ARE YOU ORGANIZED?

  I thought I would let you know how I keep my coupons organized.   It's one of the BIGGEST keys to keeping your time management under control.   I found when I first started couponing I had all these monthly flyers and was going through all of them looking for the coupons.  It was such a waste of time!!!!   I was thumbing through all these coupons and I was wasting VALUABLE time at the stores.  Who wants to do that?   I contacted a few of my  couponing moms to see how they were organized. 


THANKS to www.yesIhaveacoupon.blogspot.com she was able to show me her "coupon book."   I went out that evening and purchased a few item, yes of course they were on sale, and created my own "Coupon Book" 


Basically I purchased a 3 ring binder ( pink and black, whoo hoo) that zips all the way around.  This makes it easy for me not to lose any coupons.  As you know, some are like gold.   I purchased the baseball card  protectors.   I have my binder designed for like groceries, frozen foods, dairy, pet, produce, cleaning...  etc....   I designed it to match the isles of my favorite store.   Coming from a small town we only have a few grocery chains available so it made this easier for me to be able to flip the pages as I walk the isles.   Most stores are all set up the same so if I am traveling I can find that product easily.  I clip my coupons and keep them in the binder under that specific tab.  
.

Next I purchased just the regular sheet protectors.   I did this because some of the "store specific" coupons expire faster then the regular coupons.   Competitor coupons are usually only good for a few weeks if not sooner.  I figured if I printed those coupons,  which you need to do because they go quickly, then I could keep those in my binder and just glace through them when I am creating my grocery list.     I also can store the enitre sheets as shown below for easier STORE COUPONS.



Then I purchased the see through folders.   This allowed me to be able to keep some of the more monthly coupon flyer'like the Proctor and Gamble that only comes out once a month.  I found it was easier to be able to grab the ones I needed and once they  are expired I wasn't going through my entire book to pull out the ones that needed to be discarded.   This also gave me some space to just pocket some of the coupons I don't really use but may occasionally pass along to others.  Sometimes those "unique items" would go on sale and I would grab those coupons if I needed them.   Good also for the CANDY section of my binder for when the kids go with me shopping.  

There you have it.... My Coupon Book.  

As I earlier mentioned.   This creative way of filing my coupons is the easiest for me.  Couponing and how your organize it is your way of doing things.  Everyone has a different way.  What's best is how you design it.  This book allows me to be able to take my coupons shopping.  I find allot of times different stores have different things on sale.  I hate getting to the store and finding a really good bargain and not having my coupons with me.   This helps me  to save money in the long run.  

I average 1 trip a week to my local grocery store.  If I see there is a really good bargain or something was forgotten then I will have to make a special trip.  No need to be traveling back and forth for sales missed!!!  :) 

Happy Couponing and Hope this helps with ARE YOU ORGANIZED?