Coupon Organizer Mommy
It’s a very busy week. Many of you know I work from home and am with my children. This week, I am on a pre-fall cleaning binge. I’m purging out all the old, useless, and leftover junk around here. One of those horrific discoveries that come from purge cleaning is the knowledge of how wasteful we humans tend to be. (Do I need 75 pairs of shoes? Really?) Another is how disorganized I am, even when I think I am fairly organized… I can improve a tad. I found coupons (gasp) that expired, without my notice.
After having a funeral for the wasted coupons and rebates (I skipped the memorial service because it was too painful), I reviewed means to organize coupons.
Here are some very helpful hints, courtesy of “Tip Nut”:
• By Expiration Date: You can clip together coupon batches by month (based on dates) or just store them all loose in the envelope/pocket/etc., with the about to expire coupons at the front and moving back (by date).
• By Products: Within your Beauty & Health category, you can clip together all the shampoo coupons, all the deodorant coupons, makeup coupons, etc. Within each product category, sort the coupons by expiry date (with the soon to expire coupons on top).
• Sort Alphabetically: Another way to organize coupons within the system is by product name or product item (Ivory Soap, Smucker’s Jam, or Peanut Butter, Laundry Detergent, etc.).
They also suggest four different styles to store coupons (envelopes, accordion files, index card box and zippered binder). In the past, I’ve taken the approach of keeping these savings items in envelopes. However, being a visual person, I have a tendency to skip over this sea of white envelopes. My new approach to try is to sort by product, in clear zippered pouches in a binder. I hope that these are easier for my visual brain to absorb and utilize.
If you’re especially motivated, try making a clutch to house all your coupons in one neat place. The link is here:
http://tipnut.com/coupon-clutch/
However you organize, stay on top of your coupons. The average family can save hundreds of dollars a year by using, not neglecting them. Find a system that works for you. Happy Savings!