how to organize coupons? HELP :( Newbie

[cjbisco]

I am new to using coupons. I have a mess of them and am using a paperclip to organize them into "food", "beauty" etc.

I went shopping yesterday with my flyers to price match and my coupons, and it was a disaster.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! I looked for an Iphone app but haven't found any that look promising.

Thank you all in advance!

[Anna Michele]

It is definitely a game trying to find what works best for you. I think we've all been through the many envelopes, binder, accordian like file folder my personal favorite if the photo wallet.
The big thing is have your coupons ready for each shop at the front of your folder or in an envelope. Always keep your coupons with you as you never know what deals you may come across during a shop (in a binder in the car is ok too you can always run back in)
You will learn your coupons that you have ie details, expiry, if they are store specific etc.
It is alot of trial and error and I've gotten to the point of only taking as many as I personally can use before their expiry date. I trade for what I need and can't get here and after 4 or 5 years that's what works for me.

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[morningrose]

What Anna Michele said is right, I tried envelope, coupon wallet for $1 from Dollarama and now a binder. Initially with less coupons it goes into our hand bag now seperate binder which is an extra onto cart with graduating to use more coupons and also 10 minutes a month to throw expired coupons.
First leaf of binder will have the coupons to use in transaction to give cashier quickly. This is my type and I would also like to hear from others too. There is always something to learn.
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[torontogal12]

I use a shoe box and a small accordion folder from the dollar store. Any coupons I know I will use often go in the front of the folder and are sorted by category. Shoe box for coupons I will need down the road.

If I'm just walking to the store for something I grab coupons I need and shove them in my purse loose. It's trial and error until you find something that works for you, but like others said, you're going through the same organization process we all did and are on the right track

[sweet sparrow]

I use a small cosmetic bag that was part of a gift-with-purchase. It's waterproof (I had a paper accordian folder that got wet in the rain) and has three categories: food, house supplies (toilet paper, cleaning products, etc.), and toiletries (soap, shampoo, etc.)

I pull the few coupons I'm planning on using to the front each week. I don't carry around a pile of extra coupons or a coupon binder. If it doesn't make it to my coupon bag in the first place, I don't need to pay tax on something I don't want. I have problems remembering reusable shopping bags and have no time to clip random coupons on things I've never used and don't plan on spending extra money for.

Simple systems are easiest to work with! Good luck!

[joandstef]

I have a plastic accordian file like this one. it is small and fits well in my purse.



I then sort my coupons using the tabs. My categories are diary, food, paper towel/toilet paper, personal grooming, baby, and then other. BUt you can use any category based on your own household needs. ie if you have animals, then put in animals.

i go through the folder once a month and remove any coupons that have expired.

when i go shopping (a planned shop), I put all the coupons i will be using at the front of the folder so I can grab them before I head to the cashier.


hope this helps!

[goldenkagi]

I started out with a paper envelope a credit card bill came in, lol.

Right now I'm using a small accordion envelope like joandstef pictured. My categories include food-fresh/refrigerated, food-pantry, health and toiletries, baby, pets, household and cleaning. Each category has coupons sorted by expiry, so each month it takes me a minute to toss expired ones. Coupons that I plan to use go in the front. I also have a folder containing all my coupon inserts.

[Anna Michele]

I'll also add that my accordian folder has 12 slots and I seperate by expiry for easy removal

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[Thatdone]

My wife created our file system and it seems to do fine for us. Accordion style file folder and everything is filed according to actual product name. eg would be royale under r, tide under t, Heinz under h, etc etc. The only drawback that I have come across is when a coupon that u have says for example 2.00 off gain or tide which really doesn't seem to happen that often and after a while of doing this you kind of know that if it isn't under t it could be under the g. The only other thing we do is keep all fpc in the very front for the folder because we have missed out on a couple of deals when they were just buried in the folder

[Durham Couponer]

I used to use a full sized coupon binder divided by category (see YouTube or Pinterest for a typical set up), but I haven't had as much time to shop lately so I now have an old Day Runner planner and business card/plastic photo inserts for a half size coupon binder. I can hold it open in one hand, shove it in a purse or throw it in a cart or the backseat of the car. It came with card slots and a calculator in the front cover, great for organizing at check-out time.

I keep the binder in a small shopping bag with the weekly flyers. The flyers go in the cart with the items to be price matched, and the coupons go in one of the card slots as I shop. I keep a sticky note on the first page of what coupons/price matches/points go together.

[lecale]

Aw when I first started couponing I had separate categories for all kinds of junk food and you only need one "junk" category (and it will be the fattest file lol)

I haver a 13-pocket file and my categories are:

Store-Specific
Fresh
Frozen
Dairy
Beverages
Bread/Crackers/Cereal
Pantry
Spices
Snack
Beauty
Drug
Household

[Mia001]

you will find what's work better for you withing the pros suggestions here....and it might be a mix of some of them
+ with the time you will ''know'' your coupons by heart

one thing i did was putting the soon to be expired in front of all by cathegories....

though i'm still buying by the flyers and price match,
priorities made that i no longer have time to use coupons as much as i did.....maybe in the future i will .....i still have a big stach of body washes , lotions, etc....i had for free or almost when i was an eavy cooponer ....and i got back those i gave my mom....

with all the stuff we got from mom'S and in laws, i think there are many things i won't need to buy for a long time....

[cjbisco]

thank you everyone for the great tips!!! Once I get my system in order I will post a photo You guys are great!

[cjbisco]

thank you everyone for the great tips!!! Once I get my system in order I will post a photo You guys are great!

[Abby1]

I am new to using coupons. I have a mess of them and am using a paperclip to organize them into "food", "beauty" etc.

I went shopping yesterday with my flyers to price match and my coupons, and it was a disaster.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! I looked for an Iphone app but haven't found any that look promising.

Thank you all in advance!

In terms of price matching on a iPhone, I like the f l i p p app the best.