[clethridge]

For those of you that use some variation of the binder organization method...

Do you find it better to have your coupon's organized by CATEGORY and then alphabetical OR is it better to just do alphabetical by brand, then product?

I'm torn between the two... it bugs me when a coupon really can be in 2 categories and I can never remember which category I'm putting them in... but then I wonder if I go to the work of reorganization my coupons alphabetically will it really be easier???

Help?!

[kurautismnow]

Here's just a basic example of what I do. Under D for Dairy, I keep all the yogurt together, cheese, canned rolls, etc. HTH

[clethridge]

Ok, my dilemma is when I have say a "bar" type product (ie one that perhaps is for breakfast but also used for snacks) - do I put it under breakfast (where I cereals) or under snacks?

Same issue with cinnamon rolls - breakfasts or pastry's???

See what I'm having issues with?? LOL

[applerama]

I just sort mine by category, not by abcde..ect.

[karenvallone]

Originally Posted by clethridge

Ok, my dilemma is when I have say a "bar" type product (ie one that perhaps is for breakfast but also used for snacks) - do I put it under breakfast (where I cereals) or under snacks?

Same issue with cinnamon rolls - breakfasts or pastry's???

See what I'm having issues with?? LOL

I mainly shop at kroger and walmart...so when one of those dilemmas comes up I ask myself where I find it in the store? If the cinnamon rolls are the pillsbury ones you have to bake then I file that under dairy cuz that is where they are in the store. If they are already made and sold in the bread aisle then I file under bread. Does this make sense to you? HTH

[karenvallone]

oh and btw I file by categories but I do not alphabetize them in my binder.

[nickim]

i'm with ashley, i go by category, alpha would make me too . i bought the section dividers that you write on and made up categories (dairy, meat, paper prod., medicine, hair products, body wash, snacks, etc.) if you don't use alot of different q's you could put health/beauty together. i would put cinn. rolls in dairy since that is where they are in my store i usually shop. hope i was some help. if you need anything else, you can pm me. i know it can be overwhelming sometimes.

[brook6]

I don't have a binder, but I do categories and then alphabetical within the category

for certain items, that can go in more than one category, I have 'rules' that I follow that help me remember where I put things

I don't want to bother you with my rules, cause they make sense for me...you need your rules that make sense to you...you don't wanna be thinking 'what did brook6 tell me?'

I use categories/alphabetical, rather than total alphabetical, cause if I am in need of a certain type of item and not following a specific sale, I don't want to have to remember all the possible brands and then check for Qs...I go to the item tab, and only have to flip through a small number of Qs

...hope this makes a little sense; it is working for me

[fredssweetlittlewife]

I may be weird but I have my binder laid out by the rows in my local Wal-Mart. It is also how my IPhone App Grocery IQ is laid out. I don't file alphy anywhere. For example one category is fridge and in it I file the Qs that I would find in the refrigerated section of the store. I group like products such as all of the yogurts, etc. Other categories like makeup or face are grouped by maker. BTW, I rarely use my Qs at Wal-Mart because my Homeland doubles Qs up to $1 but I shopped there for over 10 years before couponing and its just locked in my mind that way.

If I have breakfast bars they are filed under cereal. If I have diet/snack bars they are under snacks. I have 36 categories and then specific pages in my binder for my store Qs, ECB, RR & rainchecks (with the sales ad & Qs) for Homeland, CVS & just started one for Wags. In the very front I store Qs that I want to check on prices or that will expire soon to remind me to use them. Also, I have a zip pocket that I put my clipped but not filed Qs as well as paperclips, pen and cutter. My binder has pockets in the front & back where I store complete Q inserts until I can clip them. I try to spend 15 or so minutes a day combing thru it to pull out old Qs or file. It seems I'm always behind!

[clethridge]

The store categories might work for me - i was going to do alpha, but since i'll buy whatever is cheaper in a given thing such as yogurt, it made more sense to have all yogurt coupons together regardless of brand name.

Even though I'll be shopping stores other than walmart, it's walmart's layout that i have memorized so i think i'll use that idea - thanks!

[mlb1985]

Ok, I did the categories and It would Drive me nuts when Something didnt Fit.

So NOW i have 2 Binders.

1 Is for FOOD and The Other Is for NON Food

I organize By ABC's and I Organize Like so, KRAFT goes in K, Pillsbury Goes In P And So on.

Everyone is Different But thats How i am Doing It As Of now.

[slow going]

I do mine in categories. I don't do the abc. With things that go two places like your bar. I put it how I use it. A bar would be a snack in my dh lunch. So I put it under snacks.

[cindyree]

I organize by products such as cleaning, bathing, medicines, meats, diary, rice&noodle products, canned items and etc. Also I have one binder that I have all my coupons in and then the beginning of each month I pull that months coupons that expire so that I will use them before others. I will pull coupons from other binder if I have a coupon in it and not my coupons for the month.

[onlymadaresane]

I organize by alphabet on who makes it. It's not alphabetized within each section KWIM?

Like for 'A' I'll have in that section. Kinda mixed up - but it's all 'A'

[rach]

Mine is just by category. I would never keep it alphabetized long enough to even attempt it.

[shelly104]

By category but not alphabetized.

[LaLax2]

by category trying alphabetize with a 2 year old wasnt really working

[catch22]

I have my binder by categories.

For instance: Cereal

then I have a few pages of cereal, then a page of granola bars, etc and then maybe a page for oatmeal type stuff.

Same with: Dairy

I have a page of butter, a page of cheese, etc.

I have never tried to alphabetize within the category....I think it is easier to have Like items with Like Items.

[mommy2silas]

I'm an elementary teacher, so mine of course is alphabetized . But I'm actually on my way out the door now to get a 2nd binder for non-food (after couponing for only a month, I have waaaay too many coupons to fit in one binder), I'll probably do that by category just b/c I don't want to spend the extra money on the ABC labeled dividers!

[kasmom]

I have mine by categories, but not in ABC order. I have 2 binders: one for food items and one non food items. I try to work on my coupons once a week, clipping, filing and removing expired Q's. This works for me, since I don't work with mega amount of coupons!
Good Luck! I hope it works out for you!

[lhquinlan]

I get more frustrated with the coupon holders themselves. They never have enough categories. So rice goes in with pasta and batteries with cleaning supplies!

[maree9304]

Originally Posted by clethridge

Ok, my dilemma is when I have say a "bar" type product (ie one that perhaps is for breakfast but also used for snacks) - do I put it under breakfast (where I cereals) or under snacks?

Same issue with cinnamon rolls - breakfasts or pastry's???

See what I'm having issues with?? LOL

I know exactly what you mean. In this case, I usually put breakfast bars in the snack section because at my grocery store, they are near all the snacks.

Then I have a different section for cereal and oatmeal. Pancake mixes go in the baking and frozen waffles go in the frozen section.
I don't have a section for pastries. If I did, they would probably go in Snacks unless they're kept in freezers, then frozen.