Coupon Organization Series: The Basics and Filing Whole Inserts

Coupon Organization Series:

The Basics and Filing Whole Inserts

There are many different methods of coupon organization.  Each has advantages and disadvantages and one system might work better for one person than the other.  Also, you may need to try a few different systems in order to find what works best for you.  You may also want to change your method periodically depending on how busy you become with other activities.  There is no right or wrong way to go about it, so I will outline a few of the basic methods of coupon organization and you can decide which method you favor.

A few basic methods of coupon organization:

1) Filing whole inserts.

2) The accordion file.

3) The envelope system.

4) The binder method.

1) Filing whole inserts.  This is by far the fastest method to employ for getting coupons put away, but it does require that you set aside time to prepare for your shopping trips and refer to a guide so that you know which insert to pull a specific coupon from.  To file the inserts, just use a small file box and file like inserts according to type and date.  You can find the date on the spine of the insert in very small print.  You can tag your files like this: SS 6/5 to indicate Smart Source insert-June 5^th.  These are common abbreviations for the different types of inserts:

SS=Smart Source

RP=Red Plum

PG=Procter & Gamble

GM=General Mills

Very occasionally at certain times of the year, there might be a special insert such as a Hasbro insert, but for the most part the inserts I mentioned above are the most common.

If you are looking at a guide, such as the weekly “Grocery Deals with Coupon Match Ups”, you might see something like this:

$2.88 International Delight COFFEE CREAMER (32 oz)

         ($1/2 SS 4/10)=ALA $2.38

This would indicate that the sale price for International Delight Creamer is $2.88 and there is a coupon for  $1 off of (2) of this size International Delight Creamer and it can be found in the Smart Source insert from April 10^th and the final price per each creamer after coupon is “as low as” $2.38.  You would simply go to your file, pull the insert labeled SS 4/10 and clip the International Delight coupon. 

Depending on your source of information, you might find that the coupon is in your insert, but the value is different.  Coupon availability and value vary regionally. Occasionally, some regions will not receive a coupon for that product at all. It depends on the market. For the most part, though you will find what you are looking for.

This method will work best for you if you can regularly set aside time before your shopping trip to clip your coupons.