Smart Tip - Be Organized for the Store

I think one of the reasons why people hesitate to use coupons is because they can be hard to organize. While grocery shopping it's hard enough to hold onto your list, watch your kids and fill your cart...let alone hang onto a bunch of random loose pieces of paper, your coupons! I think that was one of the reasons I never used coupons. I never knew where to put them and I didn't know how to find them quickly when I needed them.

People have different ways of organizing their coupons. Some use binders, some just use envelopes and some just stuff them into their wallets or a ziploc bag. I have found the most useful way to use coupons is to use a small accordian file. It's compact enough to fit into my purse and very easy to pull out at the store and easy to find the coupons I want. I've labelled the file into different categories: Baby; Cleaning; Pharmacy; Food (Dairy); Food (Fruits, Veggies, Meats); Food (Grains/Cereals); Food (Other); Personal Care Items. I have a small section in the back for new coupons that I get that I don't have the time to file away until later. And I have a small section in the front where I bring all my coupons forward that I plan on using at the store that day.

I usually try to write my grocery list ahead of time and gather up all my coupons ahead of time before going to the store. This way I don't get as frustrated, especially if the kids are with me. I still bring the whole accordian file with me though in case I see something that I know I have a coupon for. Every shopping trip is not perfect and I'm sure I could be even more organized but I'm finding this way works for now.


I think I got my accordian file at Staples!