You may be surprised to learn this, but I NEVER sit down and clip out every coupon from the Sunday inserts. Never.
Want a real shocker? I do not own a huge coupon binder with plastic inserts.
Couponing is like a fine art. You must practice, explore various methods and, ultimately, choose what works best for you.
You might have a giant coupon binder. And you might love that giant coupon binder. And I say, “That’s awesome!” Because you found something that works for you. THAT is the goal.
I receive several emails every week (day sometimes lol) asking me to explain how I organize my coupons. So allow me to walk you through my method step-by-step. I started organizing my coupons like this from the get-go… it was the same way that a friend organized hers and it sounded do-able. It has worked extremely well for me, so I have seen no reason to change.
Okay. Ready? Here we go!
Each week I get several copies of each insert. I always used to buy the papers from The Dollar Tree, but lately I have been enjoying inserts shipped right to my door from wholecouponinserts.com. Read my couponing 101 post for more info on why I buy several inserts and how I use them to build our stockpile.
The first thing that I do is write the date on the front of each insert.
Though honestly, sometimes I skip this part. Did you know what each coupon insert comes with a date stamp right on the spine? Nifty!
Next, I grab a manila file folder and I write that week’s date on the tab. I always use a pencil to write the date so that I can re-use the folder after these coupons expire. Stuff those WHOLE inserts right into the folder.
After my inserts are in their dated folder, into the BIG COUPON BOX they go!
And this is where they stay… until they are needed! Each week when I am building my CVS and grocery store shopping lists, I go through and clip out the coupons that I want to use. Therefore, I only ever spend time cutting coupons that I will use. I don’t have to spend time cutting out coupons that might never make it to the store.
Now, I used this small fabric organizer to go to the store. It is separated by type of product and I also have tabs for things like Acme, Superfresh, Other Store, CVS, restaurants, etc. This organizer is easily stuffed into my purse, Lily Bean’s diaper bag, etc. I also stick random coupons in here, such as the ones that come in the mail or with free samples.
That’s it. That’s how Mama Cheaps organizes her coupons. Now, please oh please remember: just because this method works great for me does NOT mean that it will work for you. But it might!
I have been using this organizing system for 1.5 years now and the only real downfall that I have experienced is that I don’t always have 100% of my coupons on me. So there are times when I’ll be in a store, see a great clearance sale or mark down, know that there is a coupon out there and NOT have it with me. That always stinks because it means another trip to the store if I REALLY want the item. But honestly, it hasn’t happened often enough to tempt me to switch. I have a small kid, so my time to just lazily browse the aisles is severely limited. We typically race into a store, stick to our list and get the heck home before the naptime crazies arrive.
So let’s help each other out. I just described to you how I organize my coupons. I know that you have wonderful ideas too- and that many of you have tried and true methods that work great. Please leave your tips and tricks in the comments.
I do it almost exactly the same way only I have hanging files for weeks. If I only get a few inserts, I will put mutiple weeks together, but sometimes I get 12 of one week, they are usually in the file by themselves. I also have not had the issue of finding a great sale and not having a coupon, just doesn’t happen often!
Howmuch is shipping normally from whole coupon inserts.com
It varies, but per their website: 20 to 35 inserts Priority flat rate $5.25. Look for a post I hope to get up tomorrow morning- I will walk through a price comparison re: buying papers vs. buying whole inserts!
looking forward to this!
[...] A few fellow coupon clippers also get a box, expandable file folder. They then write the date on the inserts and file them in their file folder. Then when they are ready to go to the store, they prepare their list, find the insert and then clip their coupons. MamaCheaps has a great post about it here. [...]
Please tell us what kind of box you have there. Can’t really tell from the picture. Is it one of those storage boxes without the lid, or something made especially for coupons? Thanks
It’s just a regular old rubbermaid see-through tote (a smaller one) with snap on lid!
I do clip the inserts, but I only clip those products that I think I’d actually want to buy if I saw them on sale. Items I don’t typically use or buy, I leave in the insert, and I do save the inserts just attached to a clipboard I keep on top of the fridge, where I also have the current week’s ads from the paper. I put all my clipped coupons in the Couponizer organizer (which I purchased from EBay), and that goes with me whenever I go out.
When I plan my trip if there are any freebies or EBC deals, etc that I have not clipped, I then clip them from my saved inserts (as MC said, they are dated on the spines), and put all the coupons I’m using in the “this shopping trip” section of the Couponizer. Then if I’m out and I see something else I want on sale, I will usually have the clipped coupon with me. The Couponizer also has a sections for food and specialty store coupons in case I decide to make an extra stop (get a free Chick-fil-a sandwich, or 50% off something at AC Moore).
Perfect!
This Whole Inserts site is new to me, but looks great! Questions: Are they always a couple weeks old inserts? And how long does it take to get them after you order?
They have new and old inserts. You can order the upcoming week’s circulars and if you have your order in by Friday morning, they ship by Saturday! Priority shipping only takes 2-3 business days. 1st class maybe 3-5?
I do a combination of this and clipping
I buy 4 papers every Sunday, thus I have 4 sets of every insert. I take 2 of the inserts and do exactly as you do, filing them in a weekly order. The other 2 inserts I cut. I seem to have little free time at home to plan my perfect shopping trip and inevitably miss out on an amazing deal. My husband watches all of our boys for 2 set hours a week so I can shop sans kids and am able to find any deal I may have missed from my various websites. Plus I find GREAT clearance and if I didn’t have my coupons every trip I would miss out on a lot (Kid’s Boost chocolate milk 6-packs for $1.05, reg. $7.99. Pampers for $1 when they are normally way more 
I LOVE Publix!!!)
I have a GREAT coupon organizer that I keep all of my internet coupons and the cut inserts organized -Also I go through all of my coupons the 1st day of the month and get rid of all expired ones, that way if I find an amazing coupon I haven’t used yet that expires that month I put it in the front and shop around for the best price.
I know this sounds confusing, but it works great for me and I don’t miss any amazing deals
This is awesome- so glad you found a method that works great for you. Love the sound of Publix- so sad there are none near me!!
This may be a silly question, but if you aren’t cutting and sorting the coupons how do you know what coupons are in there? I’m guessing you don’t flip through ever insert every time you make your list? Or do you?
I’m trying to start using coupons more, but I find it overwhelming. I don’t always have time to clip and I’ve heard of this method, but I wouldn’t know how to find what I need without going through all the inserts again and again.
That’s a great question! I use online coupon databases (just google search- tons of blogs have them embedded on their site). I also keep a running list that I copy and paste each week into an MS Word doc from: http://taylortownpreview.com/.
I prefer to cut all the coupons from the inserts and file them in my tote by different classifications. I don’t live 5 minutes from every store around, so I find it easier if I have all my coupons with me when I’m out. I do get behind on cutting and filing sometimes, though. That’s the only down-side. I hardly ever plan a trip to the store. If I need to go, I just grab my coupons and spend as much time in the store as I need to get the deals I can find. My hubby does not like this method!
LOL! That’s a great consideration though- taking them all since you’re not super close to stores. That makes a lot of sense!
You and me girl! That is how I organize my coupons also.
I didn’t know about the date stamp though. Thank you – Great information.
Welcome!
I have 3 Check-sized expanding files that I kep with me all of the time for clipped coupons — one for food, one for non-food, and one for stores. Each week I go through the coupon matchups and pull the coupons for that store and put them in the store file so I can get to them easily.
I am only shopping for myself, so I only get one paper, and I don’t cut every coupon. Plus, I can no longer print coupons at work, so that has cut down on the number of coupons I have too!
I hear ya. I don’t print out a ton of coupons, even from home. They seem to be the only ones that stores ever hassle me over… so I only used them when there is a great deal to be had.
How do you know when to throw away an insert?
Every month or two I will go through the oldest inserts that I have and throw out the expired coupons (or sometimes it’s the entire insert!).
[...] A few fellow coupon clippers also get a box, expandable file folder. They then write the date on the inserts and file them in their file folder. Then when they are ready to go to the store, they prepare their list, find the insert and then clip their coupons. MamaCheaps has a great post about it here. [...]
I understand how you organize them, but how do you know what coupons you have? How do you match the coupons to the store? Do you go through each insert every week?
I just know which week’s inserts I have (usually have all of them) and then I find sites that match up deals to coupons for the stores I shop at. The deal matchups tell me which insert to find the coupons in… there are many weeks when I never open an insert!
Thank you! That sounds easy enough! What are some of your favorite sites?
My favorite tends to be http://www.afullcup.com b/c they cover so many different stores.
Thank you!
My system is a little OCD
1. I get a paper
2. I separate coupons into clip and don’t clip
3. I clip the coupons I want and put the extras in the don’t clip pile
4. I organize the new coupons into groups (grocery, household, baby, pets, resturaunt, toiletries, entertainment)
5. I organize the grouped coupons expiration dates
6. I have a coupon notebook and I write down the coupon’s exp date, amount I have to buy, coupon description and savings amount on sub-category pages (ex: Toiletries has a page each for deodorant, soap and shampoo, makeup. Household has page each for laundry, dish items, floor cleaners, mainly I try to keep all the stuff that would be in the same area or same aisle on one page together)
7. I put the coupons away and go through all of the store inserts and write directly on the insert what I have, after I’ve checked though the notebook
8. When I finally get around to going to the store, I get out my list, dig through my coupons and head in. I still have my extra coupons, just in case there was a deal I missed in the paper. Or a manager’s special.
Yes, I am so anal retentive.
i linked back to u in my how to organize your coupons post. i hope its ok. i dont use this method and i wanted to show my readers an example of how this method works:)
Thanks for the linkback – glad my info helped!