Organizing Q's to Trade ?

[rbunnymom]

For trades I have tried many methods but have stayed with my current the longest I use a box like a shoebox but one of those rubbermaid kind and put dividers alphabetically every 2 letters basically with separate sections for Keep, Expired, Pet, Target, Organic. You could use any type of container or folder but I like the size of this because it is easy to sort through and hold onto in my lap or next to me wherever I am sitting.

As I get envies, I sort them into this box putting the ones I can use for personal use to the Keep section. I later take these and put them in my coupon holder to take to stores with me (it is one of those small/long accordion check holders. I have it alphabetical also with sections for Target, Walgreens/CVS, Whole Foods. Since there are fewer sections, I have more letters per slot with the 3 stores having their own section.

As I send out coupons I sort for the expired and stick in the expired section of my box. Later, I either RAOK them or send to a military person.

HTH

[patria]

i keep them all in a binder and i use clear page covers as pockets. one for each week of inserts, then one for blinkies, one for magazine q's, one for..........i think you get the point.

i take the time to cut them all out, paper clip multiples together, and enter them into the database. i know what i have and when they expire, just by looking at my list, and i can easily pull q's for a trade or find them for myself if there is an unexpected sale. if the pockets get too full i might catagorize a little more but so far it's working.

[CouponQueen83]

I only clip insert Q's that I know I will use. I save the rest intact, by date, and wait until I get a trade or something to cut those.
I then file the 'keeps' to my binder. I have a big binder with a zipper pocket on front, and inside, an accordion file on the outside, and baseball card holders inside the 3-ring binder part (and the whole thing zips shut for safety's sake!).

Then, any non-inserts I have -- tear pads, blinkies, booklets, etc....go into a HUGE accordion file that I got at Walmart, sorted alphabetically. It's covered with cloth, clips shut, and has a handle. It's currently overflowing, and I don't even have all my booklets in there!
The booklets (Safeway Summer of Savings and $70 amongst others) are in boxes right now.

Oh, and any tear pads, etc that I get -- I remove all the 'fluff' that comes with them, BEFORE they go into the file. I also paperclip them into stacks of 20. Saves lots of time in the end!

[isis]

I get anywhere from 4-10 extra sets of inserts a week, so what I do first now is make 1 big booklet of SS, RP and/or PG by stapling all the like pages together. Depending on how many inserts I have usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Then I cut what I want out (either all of them or some) and file in my binder.

As I'm going through the inserts, I use a sharpie to write next to the coupon how many to list in my HL. Just makes it easier to have that number already there so I don't have to count pages if I only cut 1 or 2 of something, then list the rest!
If its a coupon I only cut 4 out of the 8, but I don't want them on my HL, I put KL to add to my keep list. Then as I trade, I can cut what I need.

All of my inserts are stacked from oldest to newest in hubbys old tennis shoe box (which at this moment is stacked to the top!!) Once a month, I go through the inserts, by using the data base, entering the insert date (like this: 10-17 SS) to see what coupons are un-expired. If nothing comes up, I can toss the entire insert. If I feel like it, I'll pull expireds out from my inserts, just to make some room in the box.

For all other coupons to trade (blinkies, tp, etc), I have a 12-month green plastic file I bought at Target for $1.00. I make a note as I'm adding coupons to my HL thats where the coupon is located (Green File), which get filed by expiration date. I know if it didn't come from an insert, to look in the file when I get a trade request. Then if I haven't traded the coupons at the end of the month, I take them out, delete from my HL and put those aside to possibly send to those who are looking for expireds.

When I get incoming trades/train envies, I pull the coupons I need and try to file right away! Most of the time though, it gets stacked in a pile with a sticky "To File" Everything else, I toss it into a ziplock baggie labeled EXTRAS. Then when I trade, I can pull from that bag to include a few things. Its amazing what I find in that bag that matches someones WL!

Thats as simple as I can get it and works for me!

[everprincess]

Nice ideas. I'm so far behind on updating my have list.

[amylynne01]

I have a photo storage box of all my "to trade" qs. I have dividers for every letter, and I sort mine alphabetically by manufacturer. All the qs in the very front have not been entered in the db yet. Once I put them in the db, they get sorted. All of my "to keep" qs go in a binder with baseball card inserts sorted by type - baking, canned goods, diapers, produce, etc. I also have a filing system for inserts. I get 2-3 copies each week, and I cut out what I think I will use. The rest get filed by week and then by type (RP, SS, PG, GM).

Once I find qs or get qs in the mail, they all go in one big pile. Then I sort them to keep or trade. Then they get filed in the binder or in the front of the box to be entered in the db. If I have only 1 of a q, I don't waste my time to put it in the db. It just hangs out in the front of the box to be used as an extra or for a train. I get rid of a lot of junk as it comes in - no extra papers with tearpads, no hair color or depends qs, etc.

The files for inserts and the trade box all fit nicely into a pink plastic crate where I also have scissors, pens, markers and extra labels (for file folders), and envelopes. There is also a file folder for rebate forms and all receipts.

Yes, I am super anal about keeping things organized.