all of you experts....
i have been "couponing" for a lot of years now, have gone in some spurts, but am being pretty extreme, namely once i figured out target. i keep saying i am going to try cvs, and it looks like walgreens might be a good one also, but i am desperately trying to figure out how to get everything very organized. seems like i can never find the coupon i really want until i get home! i am sure others have experienced this problem also. i have two little ones who are pretty distracting also, sweet and perfect, but very distracting:! seems like any shopping trip takes forever because i search for my coupons, match to deals, etc. try to be prepared before going, but i just haven't gotten it to work yet. i am afraid to try cvs and walgreens b/c of how time consuming it could get. i had read on here how much people had liked the hannah ones and ordered 3 on ebay, with some extra dividers, but i think they are sooo small compared to what i need. so i though-- i could used one for food, one for baby, and one for cleaning/beauty/health.... then i thought i could use one for target, one for cvs, and one general.... and then i thought -- what am i really going to do? any advice? i also have one of the accordian (?SP) organizers that i have been using but am not too thrilled with it. i like that it is really long to hold formula gift checks/legal sized things, but it can empty toooo easily onto the cart or floor...


thought i would see if any of the masters had any ideas before i try to start this again... for like the 100th time. i am unsure of the binder thing b/c of the size. i already push the cart with the kids and pull one with the groceries... i have read that a lot of you do the binder thing though. any help is appreciated. thanks!

As for CVS, I plan my deal before going. I use a small envelope and write the items I'm getting on the front. Inside the envelope I put any q's I'm using along w/my CVS card and an ECB's I might use. I always plan a back up trip just in case ...

As for my manq's ... I use a small accordion file, but instead of putting the q's directly into the file, I label small envelopes with Health/Beauty, Baby, Cat, etc...this way when I see something on clearance and think I have a q for it, I can pull out the envelope and go through it.

This is not the best, but is the best 'compact' idea I can come up with. I shop w/my 3 kids, ages 2, 6, 8 ... the 8 year old is good to use for extra hands.

Have fun and good luck!!

I use a kids sized shoe box that I covered in paper... to make it pretty... hehe...

I then made little A-Z cards out of card stock for it. I put a divider in the middle of the box that is glued to both sides of the box to stabilize the Q's and not let them slide around.

I go through the CVS ad and match up all my Q's for what I wanna get. Once I have finalized a list I will then PULL all those Q's and paper clip them to my list. Then all I need to do in the store is take my box and ad. I will pull out my list with everything clipped together and off I go. The reason i still take my box in is becauce occassionally i've found that I grabbed the wrong Q or need more then 1 Q and only pulled one. Hehe... Saves me a trip to the car. Plus when I left the box in my car once I forgot to bring in my ECB's and had to go back out to get those. UGH...

Hope something in there helps. It's hard to get organized but once you find your groove it's not too bad.

I use a large binder when I do my serious shopping but it'll never work with the toddlers in tote. I like the use of small envies then.

I use the binder and love it- it is perfect because I can add more baseball card holders or take them away if need be. They are all organized and I know what I have because weekly I cut and file. Mine has a zipper and it has a few pockets in it so that I can file full inserts. If I wanted to I could get a belt or some type of strap to loop through it so that I could hold it like a purse on my shoulder- I just have not done that yet. I too have two children- 3 & 6 years old, but I usually put them both into the cart so that they are always accounted for. This system has been great for me. I wish however that there were somekind of backpack coupon organizer. you know that fit on your back, but when you unzip it it would completly fold open and still be able to have all of my basball card holders etc...Then it would be easy to pick up , throw over my shoulder and get the kids in the car. It would be awesome- anyone care to invent this for all of us coupon people?? Am I the only one that thinks that would be a great invention? I could also throw my keys, and essentials in it!

I'm new to Major Couponing but what has "worked best for me" is:
1. I plan my shopping trip to Walgreens at home ahead of time.

2. I am a Visual Person, so I literally cut out the picture/deal out of the
sales ad and tape it on the front of an index card. This would also include the Walgreens Coupon sales ad.

3. On the back of the index card I tape:
*Mfg. Coupons
*Easy Saver Coupons
*Write in red pen the $ amount the sales ad says I am to receive back for purchasing this particular item.

This system makes me feel "like I know my stuff", in case a cashier would question me... I don't have to argue or say, "I thought your sales ad read. . . I have it right there in black and white.
Also, they are taking my q's in the order I want them too.


in RR

I am a HUGE planner. I study every ad when dh and ds go to bed. I then match coupon to sales and make a list for each store. I then Paper clip all of coupon for each store with their list. I find envelopes in my accordian file to cluttery for me. I have a large accordian with a hanle, it is very, very cute. But not as organized as I'd like. I saw a lady with a huge zip-up binder and the baseball card holders today. I was soooo envious. But it seams like that system would require a small fortune to set up for all of my coupons!

I use two little 4x6 photo albums that walgreens had on sale for $1.59. They have about 20 pages (40 when you count both sides) I have grocerys items labled from frozen, can, meat, dairy, box dinners, rice, pasta, etc. in one, and health, beauty, shampoo, toothpaste lotion, shaving products, cleaning, etc. in another and label the photo pages with a marker. I also keep them both in a backpack pocket book that I have had for a while and when I am shopping I just take out my wallet, cell phone and keys and put it in my coupon pocket book... LOL It works for me and I just have look in the section I have marked for a certain item..

I have an accordian file, but think it is too small for what I do, and it is kind of difficult to find everything I need. I do plan out my trips, but when something doesn't go to plan I am glad I have the file. I keep using it because it is small enough to fit into my diaper bag, and I have an 8 mo old and a 3 yr old. I have a binder that I keep everything in for trades. It works well, but is still bulky for everyday shopping with the kiddos and diaper bag and all. I am in need of suggestions too.

I use a 3 ring binder, it costed me about $4.00 at Walmart and started adding the trading card pages. It costed about 10.00 to get it together but well worth it now. When I go out I can either take my binder or leave it in the car and only take in an envelope I prepared earlier with coupons for the items Im looking for. I try to pick up at least one pack of the empty pages every week or every other week (about 1.50 each). I like this so far! Sometimes its bulky, but I can find what Im looking for when I need it! Wish it was that way at my house!!!! Cant find anything when you need it here!!

I forgot to add:
That my items that I am to receive RR:
I put on red/pink index cards.
Makes it easier for both the cashier/myself to "know at a glance" which items qualify for RR

I do the binder with the baseball card pages. It takes a little more time to get filed but SOOOO much better in the store. I just turn the page to match the aisle I'm on in the store and I can see any Q that matches any sale/clearance item on the shelf. No more searching thru the envies of Qs over and over each time you spot a deal.No more mess or dropped Qs. I love it!

I use a 3 ring binder with baseball card holder too!

I use 3 of the Hannah holders: one for CVS, one for Walmart/Food Lion, one for Lowes Foods (any coupons that will double there).

I plan every trip first, and always take my coupon holders in my car when I go anywhere - just in case!

For CVS, I use the Excel sheet posted here and AFC and make my list, including any manu. coupons and CVS $/$$ I'll be using. Then I staple or paper clip my coupons to the list to take with me. This keeps me really organized for those trips! And I know exactly what I'll be spending OOP - unless of course they are out of something, which happens a lot lately. Still better than going in "blind" though!

For the grocery store, I print out a grocery list and put the matching coupons in a plain envelope. I always carry my Hannah's with me, though, again "just in case!" Never know when you'll find something on clearance that you weren't planning on and have a coupon for it.

I didn't think the baseball card holders were big enough for my needs. I could only fit a few coupons in each one, and had to pull them out every time to go through them. I much prefer the Hannah's organizers, but YMMV.

For coupons I know I won't use, I put them in the top drawer of a plastic 3-drawer bin that sits on my desk - as soon as they are clipped. That way I'm not digging through unneccessary coupons in the store. And when I do a trade, I can just grab a potluck or sort through them quickly without thinking "Hmm, I might want to keep this one..." The 2nd drawer I use only for MIR forms and stamps. I keep all my forms in there, an envie of stamps, delivery confirmation forms from the PO, etc.. (third drawer is currently home to all our tax forms... I'll be glad when that one is empty soon! )



HTH!

I use an inexpensive photo album from Wal-Mart. It accommodates 400 photos but is smaller than a binder. Once a week I go through my coupons, updating, adding & so on & then leave it in the car. How many times have you run into the grocery for just a couple of items only to find you've spent $50 because things you often use where on sale & not had your coupons with you. I also keep a smaller coupon for restaurants, fast-food, drug store, & other discount items not purchased at my local Wal-Mart. If you have the time, there's one other great help to couponing--type a list of all your coupons with amt off, purchase requirements, expiration dates, etc. As you purchase an item draw a line through the coupon. Every so often add & delete the coupons as needed. It's sort of a double checklist for not wasting coupons. Hope this helps!

I use the 3 ring binder for all the coupons I know I will use.

All others go in my trade/coupon train boxes aka Huggies Wipes Containers.

Prior to each shopping trip I look at the online sales, then remove the coupons that I need from the binder and paperclip them together.

I have my shopping list and coupons in my hand as I enter the store. The binder is in my purse at all times.

I, too, have a toddler in tow so I just try to use the pulled coupons and if I have time to browse for deals than I will work from the binder.

It's too much pulling coupons out of the binder while shopping with a tot.