Remember how I said I was thinking about trying a new coupon organization system?
I was considering switching from the coupon box system I’ve used for almost ten years, to leaving my inserts whole and only clipping the coupons I’d need that week as I planned my grocery list. I was hoping this would save me effort and be more efficient. And was I ever wrong.
I took the plunge and tried it–for almost six weeks. And I think I can safely say it was a failed experiment. I found it to be more frustrating than anything.
When I clip and file the coupons in my coupon box, I have a sort of mental file in my head at all times of what coupons I have. When I didn’t clip them, I had no idea. I’d see an item in the sales flier that I guessed there might be a coupon out for, but then I didn’t know whether or not there was a coupon for it and I’d have to look online to find out or shuffle through six weeks’ worth of coupon inserts–which is not practical or efficient. Even if I knew exactly what insert it should be in, I still struggled to find the coupon.
Countless times, I was at the store and would see something on sale that I was sure I probably had a coupon for, but I didn’t have my coupons filed in my box like usual so I couldn’t take a quick look. And then I’d find myself feeling disorganized and out-of-sorts for not being able to pull out my coupon box and adeptly fish out the prized coupon.
So, yes, I tried the filing-your-inserts method and decided once and for all, it’s not for me. I’m sure it works great for some, but I found that after years of doing something a certain way when it comes to coupons, it’s pretty impossible for me to change.
I’m spending the next few days clipping and sorting and whipping my coupon box back into shape. Deals and unadvertised deals, here I come!
Hi! Thanks for all the great information you share, it’s such a blessing. I have a quick question for you (and your readers), what do you do in regards to printable coupons? Do you print them when they become available or just when you need them. When I wait, I can never print them becuase they run out. But if I print them when they come out I feel like I would waste paper and ink. Any words of wisdom would be really appreciated.
To Sheila – Walmart does sell baseball card sleeves. In ours, they are located in the front by the cash registers where the baseball cards are.
I have switched over to the binder system. Started with the box then tried the filing but I, too, felt I was missing on deals. The clipping and sorting into the binder helps me remember what i have and I like flipping the pages to find the coupon rather than grabbing a whole section like “dairy” out of the box and having to go through every coupon to find the one I want. I guess everyone has their own way and whatever works out best for you is the right one!
I didnt read thru all the comments so I dont know if anyone mentioned this. I go to couponmom.com each week and save the online coupon organizer list as an excel file. I then edit it down to only those new coupons…i enter next to each, the quantity of each coupon I have (ie. how many inserts i purchased that week). Then i print that out and put it in the front of each coupon week.
Whenever I use a coupon, I just update the quantity for that particular coupon. Say I got 4 inserts…thus 4 of that particular coupon…so if i only used 2 coupons, i cross out the 4 and put a 2 next to it…or if its 4 then i just draw a line thru that whole coupon line. That way I can keep track of how many of each coupon I have, or have used. The coupons are all listed in alphabetical order and by which insert (RP, PG or SS). So when i need to see if I have a coupon, i just skim those printed pages really fast. Its super simple. That way I dont need to be on the internet, and I dont have to clip all those coupons each Sunday…it saves me sooooo much time.
I use MrsA’s coupon organizer! (mrsascouponorganizer) I LOVE it! It’s the only method that ever worked for me.
I found saving inserts frustrating as well. I use a binder method, but unlike most people I don’t organize by product type. I file the coupons alphabetically. I bought a package of A-Z side tabs and then use baseball card sheets for the coupons. I use one slot for each manufacturer – i.e. all the Glade coupons go in one slot in the sheet under the “G” tab. I have 1-4 sheets per letter [there seem to be a lot of products starting with “C”] and try to keep food items on separate pages from household or personal care items. I’ve been doing this for about a year now and it works great!
Excel excel excel! I’m with Georgia above–I enter all of the coupons from the inserts into a spreadsheet and leave the inserts whole. It works great and I don’t have to sort through and take out expired coupons from a binder or box. I just sort my spreadsheet by date and delete them off of the sheet. I print off my spreadsheet and take it with me when I shop (sorted by brand) and I always know exactly what I have a coupon for and for how much. I can cut coupons ahead of time and take them with me when I shop, but I also leave the inserts in the car and I can run out and grab another coupon or two if I find a good deal. Love it!
Has anyone tried the couponizer? I keep looking at it, but need to know if it is worth the money. Thanks.
Wow. Great comments.
I keep my coupons in a photo album, but I’m thinking about switching to baseball cards files. The photo album pages are too deep, and they’re starting to rip. Thanks for the tip about Staples!
I’m so intrigued by the person who sorts coupons by bar code. I never thought of that!
I categorize my coupons by aisles at my local Wal-mart, since that’s where I do most of my grocery shopping. When I go CVSing, I am usually only using the heath/beauty and cleaning products sections, anyway.
I have a combined system that I just started using. I have a box that I cut and sort all my coupons according to categories that are logical to me. In each category I have envelopes of sub-categories which making finding one particular coupon a little easier (and if the box gets knocked over I don’t have as much resorting to do).
I also just made a binder from left over school supplies. In the binder I have plastic pocket folders. Each folder has the flyer for the different stores where I shop and any catalinas or ECBs for that store. When I make my shopping list for each store and pull the coupons I need for that store. I have an extra folder with an envelope that has extra coupons for items that I see on message boards or blogs.
At the front of the binder I have an old zippered pencil case with a calculator, pen and gift cards. I take the binder on my shopping trip and have found that I does same me a lot of time in the store. I have missed some deals, but I’m trying to live by a budget (for the first time ever), so I don’t really mind too much when I miss a deal.
As to those wondering where to find the baseball card holders… At my Walmart they were with the books and baseball cards, not with the page protectors and folders…
Hope that helps someone! 😉
I think I have tried every method out there, but the easiest for me has been to just clip what I know I will absolutely use and leave the rest of the inserts intact. With my two kids and working fulltime, I have come to peace with the fact that I won’t get in on every deal, but I can quickly look up and clip a coupon by insert if I hear about a deal. I used to get multiple inserts and would cut, file, and type up a list of all coupons I had – that was before kids! Now I do the best I can to get in on some deals.
It’s so funny that you bring this up, as I too have tried switching to this over the past couple of months, and I have spent my spare time the past few days this week cutting all those coupons for my filing system, LOL! I haven’t finished yet, but I went to the grocery store yesterday and it felt SO GOOD having that box with me, and I was able to nab some unadvertised sale items for FREE because I had my coupons with me!
I’m a former clipper but am using the filing whole method and love it! I always browse through the inserts anyway and clip out those coupons that I know I will need – diapers, eggs, etc. When I go through the sales ads for the week, I have several resources on-line I use to help locate coupons. The local retail reporter for our newspaper has a coupon database on her site, which I use to search for coupons. She also does a coupon match-ups every Wednesday on her blog. Taylortown Preview also lists the coupons by insert and Hot Coupon World has a great coupon database which lists not only insert coupons, but tearpads and blinkies as well.
I have the box system, which I like alot. I have extra catagory envelopes for Department store coupons,free stuff, I currently have all my extra coupon sheets in clear plastic sheets in a binder and I am finding that I dont like it. I am naturally unorganized and the box keeps me on point. I will be clipping my coupons this weekend and cleaning out my box. 🙂
That’s how I feel! I use the binder-system and love it b/c I take it in the store with me and can easily find what i’m looking for b/c they are divided into categories. Anyway, If I kept mine whole I know that is exactly how I would feel–not knowing what is there, and how to find it. Plus, I couldn’t be able to take it all in the store with me and grab one easily–without having them already clipped.
Hey Crystal, I’m sure you are not in the mood to try a NEW method of organizing coupons, but I really LOVE my system. I organize them by the first 5 digits of the barcode. That way when I am at a store and I see a product, I just look at the product bar code and then go right to that number in my file. Maybe sometime down the road when you feel ambitious you could give it a try. I also keep all my B1G1 and Free item coupons in their own pocket of my expandable file. Good luck!
I didn’t do well with not clipping my coupons. I use a binder and baseball card sheets, but instead of filing by category, I file alphabetically (A, B, C). This way if I see Cheerios are on sale or clearance, I look at C for a coupon. It seems to work well for me, and I don’t have to pull out a bunch of coupons to look for one I “might” have.
I have a PocketPC, and I’ve found it useful to enter my coupon info into an Excel document. Because I don’t have very many categories in my coupons expanding file, looking at my list in Pocket Excel helps me know quickly what coupons I have (esp when I’m at the store and see something on clearance / sale), and which are expiring soon. I also do my shopping list in Pocket Excel, so I can just copy and paste into my list which coupons I intend to use.
I think it’s interesting, everyone has their own preferred method, I tried the whole “keep the insert intact” method for awhile, ended up wasting more than I used. I too, need the visualization of clipping the coupon, it mentally helps me remember what I have without even having to look in my organizer to check. But I am currently looking at upgrading to a different organizer, as I’ve outgrown my couponizer.
To Jodi (I think) who asked about categories, I think the best recommendation is to break it into manageable categories that work for you, based on the coupons you clip & the quantity you have. For example, I have ALOT of Health & Beauty coupons and I really don’t want to sort through all of them to look for one shampoo coupon, so I have different categories for dental, hair, face, etc that make sense in my head when I’m filing. On the other hand, a category like breakfast is where I might combine cereal, pancakes, granola, etc – because I don’t usually have as many. Hope this helps!
On Sundays I go through the inserts and clip coupons for items I normally buy. I file them the cut coupons in a large accordion check register, with each section sorted by the layout at my grocery store.
After I get the coupons I know I’ll use, I write the date on the front of the inserts and file them by date. Before I go grocery or CVS shopping I check out the forums and see what other coupons I need for the deals. Then I pull out the inserts and clip those coupons.
I tried clipping everything for about 2 weeks, but it took me far too much time, and I didn’t use most of them. This way works for me.
Thanks for sharing that information. I’ve wondered about that system too.
Cutting the coupons sounds like a great low energy project for you. 🙂
I’m so glad you posted this. I have been considering going from my coupon system (2 small accordian type coupon files) and trying the notebook, non-clip style. I also keep a file in my brain of the coupons in my organizer. I think I’ll stick to my process for now.
I have my own clip & carry system.
I use very few coupons at the grocery store, because the items we eat usually don’t have coupons. But I still clip for things I think I’ll buy on sale, and file those in one coupon organizer.
I have a separate coupon organizer for health & beauty items. I clip basically every coupon in that category and file them in there. I use way more coupons for H&B because of CVS.
I carry both copuon organizers with me at all times. I never leave the house without my keys, cell phone, or coupons.
To Suzy – I use a baseball card organizer. You get 9 slots per page and it’s a lot sturdier than a photo album.
I wondered how that would go for you, and interestingly enough I was wondering about this last night. You and I were having the same thought about the coupons at the same time. Since my daughter’s arrival I’ve had to rethink the way I do a lot of things. I’m sure you know all about that! I have found however that I can cut them out and sort and file while I am working on the computer. You know when you are waiting for something to upload or download or it’s taking a while. No problem. I put the cut coupons in a basket that stays on my dest and then I grab a handful and file them. I actually get it a lot more done and am makeing better use of my time instead of setting aside time to just do coupons. Then I bring the sorted coupons to the support group I help facilitate and PWOC and the ladies can look through and pick out what they need.
You were braver than I would be, Crystal. And I sympathize with cutting out all those coupons from past weeks!
My husband has now been trained to buy me two Sunday papers a week. Well, I got sidetracked for about a month, and just spent two days cutting and filing all those coupons into my binder system!
I converted from the box method to the binder method about six months ago, and I won’t go back! I still use my box for the initial sorting. The binder pages get heavy to push back and forth when trying to put the coupons in, making it tedious work. So I use the box to sort as I clip, then go through the box at the end and just slip the coupons into the pockets, category by category. MUCH easier, and is actually faster than going from back to front to middle of the book 97 times.
And if I needed any proof that I’m with the right system for me, it happened tonight. I was talking to a woman who stopped and commented on my 4″ binder spread across the seat area of the cart. She mentioned using an index file box like I used to, and I told her that the big drawback there was when one of my kids dumped the box over the side of the cart – coupons everywhere and it took forever to pick up and sort again. We had a good laugh, then went on. I got to the end of the aisle, turned the corner, and the edge of my binder got hung up on a display and my binder ended up open and face-down on the floor!
And I grinned as I bent down, scooped it up, and propped it back up on the cart, with not a thing out of place. 😉
Hi! I’m also one that clips only the ones I’m pretty sure I’ll use, then file away the inserts in case a wonderful site like this informs me of a great way to use what’s inside them. Someone mentioned about tossing expired coupons. I wanted to mention a word of advice to all who may not know, as there seem to be many new to this out there. Check with all of your stores to see if they accept expired coupons. Many of the grocers I shop at will accept coupons up to one month after the expiration date. Now if I could just get Walgreens to do that…. And when they do expire, there are service men and women and their families stationed around the world who are able to use them at their stores up to three months after the exp. date, and they are usually happy to have them. I got some names and addresses by asking over at the Coupon Forum website.
The only thing worse than this filing system and not having the coupons you need is *JUST* getting your coupon box cleaned out and organized…and then DROPPING IT. Augh.
I guess it is time to clean and organize again. 😉
I do the binder method, but tried baseball card holders and didn’t like it, so I got 4×6 photo clear holders instead… There are 3 slots on each page and each slot is a category… deoderant, shampoo, lotion, makeup, etc… It works well for me and I also have slots for my ECB’s and RR’s, so they are always handy and with me! 😉
I think it all depends on your personality and also what you want to accomplish. For me the insert system works great. I have increased the number of inserts I buy to 6 papers a week so that the deals that I get, I can get 6 at a time. It is true that you miss out on the unadvertised deals, but my shopping trips are much more planned and targeted. It takes me much less time in and out of the store. So I get more of the rock bottom deals at one time and spend less time doing it. I also don’t have to worry about filing and throwing out expireds. I do miss out on some deals but feel a lot better about being planned out each place I go. If I see a deal when I am out and it is really great, I go back the same day or next day. If the deal is good enough and I can get 6, it will be worth the trip. I guess it is just what works for each individual! Everyone is different! Have fun!
I save my coupons by date. How ever I do it a little differently than you do.
I get at least 12 inserts a week and have been known to get 25 if it’s a week filled with coupons for items I love.
When I get eash Sunday’s inserts, I lay all the RP inserts on a table, open to the first page. I open them all to that page.
Then I pull all of the first page up, square them up and place a staple over the picture on each coupon. Then I cut them out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snFVId-gUXE
Once I’ve cut all the coupons in one week’s insert I put them in a slide lock baggie & write the date on it.
Then I punch a hole in the corner & slip it on a giant jailers ring. This way I’m able to take all of my coupons with me, I’ve cut them so that I am familiar with the coupons that I have, and If I read about a deal on hot coupon world or MSM I can pull my coupon. When at the store, it’s easy for me to go thru my coupons if I find a deal.
Hope this helps some of you trying to find an easy method.
I am very happy with filing my inserts.
I’ve used the box, I’ve used the binder with baseball card inserts, and now I file. The box got too full and hard to manage so I used the binder. It worked well for a while, but with as many coupons as I use, there were still toooo many that I did not use and were clipped in vain. I keep everything since I am not brand loyal and will try something new if I can get a deal on it.
I live in Indianapolis and use feedindy.com (shout out to Heather!). It’s like cutouthunger but taylored just for Indy and even better. Very rarely do I end up at the store needing a coupon. I am well prepared when I get to the store and save TONS of time since she matches up all the deals for me.
I do wish it were a little more portable, however, for those few times when I am at the store and need another coupon. Maybe I could file them in a big binder?
I have a combination style of couponing. I have a zippered binder with three rings (homemade from stuff we already had!) and baseball card pages. I cut one of each of the inserts usually and let the rest intact. I file them by groups similar to yours. I like the binder and pages because I have an idea of what I have, plus I can easily see them through the plastic, instead of rifling through envelopes (which I tried). But hey, whatever works! 🙂
I hear ya! I’m always looking for a more efficient way to organize and store my stash. I have tried the intact-inserts and it was a disaster–took me too long to clip a few here and there.
I’ve also tried the binder with baseball card sheets and that was an even worse mess. I thought I’d be able to see what I had “at a glance”, but organizing them and fishing out the expireds made me dread working on it, so the coupons were just in a pile to be sorted for a long time.
So far for me, nothing beats a regular accordian-style coupon holder. I just ordered the Couponizer though, so we’ll see how I fare with that!
I have tried every system I know of that does not require purchasing a special system. What I do now works the best for me:
If I buy 4 papers, I lay them all out page by page and then cut all 4 of each page at once. Then, I decide which coupons will go into my binder (1″ 3-ring binder with baseball card holders) These coupons are for items I use and items that might go on sale/end up free because they either seem to each month or around that time each year. The rest get put in a baggie that is labeled with the date. I used to have a baggie for each insert each week. Now I just have one baggie for each week and put all coupons in there – even if there are 5 inserts that week. I keep those in a larger baggie and have them at home if I see something on here or another site that is free.
I was originally turned on to matching store sales with coupons at CouponMom.com so I’ve done the whole-insert method from the beginning and it seems to work for me (though I do spend well over an hour preparing for my weekly errands). After reading all these comments to the contrary, I’m thinking maybe I should try the other method for a while and compare. I too look at my huge stacks of carefully organized inserts and sigh at the prospect of clipping all that though!
That is so funny- I just ditched the insert saving method yesterday, I am going back to my wonderful little expandable file 🙂
I tried the “no clipping” method as well, ironically I thought it would be so much easier since you always thoughtfully tell us which insert to find the coupon. I thought I would just study your blog, painlessly find the coupons and only cut out what I was using. HA! Crazy talk! It was terrible! I also tried the baseball card protector method – HATED that too (the slots for the coupons were too small so I was folding coupons to make them fit – ugh, a real mess). I finally invested in a good box, used many of the tips you provide (like envelopes and labels). This system works the best for me, thank you for all the info you provide!
http://paulsbride.blogspot.com/2008/08/coupons.html <- that is how I have organized my coupons and I LOVE it!! I have it a little bit more organized now than when I originally blogged about it, but it's still very similar. It's super handy!! Someone asked about the baseball card holders - I searched a couple local Walmarts and Targets and neither sold them. I bought my first set of them at Office Max and then found them cheaper at Staples. (Staples has its own brand.)
So good to read everyone’s opinion that has been at this longer than I have. I’ve only be couponing for three months. Just two weeks ago I started keeping the inserts whole and yesterday I had that “I don’t know if this is better than clipping” thought.
I guess I bettergo back to clipping and filing before my insert stack gets too high.
I kind of do a combo method of clipping some and keeping some inserts whole. I use an empty baby wipes box and letter size envelopes to store my coupons. I keep the rest of my inserts in a folder. I tried the baseball card clear inserts in a binder method but did not like it. I like the envelopes better. My categories are breakfast/cereal, snacks/desserts, frozen, canned, meat, bread/bakery, rice/pasta, sauce/condiments, cat food, baby, household, paper products, health, beauty/hygiene and I keep a file for store catalinas. The hardest part is keeping up with the expired coupons- Aug 31 was a sad date 🙁
Have you tried couponclippers.com? You can search by store in your area for deal/coupon matchups…
I’m also working on a coupon sorting project. I’m creating a master list including insert date to be searchable by all. I’ll be sure to keep you updated!
Forgot to mention– I keep the notebook and files with me in the car! I can easily access it when I’m out “frugaling!”
Bless your heart, Crystal. Well, you know…you tried and it didn’t work for you. Now you know. (((hugs)))
I changed to the “no cut” system the same week that you did, Crystal. I put them in sheet protectors by date (I write the dates as soon as I receive them) and store them in a binder. I was concerned about frantically searching for a specific coupon as well (past experiences); however, I found this link that updates the current coupons each week. http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=903756 I print it out and put it in my binder. Then, I just search for the item I want (it is alphabetical) and look it up by date! I agree with your “mental file,” but the time I save is unbelievable! My only regret is that I am not able to send my excess to the Overseas Coupon Program anymore because the coupons are not cut apart.
I have used the index card box method for over 30 years. Here are my catagories which I have written in small letters on blank divider cards(semi-colons divide catagories): Beverages; Bread + Staples (flour, sugar, etc.); Cereal, Oatmeal and Breakfast Foods;Cookies, Cakes, Frostings; Desserts; Dog Food; Eggs, Cheese, Dairy Foods;Meal Helpers (taco stuff, hamburger helper, etc.); Meat and Fish; Mustard, Mayo, Ketchup, Sauces;Rice, Pasta, Stuffing; Soup, Jelly; Salad Dressing, Margarine, Oils; Snacks; Vegetables and Fruits; Baby Products; Batteries; Cleaning Products; Detergent, Bleach, Fabric Softener; Dishwashing Supplies; Deoderant; Feminine Products; Medicine; Paper Products; Razor Blades; Shampoo; (Body) Soap; Storage Wraps; Toilet Paper; Toothpaste, Mouthwash.
As you can see the catagories are alphabetical and it never takes me but a minute to find the coupon when I see an item – canned, fresh, frozen, or on special.
Good Luck!
I use a coupon binder and trading card holders to sort my coupons. I’ve always wondered how people did it with leaving the inserts together. How do you remember what you have? I thought about cutting one coupon and writing on the back where it came from so I can refer to it when a really great deal comes along, but that is a lot more work than just clipping the coupons.
I currently do a combination of both.
I have a small accordian folder for items I “will” buy. Anything that is a “might” stays uncut in a larger accordian folder.
I only keep five weeks worth. I figured If I don’t buy it in five weeks, I am not going to.
My little folder is only 13 slots, and I have added my own dividers and now it’s so full it takes up half of my purse!
I think I need to switch to the binder system, but I keep putting it off.
I pretty much have everything I need to start it but the baseball card sheets.
Where do you get your baseball card sheets?
Does anybody know if Walmart sells them? If so what section.
Thanks
I was smiling when I read this post because I just finished cutting out months worth of coupon inserts for the very same reason. My back hurts from sitting so long. The part I hate — cutting and filing the coupons — is also the one thing that really works for me. Go figure!
I tried to keep my inserts whole as well. As I am new to couponing, I thought I would save time. I too found out I was wrong. It was frustrating and took even more planning. I spent last sat during my kids naptime to cut 2 months worth of inserts and plan on doing it again this saturday! I’m glad I tried but can’t wait till I’m caught up!
I totally agree with you. My friends all make fun of my box, but I love being able to know exactly what I have. I love going down the clearance aisle and looking at my coupons to see if I have them. I too have a mental picture of all coupons. I am glad that you put this post out there because the friends that make fun are faithful readers.
I’m with you all on this! I just switched over 2 weeks ago to the filing and know I’m missing deals. I’m switching back to clipping for products that I know I will use/need in the near future! I keep the same mental list and refresh it every few weeks by looking through my file for expired coupons! Happy clipping to us all!
I’ve switched to only clipping coupons that I think that I probably really will want to use or that I often see deals on (diapers, dairy, etc). And then I keep the rest of the coupons in the inserts. I also only clip out of one or two inserts and then keep the rest of the same whole in the binder. It’s like a mixed up binder/box system and so far it is working great! I started doing the box method but it was taking too much time to clip, sort, file and purge my coupons. Now, I’m saving time and I’m still taking advantage of great deals for things we really need. And I have the other coupons available to me if I find out about a freebie/moneymaker online.
At first I did the file method. It didn’t work that well for me. I found that I had to take out each section and thumb through it each time I looked for something. I recently changed to the binder method and I love it. It seems to take a little more time when I am clipping the coupons and putting them in the pages but it is a breeze to find something when I need it!
I do both. I clip the coupons I’m likely to use and file them in my organizer; the rest of the insert goes into a folder. I keep the inserts for 3-4 months. This way I have all of my “usual” coupons with me when I go grocery shopping. Whenever I read about a good deal or freebie for something we don’t usually buy, usually at Walgreens 😉 , I use an online database to figure out where that coupon is and then clip it out of my stashed inserts. Manageable, portable coupon organizer and inserts with every available coupon — truly the best of both worlds!
I have a problem with figuring out how to organize. Like what sections to have… Baby, frozen… any suggestions? How do you catagorize your coupons? Feedback would be awesome and greatly appreciated!!
I can not tell you how many times I tried the method of leaving the inserts whole, and then getting to the store and going “I know I have that coupon…. at home.” After couponing for 20 years, it wasn’t going to happen that way.
I generally get about 40 inserts of RP per week, and 5-10 of the SS per week. I cut out 10 coupons of items I normally use. 5 coupons of items I “might” use for freebies at CVS and such, but the rest do stay whole and filed.
I also don’t use a binder, I use a index card box organized by a generic aisle format, although at times, this can be difficult because I just have way too many coupons and there’s no way to look through the coupons without getting paper cuts. Remembering what is in there isn’t an issue, as you go through the coupons looking for something, you begin to remember what you have from repetition.
Me too. I had the same difficulties that you did. I wasn’t as faithful or patient as you in trying the flyer method, though. I got frustrated and just clipped after about a month.
I do the insert filing and I get frustrated not knowing what I have. But when I look at all the inserts I have I don’t see how I could possibly clip them all and organize them the way you do. I want to but that just seems like a daunting task. I have SOOOOOOO many inserts. Some weeks I have 10 + coupons inserts. I would love to be able to know everything I have, but it’s just not realistic looking at that mile high stack of inserts. Maybe a good way to convert to a new system is to just start clipping and filing from now on. And continue to use online databases until the majority of the coupons in my other inserts are expired. What do you think? How have some of you changed your systems?
I find that the hands-on work of clipping and filing helps me remember what coupons I have.
Hi!
I just want you to know that my coupon organization is exactly what you have set up. I went to your link and tried it. I LOVE it. I bought a little box at the $1 store with a handle that I can carry them all in with my calculator and pen on hand.
You have a great system. I’m sure it doesn’t work for everyone but for those who it does work for, we love it!
I agree. I started couponing by not clipping from the inserts, and it drove me insane!I think it took way too much time in the long run. I quickly changed to the box method. However, I’m considering going to the clear pocket pages method and if anyone has any feedback on that style, I’d love to hear it.
I had the same problem when I just kept the inserts…not remembering what coupons are out there. I do the binder method now and I love it!
OMG I am so glad I am not the only one. I tried it for about 2 months and I felt like I was spending more money because everytime I needed a coupon it was at home – unclipped in the organizer. It seemed to take me longer to prepare to go shopping as well. So I sat down last night and clipped 2 months worth of coupons. I am like you if I don’t see it I don’t know I’ve got it.