Question about storing coupons for trade

[digi_diva]

How does everyone store the coupons they use for trading. Everything that I've found in the forum seems to address storage of the coupons you take to the store, but I'm wanting to know the best way to store the trade only coupons. It seems it is taking me a while to gather up the stuff for my trades and I'm just wondering if there is a better way to do it.

[hillaryef]

I have two three ring zip binders, one larger index card holder box and a small plastic box. I use one of my zip binders to hold all of my non-inserts. I file them away using the normal 3x3 baseball card holders. If they are either too big or if I have a lot of the same ones, I file them in the large index card holder. I have a small filing system where things are broken down in the same way as the binder (mine are: breakfast/cooking/dairy/breads/beverages/etc)

The second zip binder is where I put the rest of my sunday inserts (I cut out what I want and leave the rest uncut). I file the remaining insert in individual top filing plastic paper covers. They are really thin sheets that hold paper. They work great for me. This works for me now b/c of the coupon database.

If someone only uses the coupon database, then all I need to do is look at their list and see that they have an insert coupon...go to my binder pull out that insert and find that coupon. If let's say that they use a wishlist only in the forum and it is more basic (like mine) and it says things like: Dannon Dannimals

In theory: I would type Dannon Dannimals into the coupon database and I'd see that there are both non-inserts and inserts out there. So, for example I would know that there is a peelie and an insert. I would check my non-insert zip binder for the peelie and I would go to my insert zip binder to see if I had/hadn't traded it already. Of course, you get to know your qs really well and I usually know off hand pretty quickly if I do/don't have a non-insert. With respect to the insert, however, it really is just a matter of me pulling the inserts and checking.

When i do a trade/train or whatever...I always end up with insert qs that I won't use. I don't usually throw them away b/c I can always use them as fillers for other envies or you never know...someone else may be looking for them. So I put them in my plastic container. I have to admit, I don't do enough trading that I need to keep track of all of my insert coupons.

I do know that a lot of people have said that it is easier to cut all of their insert coupons and file everything together. I really believe it is a matter of what works best for you. It has taken me over two years to develop this system. I think I went through about 5-6 different methods and my DH jokes that I'm still changing things. And just in case you are wondering...everything mentioned above is of course in theory.

I have SOOOOO much that I need to file...right now I have a HUGE bag of non-insert qs that are just sitting there begging me to be filled. So if someone PMed me right now trying to do a trade...I might be in a wee bit of trouble. But you do what you do and life goes on...it is always changing.

And as Sue would say...another long winded answer from Hillary!!

HTH!

[sbp]

The majority of what I have to trade are inserts and I'm a clipper. I don't list anything on my haveslist to trade, unless it's cut and ready to mail out.

I currently have a curio cabinet in my living room that has 4 drawers. I keep all of my trade coupons in the top drawer filed alphabetically. The only expenses I have incurred are the 4x6 A-Z index card dividers and lots of paper clips for the multiples.

Back in our small apartment, I used cardboard photo storage boxes - generally I had 3-4 boxes full, but they were very portable and could be moved room to room.

Like hillary said though, it's all a personal preference and what works for someone else may not work for you - you may very well have to try out a few different ways before you come up with what works best for you!!!

[suesaving]

Rofl. Medium sized by our standard, I would say, Hill!

For me, I use a hanging file box. Since I get multiple inserts most weeks, I separate them out putting all the like pages together. So like, separating each individual page of the insert and putting all of the copies of that page together. Then I file them by date/insert in my file box. When someone wants a particular q, I use the database to look up the right insert and date and yank the right file.

[TiggerToo]

Mine is your normal size binder. I am not the one that carries a binder into the store, I have a normal size coupon holder for my store shopping. My binder comes into play for my trading. I just got into trading when I joined HCW last year. I found it easier to trade using my binder. I have a section for inserts and noninserts. I categorize them by blinkies, tearpads, cats, etc. I do keep them segregated by category but that is about as organized as I get.

[cyhick]

I got a Wonderfile for Christmas (thanks to infomericals-- I get too much stuff from infomercials now that I am older)... I think that might be overkill. LOL. It was bought for me to use for my Pampered Chef stuff since I sell it, but I like the method I already have so I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the darn Wonderfile.

Wonderfiled out in Iowa
(Tracie)

[rdot]

I got a Wonderfile for Christmas (thanks to infomericals-- I get too much stuff from infomercials now that I am older)... I think that might be overkill. LOL. It was bought for me to use for my Pampered Chef stuff since I sell it, but I like the method I already have so I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the darn Wonderfile.

Wonderfiled out in Iowa
(Tracie)

LOL. As soon as I saw it on TV the first thing I thought was "Ooooh, I need that for my coupons." I still might get one, if I can ever find a good deal at RiteAid or Walgreens where I can use my ECBs or RRs.

[sbp]

I have a wonderfile - they sell them at Bed Bath & Beyond and I used a 20% off coupon on it, and I too thought about using it for storing my inserts before I get around to clipping them, but in reality, I get too many inserts so I've never actually tried it.

I still haven't figured out what to use it for! lol

[hillaryef]

I have a wonderfile - they sell them at Bed Bath & Beyond and I used a 20% off coupon on it, and I too thought about using it for storing my inserts before I get around to clipping them, but in reality, I get too many inserts so I've never actually tried it.

I still haven't figured out what to use it for! lol

Lesley...I would LOVE one of those. DH and I were sitting in front of the TV and an infomercial came on for one of those and he looked at me and BURST out laughing. He was like...Hill...are you sure. If you want one of those..wait until it shows up at CVS and get it using your gift card and extra care bucks. I don't know which was worse...the fact that he was okay with me getting it or the fact he knew that i should wait to get it at CVS for me to use my ECBs. OMG...I died laughing. He looked up and went "what...what did I say." I said...you said extra care bucks. OMG...it was SO funny. (okay...maybe not that funny...but for my DH to realize I should use ECBs for anything...that's funny!)

Back to the wonderfile...does anyone think that there really would be a real use for it? It looked SO COOL. I mean...really, really cool. And I just thought it might be worth getting. If it showed up at CVS and I could really use ECBs...I would so be buying it.

[sbp]

It's huge - when it's opened up it's 28 inches from top to bottom and 34 inches wide.

I just opened it up to measure it and tried to put some inserts in it - the 4 diagonal corner pockets would probably hold up to 25 inserts easily - any more and I think it would be hard to open it up,keeping the inserts in the pockets. The 'laptop' pocket would also hold 25-ish inserts and then there's 2 smaller (think big handheld calculator size) pockets where you could store scissors or cut coupons in.

So it's possible that it could work for someone!