I’ve been struggling for a while with organizing my coupons when I go to the store. I’ve always carried a large plastic box, with dividers. It’s about the size of a small tackle box. The problem is, it does not fit very well in the front of a shopping cart, and I am always having trouble with the lid. Then there’s the digging through it, in each category.
I seem to be doing better with a notebook with clear binder inserts. Putting the coupons in categories, and being able to see them laid out really helps. It also keeps me from having quite so many expireds that I didn’t dig out of the box.
I keep a few pages for uncut inserts, or booklets, For example, if I know that I want to do the SC Johnson $5 deal, I can look for booklets of those coupons, such as the Right at Home booklet. I know what is in it, and it saves the time of clipping. I keep a list of the inserts and what is in them. You can find it here
Next is a section for store coupons. Walgreens, and grocery store coupons go here. Yes, there are still grocery stores that have those “get something half off when you buy this and use the coupon in our insert” sales.
Then there are the sections for clipped coupons. Each category gets a clear page. Categories are as follows:
Non Edible: Hair, Oral Care, Bath and Body, shaving/razors, medicines, laundry, cleaning, household items (batteries, ziploc bags, etc, insect spray), paper products, home fragrance (candles, aerosol, oil and diffusers. This has become a big category lately with promotions by Glade and Febreze.) Pet and baby go here too – but I have no baby, just a cat!
Edible: Frozen, Dairy/meat (this includes eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, margerine/butter, etc. It also includes meats that are often found near the dairy section, such as bacon, lunchmeat, ham. Depending on how many coupons I have, this is one or two sections.), cans/jars, baking, cereals, snacks, breads (including refrigerated and frozen)
I keep a special page for freebies.
So that’s my system, and it is evolving. I find looking at a category through a clear binder page, and reaching for a category of coupons is much easier than working with a box. Best of all, it fits in a large handbag, and there are fewer spills.