Organizing my coupons About This Page:

[jjj6689]

I just bought a new coupon organizer at Big Lots for $2.00. It is a pink plastic organizer and has 12 organizer tabs. I have stickers to use to make labels and need help making good categories.
Here is my start
Cereals/breakfast foods
Dairy/refrigerated food
Frozen foods
Canned foods/rices
Cleaning supples/laundry
bathroom/personal care
paper goods
soups
pet supples
crackers/snacks
breads

How would you organize this?

[Lemap760]

Your list looks more organized than anything I would have come up with.

[Teresa]

If there is one certain store you use, I'd organize it in the order that store is set up in.

[jjj6689]

I kinda tried to set it up to match my Kroger store. So far I only have 11 tabs accounted for - I need one my category.

[maggieworkman]

What about desserts? Like cake mixes, etc.?

Maggie

[jjj6689]

Originally Posted by maggieworkman

What about desserts? Like cake mixes, etc.?

Maggie

That is a good one - I think I will make a baking/staples section, then I can put oils, flour

[eff051102]

Another option would be to have a tab for store coupons. Those coupons that you get at check out for $5.00 off your next store purchase of $25 - $50.

[Colexis Mom]

I organize mine according to the aisles in the store..produce, pasta/salad dressings/condiments, etc. , canned fruit, baking needs, cereals, sodas, juice/water, meat, cleaning products, home products (toothpaste/hair stuff), chips/pretzels, frozen stuff, bakery

[stefffe]

i need to do this..... my coupons are in a bag and completly un organized....perhaps i need to invest in one

thanks for the tips

[jjj6689]

Originally Posted by eff051102

Another option would be to have a tab for store coupons. Those coupons that you get at check out for $5.00 off your next store purchase of $25 - $50.

I think will put these in the front and also move the coupons I plan on using (from planing with the store ads)

I almost feel like picking up another organizer - I know just a soon as I get this one set up the way I want it will start falling apart

[simbarel]

I like the aisle-by-aisle method, I never thought about that. Then again, I don't use many coupons.

I've been researching some other threads on other boards about couponing and the people who were super-mad about couponing seemed to mention CVS and Rite-Aid the most. I guess the loyalty cards can really rack up some good rebates, so I might set aside some slots for store-by-store.

[lukeandbrookesmom]

I sort mine by the store layout - but they're in a worn and torn paper envelope. I'll have to look for something like what you found

[Caldercup]

I am a "coupon queen" and do a lot of couponing -- generally saving about 30-40% on every shopping trip.

I made my own coupon organizer out of a sturdy box that envelopes came in. I then used a scrap piece of poster/bristol board and cut that into tab dividers (I have about 25 of them.)

I organized them alphabetically with categories like Beverages, baked goods/cake mixes, canned goods, cereal, cleaning supplies, cheeses, condiments (mayo, mustard, ketchup), crackers/cookies, dog foods/treats, drugs/medicines, ethnic foods, frozen foods/treats, fruits/veggies, household items (lightbulbs, batteries, etc.), laundry products, meats, paper/plastic products, salad dressing, sauces, seasonings, spreads (jelly, peanut butter, syrup, etc.), and toiletries (shampoo, soaps, make-up, etc.).

The very front tab holds special coupons ($-off at certain stores, coupons from our recycling program, restaurant coupons, etc.)

The box lives in my car all week and comes in to the house on Saturdays, when I go through the coupons in the paper and clip and sort them into the box -- while enjoying a steaming cup of coffee as my "boys" sleep peacefully. <<sigh>>

On Thursdays, I get the local grocery store flyers for the sales starting the next day. I keep a little book (that fits in the coupon box) that I use to jot down the sales at each store (including the sizes of the products.) I make little asterisks by items that we need as well as notations of any coupons I know I have that could be combined with that store sale.

Since the box lives in my car, if I'm passing a grocery store during my daily travels, I will peek into the book to see if it's worth stopping to pick up some of the "loss-leader" sale items (those items that the store is probably taking a loss on just to lure you into the store.) This is why I keep the coupons organized alphabetically -- each store has a different layout. Plus, my DH can grab the box and not find himself hopelessly searching through a more "personal" organizational structure.

I'm lucky to have a big pantry in my basement and I actually shop to stock the pantry, rather than shop for my week's cooking. (When meal planning for the week, I actually go down to the pantry with a bag and "shop" from what I have in storage.) That way, I don't wind up buying groceries at top price just because I feel like eating that for dinner -- plus, snow storms and spur-of-the-moment dinner parties don't rock my budget too badly. The one trick to this is to make sure that you're using up items in "expiration" order -- I have to admit to having thrown out salad dressing that I bought on a "10 for $10 sale" and never got to consume before they were past their prime.

One other benefit to the pantry system is that I'm also saving gas money -- since I'm not dashing out to pick up a veggie for dinner one night and a meat for another night. The only things we have to grab-n-go are things like milk and eggs and I usually nab them when I'm doing one of my loss-leader stops.

Anyway, I know this thread was more about coupon organization, but it fed into my thoughts on saving with grocery shopping as a broader topic.

Sorry!
Eileen