Several people have asked me how they should organize their coupons. There are so many ways you could organize them, but I'll share the way that works for me.
I get several Sunday papers in order to get more than 1 set of inserts. Around here, the Sunday paper is $2, I believe. However, you can get it for $1.39 at Walgreens. We used to have 1 issue delivered through our subscription, then I'd buy 3 or 4 extra copies at Walgreens. But I recently discovered that the paper now offers extra Sunday issues for just $1 each, so I'm now receiving 5 issues of the paper (=5 sets of inserts) directly at my house, which makes it easier if you're having a lazy Sunday and don't feel like going shopping. So check with your paper's subscription department to see if they offer a similar deal!
Step 1
I start by writing the date on the front of the insert.
Step 2
I go through the whole insert, and then write the date of the last expiring coupon on the front page. In this case, we're looking at the 7/11 Smart Source insert The last coupon to expire in this insert will expire on 11/30. I go through the inserts every week or 2 to get rid of coupons that expired. And on 11/30, I'll just throw the whole insert out.
Step 3
I put the insert inside my coupon binder. I think I paid about $7 for this one at Walmart or Target. I have one tab per month, then one tab for last year's inserts with non-expired coupons, and tabs for some stores where I shop on a regular basis (Walgreens, Target, CVS…). As you can see from the water bottle sitting next to it, it's not a coupon binder that can fit in my purse. A couple friends refer to it as "the coupon suitcase"…
Step 4
Keep the binder in your car, and take it with you when you go shopping!
This system works really well for me. It allows me to keep the inserts whole, which makes using
coupon databases much easier.
What about you? How do YOU organize your coupons?
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