Couponing is a strategy you might use when trying to save money so you have enough to last the month. Numerous items you frequently purchase will be eligible for discounts.
As a frequent coupon user, I have discovered that stockpiling when there is a good deal is one way to save the most money. The only practical way to do this is to buy a lot of inserts every week. You never know from week to week which coupons will appear in the inserts or when a sale will happen in the store. To be able to stock up when a good deal arises, I buy 10 sets every week.
Organization is essential when you purchase as many coupons as I do. It’s crucial to find a solution that works for you because you don’t want the inserts to take over your house. Here are some ideas to get you started on finding a system for organizing your coupons so you can still find them when you’re ready to shop.
1. Binder
When I first started using coupons, the binder was my primary method of organization. It was very effective; I bought one set per week. I bought the clear sheets for baseball cards and used a 3 inch 3 ring binder. Since the pockets are larger and clear sheets made specifically for coupons are available, this is an improvement because the coupons can be used without folding.
I arranged my coupons according to the store’s route because I tended to only shop there. That was effective up until I started shopping at a different store and realized that my binder’s layout was preventing me from taking advantage of certain discounts. Following that trip, I changed it so that I categorized them. Additionally, I added dividers with tabs indicating the category for each divider in the binder. Cleaning, childcare, pet care, household chores, food, and other were all on my plate. These categories can be referred to as what works for you and what you intend to use most frequently. The key is to set up your binder in a way that works for you.
2. Photo Album
You can find small photo albums with soft covers that are simple to share with others if you visit a store like Walmart. Get a bag of some kind to carry these in if you choose this option. A bag made specifically for sewing supplies is one option. They have dividers inside and are roughly 6 inches high by 12 inches wide. Most of the time, the interior is made of material, and the dividers can be removed or moved to the desired location.
You have the option of organizing your coupons by category or by insert when you store them in photo albums. Deals may be best organized by insert if you search for them online. It will be simpler to find coupons if you write a note inside the cover indicating which insert is in the album. When you have several sets of inserts, this option works best. It is ideal for coupons that you have more than one of because the albums allow for quite a few coupons on a single page.
3. Compartment Shelves
Using compartmentalized shelves is a final choice to think about. This object has partitions that give the appearance of a bookcase. With this choice, you wouldn’t clip coupons until you actually needed them. You would put all of the inserts for the week in one compartment and mark the date of each insert with a sticky note. This will be useful if you need to find the coupons for a particular date. By waiting to clip the coupons until you actually need them, you can avoid wasting time on things you don’t need or want, which will save you time with this option. To make room for the new inserts you’ll receive, you should go through the inserts each month and remove any that have expired.
If you let it, coupons could easily and quickly take over your house. When you choose one of these solutions, you’ll discover that your house is cleaner and that it’s easier to locate the coupons you require. The way you arrange your coupons must take into account the space you have and how you approach coupon organization. The most crucial thing to keep in mind is that keeping your coupons organized will make your couponing experience more efficient.