COUPON BINDERS

How do I keep my coupons and how do I find them is the two top question I get..so below is the long awaited list of how I keep my coupons, I promised it by Tuesday Evening! Most of you have seem my coupon book but here again is how I set it up.

For those of you who are new I keep my coupons in a zipper folder, I use Caseit brand as they seem to wear well. Any larger folder with a zipper will do, the type you buy kids to use in school. The zipper is very important and worth the little extra you will pay for it. Sometime you (or one of your kids or grandkids..or even a friend) will drop your book…trust me on this one….we all have…and the zipper will save you from playing 500 coupon pick-up!
I then buy baseball card holders to hold my coupons. The basecard holders have nine opening in them and you can put coupons facing each way so you will be able to get 18 types of coupons in each sheet. You will also find having a zipper pencil holder at the front of back of your book helpful to keep all those store cards in. I also will keep a calculator, pen and paper in mine…want to know what I am paying….but that comes after you are comfy using the coupon book. Start basic and grow as you are ready. It will surprise you how fast your book will grow. In just a few weeks of getting one or two papers a week you will have a good start on your book. For those in my area you know I only buy the Indy Star as the local paper just does not have the same coupons in it. For those just starting try and find other ways to get coupons. Ask your family, friend and ask at work. If you have a paper saver in your apt. building look for the Sunday papers and pull the coupons out. There are many way to get coupons besides buying the paper on Sunday. Did you know that only 7% of coupons are ever used..that leaves us 93% to find and use!!! Don’t forget to print coupons from the computer and look up the websites of items you like, they often have coupons on them and you will be amazed at how many coupons you can get in the mail by just telling a company how well you like the items they make.

Below is the list....let me know it works for you.

Baking…. This is where I keep anything that would go in the kitchen that does not fit somewhere else AND anything I use for baking. Sugar, Cookie mix, Cake mix, Nuts etc.

Beverage….If you drink it or put it in what you drink this is where it goes

Bread…all types and some cookies and such that are sold in bread isle like Little Debbies etc

Canned…..For the most part if it comes in a can it goes here

Cereal ….All hot and cold cereals also cereal bars, granola bars, I keep crackers and cookies here also. I have a sheet between the two but for me this is where it fits best as many stores have the crackers and cookies in the same isle.

Cleaning….If it cleans it goes here…other than soaps and Laundry supplies

Condiments….This is a catch all for dressing, ketchups, mustards, pickles, olives and things like that

Dairy…Any thing in the dairy case goes here..think beyond milk and cheese. Yogurt, biscuits etc

Deodorant….That is it…other than I have added a few odd balls here. You sometimes get batteries or something like that just does not fit anywhere..well this is where I put it. That way they all stay in one place and when I think..where would I have put that coupon..I know…it goes in the odd ball file!

Entertainment….You know those coupons for BOGO at Arbys or Subway or those $5 off at Applebees that come in the paper, this is where all those go.

Feminine…That is what I keep there

Frozen..If its in the frozen section this is where you will find it in my book. When I have a lot of this section I will sometime break them down by Veggies, Meat, Desserts etc so I able to find what I need in the store

Hair…Shampoo and such goes here. I also keep my razors here…hey its used to remove hair!!

Laundry…If you use it to wash this is where it goes.

Meat…All meats go here, deli, fresh, lunch, hotdogs etc. I do not put Frozen here as it has its own place

Oral Care…If you use it in your mouth it goes here.

Over the Counter….This can sometimes become a very large section so I do tend to break it down a bit. Pain relievers, creams, tummy, etc. The first page of this section has the coupons of items we use often in our home.

Paper & Plastic…This has not only paper plates and plastic cups but items like trash bags, TP, paper towel, foil wrap, etc. If you find it in the papers isle it goes here.

Pasta & Rice ….Pasta sauce (even if it comes in a can I still put it here not under cans) Pasta, Rice, I also put things here like Hamburg helper coupon and other pre-mix dinners and quick dinners as they tend to be in this same isle. I also keep anything Mexican in this section.

Snacks…this is a catch all for things that do not fit elsewhere. Candy bars are often BOGO or $1 off two but where do you put them..here!!! I also keep chips, popcorn and things like here.

Soap…That’s pretty much it…soap…dish soap, body soap, body wash, mens soap, baby soap..etc. Now I also keep baby coupons here as this section is smaller than most.

Store Coupons..If its only good at one store it goes here. I also keep coupons for stores like JCPenny here, Kmart, Walmart..not just food store coupons.

I would add what you need to fit your family. Start with the ones here and add what you find you need. I have added a section for Pet food in mine after we got Pistol. Its at the back of my book after soap and before store coupons…I do not use it very often but I know where to find them.

I hope this helps all of you who have asked and for those who did not..well I hope it will help you also! I could never save what I do if I had my coupons in my pocket and off to the store I went. I need to be able to find them, match them to what is on sale in the paper and what is on special at the store those things you never knew of until you got there. I can go down the “HAIR” isle, flip my book to “HAIR” and in just a quick look see if I have coupons to match with the sales. If its on sale and I do not have a coupon or if I have a coupon and it not on sale I NEVER buy it! It has to be both, on sale and a coupon before I will buy it. ….unless its FREE!