My Coupon Organization Method

So before I became a “Coupon Fanatic”, I used those cute little accordion coupon organizers that you can buy for a $1. Well, as I began to really use coupons for almost everything, there just wasn’t enough space to hold all my coupons and the categories were limited. I explored some different options, but I wasn’t a fan of the binder method or the whole insert method at the time, I liked having all of my coupons cut and readily available in categories, so I made my own organization box. Yep, my coupon organizer is an empty baby wipe container. Don’t we all have tons of these lying around because we all think that we will find a use for them? Well mine works great for organizing my coupons!


I made my own separators by cutting up old file folders and then I printed out the labels on file folder labels. My coupon categories are as follows:

Air Fresheners
Baby Diapers/Wipes
Baby Food
Baby Toiletries/Misc
Bags/Wraps
Baking Products
Batteries/Light Bulbs
Beverages
Body Washes/Lotions
Bread
Breakfast Food
Canned Goods
Cleaners
Cleaners – Kitchen Soaps
Condiments
Dairy Products
Deodorants
Department Stores
First Aid Products
Frozen Food
Hair Products
Health & Beauty Products
Laundry Products
Meat
Mexican
Misc
Office Supplies
Paper Products
Pasta
Produce
Rebates
Restaurants
Rice/Potatoes/Helpers
Salad Dressings
Sauces
Seasonings
Shaving Products
Snacks
Spreads
Toothpaste/Toothbrushes

Now in my container, after I clip coupons I just leave them in the front to file. I also try to keep my rebate submission forms in the section labeled “rebates”. These categories work for my family, but you can create your own categories more tailored to your needs. I know there are a few I have had to modify.

My other method that I use is the store envelope method. I have an envelope in my purse labeled for the following stores for my weekly trips:

CVS
Walgreens
Rite Aid
Giant Eagle (GE)
Target
Marc’s

When I cut my coupons and plan my trips, I will put my list and all the needed coupons in each envelope. I also keep my Extra Care Bucks (ECB’s) in my CVS envelope, my Register Rewards (RR) in my Walgreens envelope, and my Target and GE store specific coupons in their respective envelopes. When I make my trips I only take in my envelope for that particular store. Now for Giant Eagle I usually have a larger list and hence more coupons, I will also sometimes take in my organizer just in case I find something that I may have a coupon for in my box.

Recently I have been experimenting with the whole insert method. I get double inserts because my Mom gives me her inserts. I am now only clipping one of the inserts of the coupons I know I will use, I then save the other inserts in case I need them. If I know a coupon was in the 4/25 Smart Source, I can easily pull that one out and clip it right there.

Check out how Money Saving Mom organizes here coupon over here, her method is very similar to mine.