how to keep up couponing after heading back to work

[Prairie girl]

I am heading back to work after a nice year of mat leave spent with my kiddies I am wondering if anyone has any tips about how to keep up the coupon hunting without spending too much time doing it...It'll be harder to get away in the evenings because time will be so short.

BTW, I work close to a SDM so I figure I can go on my lunch hour...

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Please move this if it's at the wrong spot.
Thanks!

[boboc]

Also pls give some tips to organize the coupons to those whose is new to couponing??? thank you.

[cgmather]

I have a few ladies here that I work with. We each will grab other coupons, and later that week we will exchagne what we found. So that helps alot in finding the coupons.
This site is a lifesaver for me. I always read this site right after lunch to see if there was any good deals posted and if so will check them out that evening on my way home from work or after supper. ( Try not to do this everyday, just for items I really want)
I also found I have to keep on top of the organizing of the coupons, I let it slide for a few weeks and it took me an entire weekend to get it all back again the way I like it.
I have a 4inch binder with baseball card inserts, have found this works best for me.

[Tamaraeadams]

I really don't know how someone could do this AND work, my hats are off to anyone who can!!
I am a stay at home wife/mother of 2(3 sometimes) who is a neat freak, and I find that I have to pull a heck of a balancing act to keep things the way I like them (not that I get much help from my "ROOMMATES"!)

Right now,I find it easiest to use a photo box with dividers (fits in the babyseat on the buggies), but I see how it would be much more organized in a binder with card inserts.....
am still debating whether or not to switch to a binder - pro's and cons to both

[cheryls]

my coupon hobby/habit definately took a back seat once i became a full time student .. i'm also a wife and mom to two kids ... but i don't really mind because it has given me time to utilize our stash of body and health products .. i concentrate more on food deals now. I know what you mean though .. half the time i am exhausted before i even look at the flyers. Circle what you see in the flyers and make a list .. take advantage of price matching .. this will save you a ton of time.

[Eeyah]

I keep a sticky pad on my desk and write notes about where the deals are, prices, etc. then usually thursday or Friday night I sit down and go through my coupons and get things ready for a sat/sun (sometimes both days)shop. I do also take advantage of my lunch hours. I find the sticky notes help streamline things a bit, and remind me of things (ie. coupons to use).

[carlyincanada]

I use a binder/w hockey card inserts which is a lifesaver!

Also I print CouponLady's list coupons to go with flyers & I highlight what I need &
take an envie & write SDM, WM etc & what I want to buy & put the coupons in there...I take my binder too, incase I see a really good deal on something then I have my coupons with me!

My family & friends are now picking up coupons & saving their flyers for me too!

[cliff]

how i personally organize coupons (which i started and finished today ) was taking one of the cottonelle flushable wipes containers found on their site, which has a press button to open the top. and used scrip bristol board to make dividers nad organized it. Its actually easier than the envelopes which i used because after spending hours i now know what coupons i actually have. AND I RECYCLED :D hope that helps

[greentires4me]

well you could always ask someone who likes to search the web all the time to look for coupons for you...just give them a list and send them out hunting I am pretty sure...they wouldn't mind too much. Make friends who use coupons all time when you are out and about do a share like what you find type deal. Some people like to go to the extremes and get multiple coupons so they can have one for themselves and one for someone else or because they just like to stock up on them.

[Petapaw]

I personally find it hard keeping track and up to date with everything when I am at work. So knowing what other people are doing is very useful

[Prairie girl]

Thanks for all the tips!

[frugal_gal]

What seems to work for me: I jot down deals people comment about on this forum on back of an envelope. When I receive my flyers I circle what I need or could use/stock up on and if I have coupons for those items I put coupons in the envelope on which I make my list of items to pick up (noting which store they are at and price). I'm then ready to go shopping with envelope in hand (envelope has my shopping list, contains coupons I plan to use, and notes of certain potential deals in my local store that others reported finding in their stores) and flyers in the other! I take the flyers with me as I usually stop at WM and RCSS; if I find the items at WM, I'll price match there and won't have to stop everywhere else.

I now have my coupons organized in a zippered binder and baseball card holder sheets. I generally take my binder with me in case I come across an unexpected deal for which I have coupon(s).

[couponmom]

If I ever see anybody shopping with a binder here in Ont. I will have to ask them if they are a member of SC (LOL)! ... I use a binder too! binder freaks!

[Prairie girl]

Okay - my next question: how do you find time to "hunt" for coupons? I guess the easy answer is to pick some up whereever you see some? Do you have others hunting for you?