Organizing Your "Carry To Store" Coupons

[coupondink]

goodness you are so organized! I am so ashamed.

My problem is that I get so many inserts..it would take hours to cut all the coupons out. I get 10-40 every week. But what a great idea.

I usually keep my inserts whole, in a manila folder. I store a few months in a cardboard box. I have so many boxes, though I am getting overloaded. I usually only cut ones I know I will use, and ones I am definitely selling.

I will keep looking at your pictures once a day until it inspires me to get my big boxes the boot. Thanks for the pix.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I have the a box simlar to the CH (but its not that brand I dont think...found in the the scrapbooking section), and it opened on me one day and all my coupons flew. Also when I put it on its side or if the kids knocked it on the floor the coupons would come out of thier envelopes and slide all over the box. I fixed the problem if coupons falling out of their envelope by putting in a peice of foam which scmooshed down enough to keep the coupons in place. I also used a bungee cord to make sure the box did not fall open.

It just was not for me, I am back to binder (and I get 10 + inserts a week)

[kurlisola]

Thanks for the tip on the foam Heidi. I'll do that & along with a bungie cord & I think it will be fine.

For the loose blinkies & stuff from trades, I have a plastic shoe box & I file alpha; but I might have to find something smaller because what I've decided to do is when I get coupons in trade or buy (larger quantities), I'll just file them away in my new box along with the other coupons from that date.

So far its been much easier to pull things for trades and for usage. I'll give it a few more weeks before I give it my 100% seal of satisfaction-lol!

A side affect is it was actually easier to type up my coupon info on the spreadsheet. Before, the print on some coupons was so small, I'd be leaning forward & squinting & moving the insert about. But with them being cut, I was able to put them in alpha order & place the pile right in front on me, between my arms while typing. So that was unexpected & nice.

Edited to add, right now I'm getting from 5-10 a week; previously was 10-20 a week & I didn't cut & filed in manilla envelopes by date.

[tightwadtips]

I finally gave up and moved to a binder. It is easier. You guys were right. Ya'll are always right!

[chrianna]

i'm another one who uses the refundcents box although i've been out of couponing for a few months and it more than meets my needs. i'm thinking of doing the expanding file thing as i hate to take apart the inserts. . .

[dramaqueen]

I'm new to this. So far, I've got a couple of plastic accordian coupon holders & I'm sorting by the type of items.

[jennspen]

For those of you who use the binder method....Do you carry the binder into the store and does anyone ever say anything to you? I am currently using 2 coupon accordian type things. One for groceries and one for HCB, etc. Its really started to become stuffed. I want to move to the binder system but honestly I just don't know if it will work for me. The thought of carrying a large binder to the grocery store makes me want to crawl under the produce stands! LOL! HELP!!!

[MrsPinecone]

For those of you who use the binder method....Do you carry the binder into the store and does anyone ever say anything to you? I am currently using 2 coupon accordian type things. One for groceries and one for HCB, etc. Its really started to become stuffed. I want to move to the binder system but honestly I just don't know if it will work for me. The thought of carrying a large binder to the grocery store makes me want to crawl under the produce stands! LOL! HELP!!!

My binder always goes into the store with me, unless I am just running in for one or two things and shooting back out again. The worst thing that has ever happened is that someone thought that I worked there and asked me where to find the mustard. I knew the store so well that I just told them.

My binder is black, though, not a fancy color.

[pennywatcher]

I finally gave up and moved to a binder. It is easier. You guys were right. Ya'll are always right!

I was using a long index card box when I first found HCW. I then moved to a binder. Things I liked about the binder over the box: less conspicuous, easier to carry, and held more coupons. The problem is that I'm finding I have a harder time keeping up with filing new coupons in the binder than I did in a file box. I'm thinking BzyBee's briefcase system might be the way for me to go. I looked at attache cases today. They had some nice, but expensive, ones for laptops that had movable velcro dividers.

[AngelKriC]

Hi! I'm new to the site, and new to couponing. I have read all three pages of this thread over the last couple of days, and I had seen mention of a 4x6 photo album binder being used as an organizer. I am a scrapbooker, and when I was in the hospital having my youngest, my mom bought me an album thinking it was a scrapbook. It's been sitting in my closet because I can't/couldn't use it. It has the 3 4x6 horizontal slots down the one side and 2 4x6 vertical slots down the other side. So, does anyone have any tips on how to put this to good use? It has a ton of pages in it that I think can come in handy.

To the person that said she organizes by UPC - that makes total sense. However, I have a, probably stupid, question. I took a glance at my coupons and the tiny numbers are all 5's. So, do you file by the first larger numbers, actually UNDER the bars?

Also, to the person that has the 48 catagories (and I apologize for not being able to remember names, LOL, my memory is shot after 2 kids), do you mind posting those catagories?

There are SO many stinkin' good ideas on this thread that I don't know where to begin or what is going to be best for me.

Oh man, there was another question I was going to ask and be darned if I can't remember what it is....

OH! The Excel Database that I see people talking about. Can someone help me out with that? I'm not sure where to begin, if I even need it yet, or should I go ahead and get started so I am not behind and overwhelmed later when I have more coupons, etc....

I started out with the little accordian folder from WM, then went to a small photo album that holds 2 4x6 horizontal photos per page, and grew out of that the second time I clipped coupons LOL...

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I didn't want to sign up for a coach until after I moved to Atlanta and had more access to different grocery stores and coupons. I most definitely plan on taking advantage of that service! LOL

I am LOVING this site so far!!
Krissy