Setting Up Your Binder

Having an organized, updated coupon binder is key if you want to fully utilize your coupons. I started off with a small 1"inch binder and used business card inserts for my coupons. I quickly discovered that this wasn't going to work for various reasons especially because of how quickly my binder grew!

Now I have "upgraded" to a zipper type, Mead, Heavy Duty Binder which the only that is missing is a handle. It fits perfectly on the front basket of your shopping cart which only works when I am shopping alone.

Inside there are several zipper pockets for other couponing stuff. For example, I always get 2 copies of the Walgreens Monthly Coupon books (found in the front of the stores) and store them in one of the inside pockets.

I have also purchased baseball card inserts which you can find at Walmart. They are usually located up front by the registers where the collector card stuff is, usually near the cigerattes. They run about $4.00 for about 30 sheets which to start is perfect, but as the weeks go on you will be needing more. These types of inserts fit your coupons perfectly in most cases and even make it easy to store your printed coupons!

I also have pocket dividers to separate the types of coupons into categories. Depending on what you use or what you are keeping coupons for will determine how many you need. I have the following categories:

-Drinks, Pantry, Breakfast, Snacks, Freezer, Meats, Dairy
-Hair, Deodarant, Bodywash, Oral Care, Shaving, Medicine Cabinet, Household Stuff, Baby & Misc

Now, within these categories I have similar stuff together. For example, within snacks I have all chips, cookies, bars, nuts, etc on seperate pages. I also make sure that the coupons are put in so that the Expiration date is easy to see when I am doing my weekly binder cleaning.

 

I have placed two inserts in the front of my binder before my dividers begin. One insert for all my rewards cards from the various stores I shop plus I place here any rewards I have earned that I can use as cash at these same stores. The second insert is for any coupons which I have received for free goods. I have them in one spot so that I do not forget to claim these goods before they expire.

Every Sunday I purchase about 7-9 papers, depending on what is coming out. I have one delivered to my apartment so I can determine how many I actually want before I hit the store. Before I begin cutting and adding coupons, I go through the binder and take out those that have expired and move stuff around to make room.

This is how I have mine set up. Use this as a starting point to get yours together and see how quickly it can grow. Share pics of your binders!