon-psychic/

Jennifer Williams said...

Excellent. Thank you!