Coupon Organizational Methods

Once you starting collecting and using coupons, you will quickly realize that you need an effective organizing method to store them all. There is no right or wrong way to organize coupons and you need to find the system that works best for you! Below you will find some of the more common methods:

Envelope Method

If you are just starting out, this might be the best (and cheapest) method for you until you start getting a large number of coupons. You will want to give each envelope its own coupon category (i.e. Canned Goods, Paper Products, Frozen Foods, Pet Supplies, ect).  I started out with the envelope system, but after getting frustrated with the envelopes tearing apart after lots of use, I moved on. 

Accordion File System

This is similar to the envelope system, except that you will have all your coupons in one place. There are two sizes, the wallet size accordion file (like the one shown) or a larger size like you would purchase to file papers. If you are just starting out, the wallet ones are perfect. Like the envelope system, you will separate your coupons by category so that they are easy to find. Also like the envelope system, you will find that once your coupon supply grows, you will probably need to buy more accordion files or move on to something bigger. I often see these in Target's Dollar Spot for $1. 

Box Filing System

With this method, you can use anything from an index card box to a shoe box. You can start with a smaller box and, as your coupon supply grows, you can easily move to a bigger box. However, you will find that as your box gets bigger, it may be more difficult to take with you to the store. To organize, use index card dividers or you can can make your own out of old cardboard boxes (i.e cereal boxes). 

Coupon Binder

This method uses a 3-ring binder. You will use divider tabs to create different categories and then use baseball card holders to hold your coupons within each category. You can also include a zipper pouch to hold a calculator, scissors, pens, ect. Personally, this is my favorite method. I can easily take my binder with me to the store and, if I need a coupon, can quickly find it since all coupons are visible. It is also great because the binder can also hold all of the ad circulars for that week. You should be able get a zippered 3-ring binder at Walmart for around $10. By the time you buy the baseball card holders, dividers, and pouch, you will have probably spent around $20. You will find that people do sell these already put together but I urge you to do it yourself. You will save a lot of money! 

How do you organize your coupons? Do you use one of the above methods or do you have your own method?