How to Organize a Coupon Book
According to Grocery Coupon Guide, $360 billion dollars of coupons are waiting to be claimed, so what are you doing this Sunday afternoon? Saving money on everyday items means more money in your pocket for retirement or vacation. Saving money can be as simple as opening your Sunday paper and getting past the Funnies section.
However, if you do not organize these little money savers, you aren't going to salvage a dime. Create an organization scheme that will work for you in order to maximize the dollar bills in your pocket.
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Things You'll Need
- Folder or envelopes
- Sectioned file folder
- Three-ring binder and plastic inserts
- Newspaper
Instructions
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Folders can keep your coupons neat and organized. Purchase a folder or binder for storing your coupons. You can use envelopes or plastic binder inserts to organize the coupons within the folder or binder.
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Set aside time each week to clip or print coupons. Several online sites, such as Coupon Cabin and CouponMom.com, offer a variety of coupons at no cost.
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Choose the method to organize your book that works best for you. Organize your coupons one of three ways: alphabetically, by product type or by store layout.
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Familiarize yourself with your grocery store of choice for simple organization by store layout. Walk through with a notepad and list each section as you walk through the store. You also could list the sections in the order you wish to shop.
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Label folders or envelopes with each product you shop for when using the product type organization method. Examples of headings could be Meats/Deli, Dairy, Produce, Frozen Foods, Canned Goods, Cereals, Snacks and Miscellaneous Items.
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Some people prefer to organize their coupons alphabetically. Organize alphabetically by creating 26 separate envelopes or by breaking it down into sections. For example, one envelope or folder could be A through F, then G through P and so on. You can organize alphabetically by brand name or product type.
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Print or clip the coupons you want. Place each coupon in the appropriately labeled envelope or plastic binder insert.
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Tips & Warnings
When using the grocery store layout organizing method, one suggestion is to select the canned goods first and the frozen foods and meats last. The canned goods provide a base on which to place the more fragile items and selecting the frozen food last helps it keep frozen longer.
Use color-coded folders or envelopes to simplify organization.
Clean out each folder or envelope every few weeks to discard any expired or unused coupons.
Use your smartphone, or cell phone with an Internet connection, to download coupons directly to your phone. Some examples are Valpack or MobiQpons for Blackberry and iPhone or Spend Smart for Verizon Wireless customers.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit shopping image by Judy Ben Joud from Fotolia.com file folders image by Kathy Burns from Fotolia.com grocery cart train image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com alphabet image by Blue Moon from Fotolia.com
