Couponing 101: To Cut or Not to Cut

Ask 100 coupon devotees how they organize their coupons, and you'll get 100 different answers. The only best way is the way it makes sense and works best for you.  What I want you to remember is--Coupons do not have to be overhwhelming!

Many coupon bloggers do not cut their Sunday insert coupons.  They just take a Sharpie and write the date on the front of the insert and keep them all in a bin, arranged by date.  This way, when they are planning a shopping trip, they can peruse the sale ads, then check a coupon database that lists all the currently available coupons, and just cut out the few coupons they need.
Benefits:  No wasted time spent cutting and filing coupons you may never use.
Disadvantages:  No spontaneity--if you see something in the store not on your list, you won't have a coupon for it.

Another clip-free method is to bring the entire coupon insert to the store and cut what you need on the spot.  I've seen people do this.  Honestly, this is too time consuming in-store and awkward, so it's not the best idea.  Also, it is too overwhelming to search through many inserts if you have several weeks worth.

Now onto the clipping organizational methods.  I prefer to clip my coupons.  I know it is tedious to sit and cut coupons and organize them.  If you schedule it into your week, though, it will become routine.  Make it fun--choose your favorite TV show, and decide to make it your coupon clipping show.  Grab your scissors, your coupons and clip while you watch (or during the commercials, at least).  If  you clip weekly, you won't get overwhelmed with a 2 foot stack of inserts to go through (I've been there--it took me half a day to get them all clipped and sorted!).  Each week, go through the inserts and cut the coupons you will use, and the ones you may use if the price was right.


Kids like to cut things, so why not get them involved?  Give them a stack of coupons and have them go at it and cut them all out (you can toss the ones you don't want later).  If the kids are older, pay them for their time ($1 per insert, maybe).  You'll surely save more than that by using the coupons.

After you have your stack of clipped coupons, you need to organize them in a way that makes sense to you, and makes it easy and quick to find the ones you need.

Alphabetically:  sort the coupons by the most prominent name on the coupon (S for Stouffers...).
-Advantages: easy to do, fast to organize
-Disadvantages: there may be confusion at times if there is not one prominent letter/brand (if it says Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, do you file under "B" for Betty Crocker, or "F" for Fruit snacks?)

By aisle:  If you live in a smaller town with only one store, or only visit one store for your grocery shopping, write down the aisle numbers and what is in them in a notebook next time you go, then organize your coupons that way (Aisle 1: Breads, Aisle 2: Baking Items, Aisle 3: International Foods...).  When you are shopping, just zip down each aisle and you can quickly find the coupons for those products.

By category:  If you live in a bigger city and shop at several stores like I do, you obviously can't organize coupons by aisle since each store differs.  I organize mine by category.  The more categories you have, the longer it takes to organize and file them, but it is quick to find them when you are shopping.  After reorganizing over the years, the categories that I use now are:

Baby/Toddler (diapers, wipes, Sippee Cups, Bottles...)
Beverages (coffee, tea, bottled water, sodas, juice)
Baking (flour, sugar,  chocolate chips, cake/brownie mix, yeast)
Can/Jar (soups, broth, vegetables, applesauce)
Dairy (yogurt, eggs, milk, butter, cheeses, coffee creamer, cream cheese, sour cream)
Drug Store Items (feminine products, cough and cold meds, toothpaste, deodorant, soaps)
Frozen
Meats (any meat, including bacon, sausage)
Paper/Plastics (paper towels, toilet paper, disposable plates, napkins, Ziploc baggies, Foil...)
Pet Items (I don't think I need to clarify this one!)  ;)
Pasta/Rice/Potatoes/Beans (includes noodle/rice side dishes, instant potatoes, Hamburger Helper, taco shells)
Oils/Seasonings/Spices/Dressing (baking spray, salad dressings, olive or other oils)
Produce (bagged salads, fruits...)
Refrigerated Products (things that are not meat or dairy--Lunchables, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls...)
Snacks (fruit leather, chips of all sorts, crackers, packaged cookies, candies)

As I cut my coupons, I just automatically create piles of the above categories.  If you are new to couponing, or are reorganizing your categories, try this--take a bunch of printer paper and write each of your categories in large letters across the top of a paper, then spread them all on the floor or table.  As you cut, put the corresponding coupons on the paper.

After you spend the time to cut and organize your coupons, you need somewhere to store them.  I just use a little fabric coupon organizer that has carboard inserts with my categories on them.  It fits in my purse, so I always have it with me--even for those impromptu stops.  Some people use envelopes, others use 3 ring binders with photo inserts.  Some people use the plastic index card filing cases.

I think the binder idea is great--it is the most organized.  You can see your coupons in the clear photo inserts, and you can stick the store ads in the binder's front and rear pockets.  The only caveat is that it is too large to stick in my purse, and I know I'd forget it half the time as I'm running out the door.  I might give that one a try and leave the binder in the van so I'll never forget it.  How do you organize your coupons?  Any tips to share?

So, whether you clip or don't clip, if you choose to organize by aisle or category, and if you store coupons in a binder or in envelopes, do what makes sense to you.

By clipping  your insert coupons, and printing coupons from Coupons.com or RedPlum, you will save at least 25% off your grocery bill. This can be hundreds per month, and is an easy way to free up money in your budget.

 Happy Couponing!