Coupon Basics 2

Next is how to organize your coupons?
     When you get several papers at once (5 Sunday papers) the easiest way to cut them out is to take each insert, separate it into separate pages and lay all 5 on top of each other.  Straighten the pages and then staple the coupon, making sure not to staple through the barcode.  Then you cut around the outside (leaving about 1/8" extra around the edges) so you only cut each coupon out once!  Plus then your coupons that are all the same are stapled together so you can find them easier and if you only need 1 or 2 you can just pull them off the top of the stack and the others are still stapled together!
     Next is the binder!  I have found that there are many ways that people organize themselves but the way that I like the best is my CaseIt double ring binder that zips closed.  It has 2 separate rings so I put all my non-food coupons on the left ring and my food coupons on the right ring.  I use photo page protectors so I have 4 different pockets on each page.  I put the index tabs on so everything is easy to find.


     My categories for non-foods are:
          Laundry and Dish: meaning any coupon pertaining to doing my laundry or my dishes.
          Eyes and Face: coupons for contacts, makeup, makeup remover etc.
          Mouth and Hair:  toothpaste, shampoo, gel, hairspray, etc.
          Personal:  All other personal items, razors, handsoap, bodywash, deoderant, etc.
          Medication:  All first aid items and over the counter medicines.
          Paper products: toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, tin foil, saran wrap, paper plates, napkins, etc.
          Cleaning: toilet cleaner, dusting supplies, febreeze, etc.
          Home:  Batteries, air fresheners, candles, hornet spray, insect repellent, etc.
          Pets: Dog and cat food coupons

     My categories for food:
          Beverages: juice, pop, milk, ensure, etc.
          Cereal:  self explanitory!
          Canned food: anything that comes in a can or is shelf stable that is not in another category
          Condiments:  ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, BBQ sauce, relish, pickles, etc.
          Dairy: cheese, gogurts, yogurt, milk, ice cream
          Grains: breads, mac and cheese, pasta salad, crackers, hamburger helper, nuts, etc.
          Snacks: candy, popcorn, chips, pudding, granola bars, anything that I think Snack when I see it
          Meats:  lunchmeat, hotdogs, brats,
          Frozen: Anything from frozen dept that isn't in another category
          Baking:  Cake mixes, flour, sugar, oils, spices, basically anything you would use to cook with.

You can use these as starting points and if you find that you don't need a category then change it or take it out.  Some people need baby products as a separate category and some don't have pets so just change it to fit your needs!  Also for some of the cateogories I have 2 or 3 sheet protectors so I can spread my coupons out a little so they are easier to find.
Also between the two rings I have 4 folders, one for each of my main stores.  Albertsons, Smiths, Walgreens, and then an extra one to hold coupons that I need to refile and my shopping list.