Organizing Your "Carry To Store" Coupons

[6months]

I tried puttin mone in alphabetical order, like MrsB does, but I just couldn't do it. I mean, I CAN alphabetize things, but it made it harder on me while shopping. So I am doing a clear plastic shoebox with categories, then a few sub categories, and alphabetized from there. It is working great, so I've found my system. Now I'm just waiting to find a good breifcase at a thrift store.

BzyBee my DH would like to know how you rigged a divider in the center of the case.

Also, when I was at the store last night, I encountered a lady who had a similar setup to what I have, only a bigger shoebox. She even had homemade index card dividers like I have LOL

[TheWoman]

I was wondering if anyone has used 3.5" floppy diskette binder inserts for his/her coupon binder? I haven't, but they look tempting. Every time I look at the baseball inserts, they seem so narrow. There are 4- or 6-per-page models, depending on the brand. On the upside, they are wide and all open in the same direction. On the downside, they are pricier than the baseball inserts. Probably thicker and heavier, too.

-Katrina

I use some of the disk holders (left over from college) and some of the baseball card holders. The disk holders are really nice for larger coupons, but the coupons are much more likely to slip out if the binder gets upended. Also, the disk holders are not as clear as the card holders, so it is difficult to see the coupon through it.

[TheWoman]

I use one binder for all my coupons, and another for those I will use that week. The second one contains a baseball card holder, then a standard size page protector for each store I frequent. The shopping list and ad go in the page protector, and the coupons I will use go in the card holders. My store cards (you know, the ones to get the sale prices) also fit in the baseball card holders, as do gift cards.

This way I can open my binder and have the list on one side, the coupons on the other, and the ad with me for backup if the sale doesn't go as planned (particularly if a month long sale is advertised, and I know that 20 days from now they won't have that ad in the stores). I have my list and my coupons in one spot and ready to go should I decide to stop at the store on my way home from somewhere.

[BzyBee]

BzyBee my DH would like to know how you rigged a divider in the center of the case.

The dividers are made of cardboard. I have one divider down the center and three running side to side. Where they intersect (in the middle) they are each slit halfway (the center divider is slit on the bottom half, the other three are slit on the top half) so they lock together. KWIM??

The whole divider is then covered with duct tape to tighten up the joints and it is secured to the sides and bottom of the briefcase with duct tape as well.

After a year with the briefcase I am getting ready to re-do my dividers. The three running sideways are beginning to sag a bit...I will use heavier cardboard this time. :Nod:

[lfrh]

The dividers are made of cardboard. I have one divider down the center and three running side to side. Where they intersect (in the middle) they are each slit halfway (the center divider is slit on the bottom half, the other three are slit on the top half) so they lock together. KWIM??

The whole divider is then covered with duct tape to tighten up the joints and it is secured to the sides and bottom of the briefcase with duct tape as well.

After a year with the briefcase I am getting ready to re-do my dividers. The three running sideways are beginning to sag a bit...I will use heavier cardboard this time. :Nod:

I wonder if there are some kind of molded plastic dividers like you use in sock drawers that would work. The ones we have are round so I don't think they would work, but I am sure there are different kinds

[6months]

The dividers are made of cardboard. I have one divider down the center and three running side to side. Where they intersect (in the middle) they are each slit halfway (the center divider is slit on the bottom half, the other three are slit on the top half) so they lock together. KWIM??
:Nod:

That is a GREAT idea! Just like the cardboard dividers they put in boxes full of glass bottles. I can do THAT myself, without his help. He likes to complicate things LOL

abbiejunesmom there is a picture of her briefcase on the first page of this thread.

[editionk]

How/where do you file the following types of coupons:

-WT such as $1 paper back book
-$1 an any Kim Clark item
-$1 any J&J item
-forms/rebates - do they go in your coupon binder?

I know it's personal preference, but need some help brainstorming. I just want the binder done...sigh...please help me I'm burried in coupons and the end is not in sight!

[jamie]

I find it easiest to just file everything in one binder . I use baseball card holders and fold the ones that are too large to fit, I take a sharpie and at the bottom right square write each letter of the alphabet and when a page is full I just add another. I do NOT alphabetize each coupon, just group the letters together! When I'm at the store and I suspect I might have a deal I just thumb through to the letter and look around the pages of 'A's, for example for Air Wick and see what I have. I try to pull what I can before leaving and keep those in an evelope and also bring an empty envelope to hold any new blinkies I find. I keep mutliples together and if I have mult. with diff. exp. dates I put those behind the ones to exp. sooner. The only exception is in the very front I keep any free coupons and such to remind me to use when the item is avaliable/stocked, ect. As far as coupons my binder has those clear front/back covers so I slide them in there until I get home then I figure out where to put them! Since I've recently learned how to cut multiples I know my filing and cutting will go a lot smoother this Sunday!!

[jamie]

thanku i 2 have only been doing this since oct. and i have mine organized by grocery sections ie condiments, soups, vegtables etc but i think your idea sounds better.
Do u mix together pharmacy and grocery??:yourock:

Yes I mix everything! I feel as though it may save me time, but who knows! lol. Here is a recent photo:



You see how on the left the backside shows through? Well, if I took the most advantage of my baseball card sleeves and used the back I would always have to look at each single slot to see if it was the backside of a coupon or an actual coupon, so I spulrge and buy more sleeves and only use the front figuring that it saves me time. The past two weeks my binder has gotten increasingly larger and I've had to buy more and more sleeves and upgrade binders. This binder also has those clear sleeves on front and back that you can throw any blinkies/receipts in as/after you shop until you get home and figure out where to put them :rolleyes: I hope this helps. Everyone has great ideas on how to get organized here and I think it really boils down to personal preference. Good Luck organizing!

[angielee]

I have tried the binder method but just didnt work for me. BUT I would like it too lol! SO Heres a question for you guys that use binders. What do you do when you get a new coupon for something that starts with A, That you have No catagory for??? For example you start off with your A,s then B's well you have no Alavert coupons and there is no new space to put it with the A's. Where do you put it?