Coupons! Coupons! everywhere Coupons!

[searcher]

I am trying out putting my q's in a small photo album to carry to the store. I have been cutting and sorting and have piles of coupons everywhere. I had been keeping them in a shoebox with dividers but it was awkward to carry in the stores. When DH was looking for a flat surface that was cleared off enough to do some bill work he could not find one!! He said this is getting out of control. Its like Tribles, everywhere you look there is more! Does anyone else have a problem with all your surfaces becoming covered with coupons and inserts? what are you doing/going to do about it?

[neverfullprice]

Sounds like my house! :hectic1:

I did find some really nice baskets for uncut Q's (inserts) They are 12 x 14 or so and about 5 inches high. Got them for .99 cents at the .99 cent store.

For cut Q's that I need to file I have small baskets (4 x 5 or so - got them at WAGs) with category labels on them. When I cut, I sort them into the correct basket. That way if I need a Q that is not filed, I can locate it more quickly since they are somewhat sorted.

I can stack the large baskets and then stack the small ones on the top to move them out of the way easily.

I have a huge binder with 2 sets of rings, zips all around and has a shoulder strap. Inside I have tabs for each category and file the Q's in baseball card holders (also fron the .99 cent store) I get alot of weird looks. Not sure if people are jealous or just think I'm nuts:shrug7: Or, it could be that the binder is neon green! Hey, it was on clearance at Staples for less than $5 bucks!

[mama22qts]

I can top you -- my binder is paisley, fuschia with chocolate brown and seafoam green. And there is a giant purple "E" monogrammed on it. :)

OP, I don't collect large amounts of uncut inserts anymore, so I don't have that problem. I keep my coupons that I have just received in trade or ones that were just cut from the inserts in a large target bag. Then about 3 times a week I go through the bag and file accordingly in the binder. When I get ready to go to the store, I pull out one of the old trade envelopes and put the coupons that I think I will need in that. Then I put that envie in the front zippered pocket of my binder and head off to the store.

Unless we have company coming, my Target bag is always on my counter.

[theresabuck]

My husband always jokes with me because we never get to eat at our kitchen table. I use the table for my crafts and there is no room to eat so we have started eating in the living room at trays most nights. Well, I've been couponing for about two weeks now and we still cannot eat at the dinner table. I have moved my crafts over to half of the table and sorting coupons on the other half.:shrug7:

I have been at this for two weeks now and I already have outgrown my small accordian binder. I have to look for something bigger. Maybe I'll have to look for a neon orange one. That way we can spot our fellow HCW friends at the store.

[suesaving]

LOL. DH always says the coupons have taken over the house. There was a point at which I would have said he was right... now when I clip my inserts, I employ a method I found in another thread here. I collect all the identical pages together, line them up and then put a staple near each coupon. Not IN the coupon, but along side somewhere usually. Then I clip. Having 2-8 staples in each page keeps all of the pages really nice and lined up (better than if you just hold it with your hand and try to cut) and then when you clip, clip around the staple on each coupon. That way, each coupon ends up like its own little tear pad and is much easier to deal with after... I just toss them all in a shoebox until I have time to sort.

Also, theresabuck, after I "graduated" from my accordian file, I used a returned check holder for about a year before switching to the binder system. Returned check holder looks just like a big accordian file. But it's longer and there are 12 pockets. I put two letter size envies in each pocket and therefore gave myself 24 categories. Worked like a charm... even fits in your purse if your purse is big enough. Got mine at staples. I hear they sell them at some dollar stores too. HTH.

[gctattoo]

Being a dumpster diver, I have lots and lots of inserts. I daresay far too many. I spend about one day a week with them spread out all over the kitchen table, the counters, the chairs, and the floor. Then once they're organized by page, they get transferred into the holding room aka the utility room. It's pretty sad when you have to clear all the coupons off your washer just to be able to do laundry.

But I think I've found a better way. The last time I got my supply of inserts, I paperclipped the like pages together. Much neater and easier to find what I need-- plus I'm in less danger of the pile falling over and crushing me. LOL

And I've decided to keep the ones I'm not currently using for trades up on the shelf in my bedroom. It's time to reclaim my utility room.

[searcher]

I try to work on it a little each day. I don't get that many inserts. I buy maybe 4 newpapers the Sundays that have coupons. I take apart the like ones and put the matching pages together and cut once. I need to get small staples for my little stapler, thats a good idea. I tried to take my inserts out to the car and I dropped them! now its a free for all!! thank goodness it was inserts and not clipped q's right? I am giving some q's to my son. I am getting him into using coupons when he can remember. He only wants to buy one of each item so he only takes the $$/1 q's. He shops each week so if I can get him started he could save some money too. When the q's start invading more than one room, DH will really be annoyed!

[searcher]

sounds dangerous lol!!!!

[bugweena]

Originally Posted by mama22qts I can top you -- my binder is paisley, fuschia with chocolate brown and seafoam green. And there is a giant purple "E" monogrammed on it. :)

Mine was a find in the clearance section of WM--purple dots arranged in a pattern similar to camoflage.....the purple was the 'least attention grabbing' one I could find.

[loladooder99]

My husband gets annoyed with how trashed the computer table gets with all my price logs,coupons,etc. I really need to go out and get a baseball card organizer and binder. Other then that I don't buy inserts they are never worth it in my small NM town. I buy my coupons on ebay and then they go in a coupon organizer that fans out and the sections are labeled baby food,hba,etc.