Thread: How do you organize coupons for trade in order to be efficient? Tips?

Hi,
I have so many coupons for trade and really no system for keeping them organized. So far I have them in bundles with elastics or iun a big ziploc bag but I still find it's taking too much time to go through them.I was hoping we could share tips on the best ways to organize coupons so we can be more efficent when pulling coupons for trades instead of wasting valuable time looking through bundles or bags.

Thanks so much for any assistance!!

i keep all my coupons together.. trades and ones i plan on using. i keep the small save.ca sized coupons in my coupon binder and then the larger coupons i keep in large envelopes in a reusable shopping bag. i put my binder in the bag too and then just bring the bag with me everywhere i go :P

Well I just finished using my SWIFTER wet refills and thought hey this empty container would come in handy for storing some coupons lol.. so thats where I'm going to put some of the load... hahah... can't wait to hear more organizational stories... thanks Mrs. January for sharing... I just can't stand wasting valuable time... and searching through coupons does just that... have a fab day!

Do you bring this binder with you when you go to the stores or is this essentially for coupons you keep at home that you have excess of? Sounds interesting might have to look into it. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by arch_dandy

I searched high and low for things to put my coupons in that would keep them organized and I found something at walmart that helps a lot. I think it was supposed to be used for scrap booking or maybe even as a little file cabinet type thing. Its a little case with a handle and its got folders seperated like a filing cabinet, so I labeled the tops of them with the alphabet and now I can keep track of all my coupons alphabetically. I find it works really well for me.

Originally Posted by arch_dandy

I searched high and low for things to put my coupons in that would keep them organized and I found something at walmart that helps a lot. I think it was supposed to be used for scrap booking or maybe even as a little file cabinet type thing. Its a little case with a handle and its got folders seperated like a filing cabinet, so I labeled the tops of them with the alphabet and now I can keep track of all my coupons alphabetically. I find it works really well for me.

I like the idea of sorting them alphabetically. Right now I have mine in categories but it is hard to find the one coupon I need most of the time.

OK I have to be honest, I think my system is better than a binder for me that is...not that I have tried a binder...I guess I have to visualize a good one before I can truly know.
I like my system and it's easy. I have two large ziploc bags and they can each hold several white enveloepes. I reuse envelopes that come in the mail often. I mark the type of contents on the outside which is the category (hair products, shampoo and conditioner), (shaving and deoderants), (lotions), (soaps and bodywash), (bread), (condiments), (pasta), (rice), (meat), (cheese & dairy), (milk, fresh juice and eggs) and so on.
I have many envelopes with many categories, all of which are opened with a knife and recycled so no cost for them. Inside, I paperclip the ones I have a lot of the same types and brands. This is great for the bulk buying days. Then the two big plastic zip loc envelopes are two catgetories, one being food and the other being everything else............

If a category gets too big, I break it down again, for example canned goods used to contain soup too but now I have soup separate........Most categories are very similar to what's in each aisle in a grocery store also. It's easy that way to flip through quick and then pull if you see a deal on shampoo etc..............I am finding that I do go through most envelopes often at the table with the flyers, however it's easy to pull expired or almost expired as I go. I keep a shoebox for all trades and coupons I have for trains etc. Anything I won't use really.

I have a huge purse that is not leather it's that fake leather LOL but it can hold both bags if I need it to and it's not too heavy of a bag (the coupones are heavy enough). I keep my coupons in the car. I am finding after 3 or 4 weeks of going through to file coupons or to pull them out, I remember pretty much most of what I have. At least if I see a really good deal, I can go grab the coupons in the car. I also have them for unexpected trips or stops. When I do my weekly shopping, I usually jam those two ziplocks into my purse and head for a grocery cart right away as it tends to be heavy.