Coupon Binder Organization

Couponing 101: Coupon Binder Organization

What You'll Need: 

1. Heavy-Duty 3 ring binder
2. At least 40 Sheets of coupon/baseball card inserts (9 inserts per sheet; try amazon or eBay for the best price)
3. At least 20 Plastic dividers 
4. 3-hole punch
5. 3-hole pencil case (optional): store pencils, calculator, stray coupons, etc.

Suggested Categories and Subcategories:

Category #1- Personal Care
Subcategories:

• Hair Care---> Shampoos, Conditioners, Stylers, etc.
• Deodorants/Antiperspirants
• Body Wash/Bar Soap
• Shave Care---> Razors, Shaving Cream, etc.
• Feminine Care
• Skin Care---> Lotions, Cleansers, etc.
• Cosmetics
• Oral Care---> Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Mouthwash, etc.

Category #2- Household
Subcategories:

• Laundry---> Detergent, Fabric Softener, Dryer Sheets, etc.
• Paper Products---> Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Napkins, etc.
• Storage/Sealing---> Sandwich Bags, Trash Bags, Tupperware, Reynolds Wrap, etc.
• Air Fresheners
• House Cleaners---> Disinfectant Sprays, Toilet Cleaners, Dish Soap, Sponges, etc.

Category #3- Grocery
Subcategories:

• Produce---> Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Meat
• Condiments/ Seasonings
• Beverages
• Snacks---> Cookies, Crackers, Chips, Baking Items, etc.
• Candy
• Breakfast---> Cereal, Waffles, Pancakes, etc.
• Canned Goods
• Packaged Items
• Dairy---> Cream, Milk, Yogurt, Ice Cream, etc.
• Frozen Foods

Category #4- Miscellaneous
Subcategories:

• Pharmacy---> Vitamins, Pain Relief, Allergy, Cold & Flu Medicine, etc.
• Pet Care
• Baby
• Office Supply---> Paper, Pens, Ink Cartridges, etc.
• Toy

Other Items to Include:
*Cover sheet including a list of all of your categories and subcategories. This will make it easier to navigate through all of your coupons.

*Corporate coupon policies for all of the stores you plan on couponing at. I suggest whole punching them and storing them in the back of your coupon binder. 

*Store coupons: You can categorize your store coupons along with your manufacturer coupons. Some people like to just whole punch the sheets of store coupons and place them at the back of the binder so they don't have to clip the coupons until they actually need them. It's up to you whether you want to categorize them or follow that method. 


How it Works:
In the front of your coupon binder, insert your cover sheet and 3-hole pencil case. Then add your coupon inserts by whichever categories you choose. Then I'd suggest printing out and hole punching all of your coupon policies and place them at the back of your coupon binder. You could also put them in the folder pocket of the binder as well. If you want to keep your store coupons separate from your manufacturer coupons, you may also want to hole punch them as well and place them at the back of your coupon binder. 

Helpful Tip:
Clipping every single coupon, every week and then organizing them in a coupon binder can get pretty exhausting. If you are planning on using the binder method, you may want to consider only clipping coupons for items you think you will use. There are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before clipping coupons: (1) Do I use this product? (2) Am I willing to try this product? (3) Would I be willing to donate this product? If you answered no to all questions, then you probably shouldn't clip the coupon. This will help you save a ton of time.