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07-01-2009, 01:55:42 PM
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#11 |  |  |
Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Georgia
Posts: 44
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I'm super-lucky in that I usually get 10+ free copies of every insert (my husband's friend has a connection). I'm in the same place that TWOMOMS is now -- First, I clipped and filed everything, then I clipped and filed only the ones I *knew* I would use.
Now, I don't clip anything unless and until I know that I need it that week. I keep all of my old inserts in a file cabinet drawer, in folders by date. I check out the ads for the week, and then I go into the coupon database and find out where the coupons I need are, and clip them. Sometimes takes me 1/2 an hour or so before a shopping trip, but I've found that to be better than the 3-4 hours per week I used to spend clipping and filing stuff that I eventually threw away!
I also use the coupon database to figure out which inserts I can get rid of -- I seach for the date of the insert in the database. If I can't find anything associated with the date, it's ok to toss the old insert. If there's any doubt, I just look through the insert and check the expiration dates. I purge old inserts about once a month.
This system is working for me (for now)! It took a long time to find one that works, for sure. Good luck with finding your system!
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07-01-2009, 02:24:05 PM
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#12 |  |  | | TRADER SIZZLING
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida
Posts: 2,489
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I have been using the "file and clip as needed" system for 3+ years, and it works great for me. I currently spend a few hours per week on couponing, and that's it. If I were to cut and sort every coupon I owned into a binder, I'd have to quit my job to stay home to care for my coupon collection.
Have I missed out on hidden deals and clearance because I didn't lug every coupon I own to the store? I'm sure I have, but it's worth the thousands of hours I save in the end.
__________________ Loving life with my boys down in central Florida Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain. |
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07-01-2009, 02:27:46 PM
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#13 |  |  | | TRADER SCORCHING
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,639
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I file the inserts by date and clip them when I know I am going to use them. Sure, I have missed out on a few great clearance deals because of this, but not enough to make it worth all the time and effort involved in clipping and carrying them all.
When I file them I write on the front the date that all the coupons will be expired so I know when I can safely toss them.
__________________
I can't be done shopping, I still have coupons left!!! |
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07-01-2009, 04:09:37 PM
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#15 |  |  | | Member Of The Month June 2010 Went Around The World HCW Trading Style
COUPON DATABASE EDITOR TRADER FORUM MODERATOR ENTREPRENEUR BURNING
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Louisiana
Posts: 5,382
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I only clip & file the coupons I know I will use, and a few maybe's. I only buy 1 Sun paper, then I ask my 2 neighbors for their inserts when they're finished.
I only get extra inserts (anywhere from 1 - 10) when DH works on Sun or very early Mon. I've been leaving them whole and only clipping when needed. Whatever coupons I'm not going to use, I add them to my HL. If I'm looking at an ad and something catches my eye, I check the dbase for the insert date. Then I can pull the insert and clip as needed.
When I'm not able to get extras, then I trade. But I've been very slack about filing them the past 2 weeks and I have a big pile on my table that's begging for me to do something with them! I go through phases where I'm on top of everything for a while, then I get lax and when that happens, it seems to take a while to get back in order. DH, while he likes that I save us money, gets frustrated by my ever growing piles of little scraps of paper! |
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07-01-2009, 04:48:51 PM
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#17 |  |  | | Non-Participant SMOKIN'
Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New York
Posts: 705
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? wow, all this advice helps me a lot |
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07-02-2009, 09:46:58 AM
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#19 |  |  | | Mod of the Month Aug. 2011 COUPON DATABASE EDITOR TRADER FORUM MODERATOR ENTREPRENEUR SPICY
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kentucky
Posts: 15,001
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I used to clip them all too and file them in a binder with baseball card holder sheets. I actually did this for a year or more and I don't know how I did it that long! Now I just cut out what I'll use or trade (if it's hot) and then keep all my inserts in a big stack (probably not the best way but works for me) and only cut out what I need for the weeks sales (after I check the database of course). All of my cut coupons that my dad mails me or that I get as extras in trades and all my tearpads are organized in piles by expiration date on a little shelf that sits above my desk. Again, probably not the best method but works for me. Like others have said, I know I've missed out on some deals because a coupon I needed was at home, but it's worth all the extra time I have. I still spend a good amount of time shopping, trading, and organizing my deals, so if I had to clip everything and file I would lose my mind! Hope that helps!
__________________ Earn Amazon GCs when you join me at Swagbucks! 2012 Totals: Surveys: $11.00 -- Rebates: $136.00 -- Savings: $221.33 |
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07-02-2009, 09:55:00 AM
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#20 |  |  | | Non-Participant BAKING
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: South Carolina
Posts: 4,092
| Re: Should I stop clipping and filing? I quit clipping and sorting (never really filed, LOL) back in march (started qing in octoberish) - the stacks were too much for me to handle....
I buy 5 papers a week usually, unless its a bad q week or I dont make it out. on a really good week I will buy 10. I sort the inserts each week into like pages together. I need to go through and get the like pages stapled together and start doing that regularly too, that would help me a lot. I keep each insert full until I use the coupons or trade them, I just cut what I need. about once a month- month and a half I go through and get all the expireds and soon-expiring that I wont use out, and trade them or raok them... this works well for me since I can always check the database to see what insert has what couon. helps a lot to keep my have list updated also.
my noninserts I have sorted into small baskets I found on clearance a long time ago for .08 a piece.... I have one basket for peelies, one for mailers, one for blinkies, one for mail in rebates, etc....
this works retty well for me at the moment, I would LOVE to have a working binder system with EVERYTHING filed alphabetically but I just dont have the time. |
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