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Max out the discounts and freebies you can get out of your coupons with these practical coupon storage tips!
The cost of living continues to rise and one of the major ways to help us get by is through coupons. Using coupons helps us to get discounts and other times freebies. It’s a great way to save money on our purchases!
But we have to admit, without some type of organizing, it can be really hard to keep track of these coupons. Before you know it, your coupons have already expired or a coupon that you badly need gets lost.
Or maybe you have experienced the way people behind you start complaining and groaning when you fumble around your post, going through a pile of coupons, not finding what you need.
Indeed, saving money when shopping becomes a lot easier when your coupons are well-organized!
But first…
What kind of couponer are you?
Are you a newbie, a light couponer, or a hard-core one?
There are varying degrees of intensity when it comes to couponing. Like the ones that you see on the TV show “Extreme Couponing” are quite extreme.
If you’re not like any of those people, do not worry. You are not alone. Some of us enjoy coupons without spending that much time and effort.
In fact, the fewer coupons you use, the simpler your organization system will be.
When you want to make the best out of couponing, you need to know how to organize coupons. Your organization system depends on the couponer type that you are.
The goal of any coupon organization system is to lessen the time you spend looking for coupons, so you get to shop easier and deal with the cashier faster.
So here’s a couple of coupon storage tips for you! Think about what’s the most applicable for you.
Coupon Storage: How to Arrange Your Coupons
1. Coupon storage by product
You can organize your coupons by product categories such as pastries, cereals, frozen goods, chips, medicine, drinks, toiletries, cleaning products, or pets.
This is an advantage when you take your coupons with you to the grocery store because the aisles are also arranged by categories. You have everything you need in one aisle in one division so you can easily check if you have a coupon that you can use as you go through each aisle.
2. Arrange coupons alphabetically
Another way to easily find the coupon you need is to arrange them alphabetically. It is up to you if you have to do this by category or by product name.
Anything that is arranged alphabetically is a sure proof way to easily retrieve things.
3. Coupon storage by expiration date
This is one way to ensure you are able to use your coupons before they expire.
Place the ones with the nearest expiration date first and the later ones at the back part. When you go to the grocery, you can check which coupons you have that expires this week and look for the products if you think you need them.
With this coupon storage strategy, no coupon will go to waste!
4. Coupon storage by store
Some coupons can only be used in a particular store so you can also categorize your coupons by store.
If you know you will be dropping by a specific store, all you have to do is check if you have any coupon from them that you can use.
5. Coupon storage by coupon type
Coupons come in different types such as manufacturer coupons, store coupons, and Catalinas.
You can also arrange them by which coupons are stackable and which ones are not.
Coupon Storage: Where to Keep Your Coupons
1. Keep coupons in a binder.
This coupon storage idea allows you to easily see what coupons you have but you need to dedicate time to update it regularly.
It may also be weird to bring a binder around when you go to the grocery store but if you do not mind lugging one around, then go for it!
Here’s a 20-page binder for coupons from Amazon. It contains 58 pockets.
More binders can be found in this page.
If you want to be more conspicuous, there is a smaller coupon binder that is the same size as a regular spiral notebook. You can use that instead!
2. Use a trading card/business card album.
Most coupons are small in size and a trading card/business card album can be a perfect fit for them.
It is an easy coupon storage tip – will let you see all the coupons you have in an arranged and neat manner.
Here’s a business card album from Amazon.
There are also wallets for business cards that you can use. They are more compact and smaller in size so it is a good option if you do not want your couponing to be obvious.
Some of us may find the process of placing each coupon in and out the slots and rearranging their order a little time-consuming though. Gotta take that into consideration too.
3. Store coupons in accordion organizers.
Accordion organizers come in many sizes.
There are regular sized ones and there are smaller ones that may be more suitable for your coupons.
This coupon storage tactic is perfect for light coupon users.
Just make your own labels for every division so you can arrange your coupons any way you want. Then whenever you have a coupon, just insert it in its specific division.
And then, take some time off your weekend – probably 15 to 20 minutes to separate your coupon inserts, mark the date, and see whether there’s something you can bring with you on your scheduled shopping trip.
Indeed, this coupon storage method is very practical when you don’t have time to clip and organize everything!
Here’s a 12-pocket accordion organizer from Amazon.
More options can be found in this page.
4. Use a planner!
Another way to keep your coupons handy is to use a planner to carry them around.
Replace the pages with cardholder sheets, clear plastic inserts, or zip lock sheets.
It is an easy and portable way to carry around all your coupons so you do not miss out on an opportunity to use one.
5. Store coupons in a photo album.
You know those albums with plastic holders for the pictures? They make a great and neat storage space for your coupons too!
Just use a post-it tab label to indicate the categories for each page.
Here’s a photo album from Amazon.
More photo albums can be found here.
6. Use an index box.
You can use an Index Box for your coupons too! These index boxes usually have dividers already so it is up to you how you will arrange your coupons.
They are very sturdy as well so you can be assured that your coupons will be taken good care of!
Here’s an index box from Amazon.
See more index box choices in this page.
7. How about a coupon box or basket?
When a binder or card album is just not enough for your couponing needs, you might want to get yourself a coupon box!
In the box, put folders or envelopes to categorize your coupons. Make room too for keeping coupon inserts, a calculator, a grocery pad, pen, label makers, and a pair of scissors.
This way, everything you will need to organize your coupons is in the box.
Of course, you will not be bringing the whole box to the store! This is why this coupon storage option is best only when you plan out your grocery trips.
To make this system work for you, you have to list down what you need to buy, go through your coupons for anything that can apply, and then grab the ones you will be using and take only those with you in the store.
It’s okay not to bring every coupon when you shop.
When you plan your trips to the store, you avoid getting tempted to use all your coupons in one trip and then end up just hoarding stuff.
After all, when saving money is your goal, you should purchase only what you need.
8. Keep it simple in a pouch.
If you want something portable, cute, and not so obvious, you can use a zippered pouch for your coupons.
Just put small-sized dividers inside so your coupons are organized!
9. Use a coupon wallet.
Couponing has become so popular that there are coupon wallets actually available in the market!
You can choose a bulky or a slim one – depending on how many coupons you use. They are very portable and usually have dividers that are categorized by product.
Here’s a coupon wallet from Amazon.
More coupons wallets can be found here.
Or… just transform your usual wallet into a coupon wallet, like this!
10. Store them in your smartphone (digital copy)
If you do not want the hassle of keeping printed coupons, you can always get digital coupons. A lot of stores are now offering digital coupons and most of the time, you do not need to print them out anymore.
They each come with a QR code that can be scanned by the cashier. All you have to do is organize them in a folder on your phone for easy access.
There are lots of online sites that provide coupons that you can save on your phone such as Coupons.com and RetailMeNot.
You should also check if the stores you often go to have their own apps or websites. They usually give discount offers and coupons on these platforms.
Choose the coupon storage method that works with the way you shop.
There you have it – a list of different ways on how to organize your coupons! One of these systems will help you stay organized and help you do your shopping easier.
Simply choose a method that goes with the way you shop and how much effort and time you can devote to couponing. Remember, what’s important is that your coupons should be easily seen, well-arranged, and easy to retrieve.
No matter which method you choose, it is very important that you go through your coupons at least once a week. This allows you to update what you already have by adding new coupons and getting rid of those that have already expired.
Once you find the right organizational system, you will be surprised how much easier couponing gets!
Use your coupons wisely.
Remember that coupons are here to help you save money through discounts. They are NOT here to encourage you to hoard just because there is a discount.
If your aim for using coupons is to save money, then only use the coupons that apply to the things that you really need!
Looking for more ideas to save money? How about some dollar store tricks for organizing your home?
- 10 Ways to Store and Organize Spices with Dollar Store Find
- 12 Dollar Store Hacks for Organizing Craft Supplies
- 15 Dollar Store Organization Ideas for Your Closet
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