My First Binder!!

Swiddlz · #1 04-19-2011, 05:46 PM

So I purchased my first binder today. Yay!! I've decided to use the baseball card holder sheets. I have lots of the same coupons most not even cut out yet. I was wondering how everyone organizes.. Do you stack the like coupons in the same coupon slot? Or do you keep the ones not cut out yet somewhere else?? Please Help and be nice to me I'm a newby : )

Sautry1818 · #2 04-23-2011, 03:56 PM RE: My First Binder!!

Hi! I am new, too. I just finished my coupon binder. I used the trading card sheets. For same coupons, I just put them together in the slot. For the ones that are not even cut out yet, I just place them in the pocket inside of the binder.

Swiddlz · #3 04-26-2011, 02:14 PM RE: My First Binder!!

Thanks for sharing that. I figured i'm only going to buy 4 newspapers a week so it won't be to overwelmed. I did cut them and put all like ones in slots together.

drewcouponing · #4 04-30-2011, 06:03 PM RE: My First Binder!!

I am trying to figure out to look at ads or look for coupons next...not sure on best method though.

drewcouponing · #5 04-30-2011, 06:05 PM RE: My First Binder!!

I started my binder about a week ago. I am also using the baseball card pocket idea and paperclipping multiple coupons together in the same pocket. I tried to have my wife help, but decided it was easier doing all of this myself.

I have seen many different ways of organizing the coupons, but the easiest way that I can figure is by name brand. I started off by separating coupons by areas, (i.e. breakfast, meats, pets, personal hygiene, etc), then inside those I have sorted them alphabetically. I took some areas like personal hygiene and sub-cat them like toothbrush/tooth paste/mouth wash in one, hair coloring in another, make-up in another, and pads for another one. I tried separating by item type, like mouth wash, but some coupons had wash, paste, brush on same coupon. I found this to be the same in other areas as well.

Now all I have to figure out is what is my next step.

Swiddlz · #6 05-01-2011, 05:29 AM RE: My First Binder!!

That's great Drew that does sound easy. Maybe I'll change my binder. I found only a few coupons helpful for my first trip so I haven't done anything drastic yet. I am still figuring this thig out and I hope to get it all organized soon.

LetaB · #7 05-01-2011, 10:15 AM RE: My First Binder!!

I am in the process of setting up my first binder, too. I have a zippered binder with a lot of pockets, and I have full size page protectors. I ordered some currency protector sheets from eBay, and a friend of mine had a bunch of trading card sheets he wasn't using and he just gave them to me.

I still need to get myself a calculator and some type of labeled dividers. I'm not sure how I'm going to organize everything- right now, I'm using a 5x7 photo album and everything is just organized by store, but I don't think that will work with hundreds of coupons.

amberandjamie · #8 05-03-2011, 04:50 PM RE: My First Binder!!

I love my binder! I finally upgraded to a 5inch binder and made my own cover. I do put identical coupons in the same pocket, unless I buy more than six papers. At that point, I may split them between two or three pockets on the same page. The pencil bags that they sell to go in binders are really useful to hold calulators, pencils etc. You can even designate a different one for each store that has rewards like RR or ECBs.

doors43 · #9 05-03-2011, 04:54 PM RE: My First Binder!!

I'm in the middle of putting mine together too and I've done an A-Z (two letter per section) and each of those is split in two (food and non-food). Using baseball card holders and 4x6 photo holders for ridiculously large coupons or what I consider habitual coupon overload offenders (i.e., Airwick)! For all the AirWicks (and others like Cover Girl) who put out so many diff coupons and lots of them, they all get thrown into one of the 4 x 6 slots. I also have an Excel spreadsheet with each coupon listed so I do my fliers that way. So time consuming to set up, but well worth it when finished!

LetaB · #10 05-18-2011, 05:05 PM RE: My First Binder!!

My binder is up and running, and I love the thing. I had some pocketed dividers squirreled away, so those are in there. I have 6 pocket sheets, 3 pocket (currency) sheets, and some trading card sheets. I cut out appropriately sized slips of paper for each pocket, so each pocket can hold two (or more, if they are identical) coupons.

I have the coupons organized into six tabbed sections: store coupons for stores I can walk to, store coupons for stores I have to drive to, MFCs for food, MFCS for non food, restaurants, and department/clothing stores. Within the sections, they are organized by store, type, and expiration date.

My particular binder has a jillion pockets, so I keep bills, rebates, and receipts in there, too. I call the binder my Money Book. It is all our household finances in one place.

I have pens, scissors, paper, circulars, budgets, and lists in there, too. I can find everything I'm looking for in 30 seconds, it's fabulous. I still need calculators, though...

ERHMomma · #11 05-19-2011, 05:02 AM RE: My First Binder!!

I picked up a new binder yesterday at WM. Paid 10.00 for a zippered binder with pouch for calculator , scissors etc and a built in expanding file so I can keep policies, ads, etc. I'm REAL simple with my categories right now. I may expand them later on when I get extra cash to pick up some more dividers and card protectors. I also need to get some currency protectors for the later coupons.