How to create a coupon binder
Create a coupon binder!
When you start using coupons, you need a place to organize them. Some people chose to envelopes or plastic accordion files, which are fine and dandy if you don’t have many coupons.
But, if you often have a large supply of coupons, it’s easy for your smaller organization system to get clogged.
The solution to this is a coupon binder. They do take time to set up and organize but it is certainly time well spent.
Here are some tips on how to create a coupon binder:
Supplies needed
Here are the supplies you will likely need for your coupon binder. You may not need all of them, but get the basics for sure (those marked with a *).
- Large 3 Ring Binder (Zippered is best)*
- Trading Card Sheets (9+ pockets on each sheet)*
- Page Protectors
- Calculator
- Pen, Pencil
- Scissors
- Zippered Bag (With holes in it, so you can put it into your binder)
- Page Dividers*
Determine categories
Now you need to decide on the categories you will have in your coupon binder.
Some examples of categories:
- Food
- Pets
- Baby/Kids
- Beauty
- Health
- Household
If you want to be even more organized, you might want to be more specific and do something like this:
- Pets: Food
- Pets: Supplies
- Baby: Diapers & Wipes
- Baby: Food
- Baby: Supplies
- Beauty: Makeup
- Beauty: Hair Care
- Beauty: Shaving
Once you have figured out your categories, write them down on your divider tabs and put them in your binder. Then add 2 or 3 of the trading card sheets to each category (you can add more later if you need to).
Finally, add your coupons into the proper categories.
Other ideas
Consider adding some page protectors to the back of your binder to hold the following:
- Store Coupon Policies
- Over-Sized Coupons
- Mail-in Rebate Forms
- Bonus Point Coupons
Put your calculator, pen, and scissors into the zippered bag and put that at the back (or front) of your binder as well.
That’s really all there is to it. After using your coupon binder for a while, you may wish to organize it differently than you originally set it up. That’s okay. Do what works best for you!
Remember to go through your coupons at least once per month and get rid of the ones that are expired. The longer you put that task off, the more disorganized your binder will become.
Video
I got a new coupon binder and am super excited about it, so I created a how to create a coupon binder video so others can see how I have it all set up. My previous binder was about 1/3 of the size of this new one and would fall apart ALL the time, leaving coupons all over the floor in the stores. Embarrassing!
So, I went out and spent $20 on this awesome Case-It binder. I bought it from Zellers with my SPC VIP card, so I got 10% off as well. I think the price was definitely well worth it, if it can hold up much better than my last binder.
Only time will tell (but I have a good feeling)!
Ready to check out my new partner in crime?
Do you use a coupon binder? How is it organized?
Comments
Hi Cassie,
Thanks for coming around my way and leaving a sweet note 🙂 I dont know what part of Canada your in but I live quite close to the border in Washington St. USA so maybe I can give you a bit of a heads up about what’s happening here.
I love my coupon binder, can’t live without it. My conversion to it was detailed here at http://lavidacheapo.blogspot.com/search/label/coupon%20organization. I hope it helps someone:)
hi leah, thanks for the message 🙂
i live near toronto 🙂
I organize my binder alphabetically. However, since it takes so long to clip the inserts each week I am going to try to mix it up a bit in the next few weeks. I will be posting information and a video soon. 🙂
Thanks for the message!
I just started to be a couponer and I use a mini picture album to carry around my coupons in my purse. I made labels and stuck them inside. It works for me and I hope it will work for others!
I have recently started couponing, and would like to share my “strategy” with each of you. I use a large three ring binder, and baseball card sheets. It is organized alphabetically, and in order of expiry date. I also keep a note book, scissors, a calculator, highlighters, pens, markers, a table of contents, and a coupon policy list for my favourite stores. If you are looking for some good couponing websites: Save.ca , WebSaver.ca , BrandSaver.ca , GoCoupons.ca .
I have been collecting and using coupons casually for a few years now. However recently I have started to accumulate a larger collection of coupons. I used to you the envelope method, and have recently up graded to the accordian file method. However I am finding this is not working for me and I want to create a binder with the baseball card inserts, however I am having trouble finding them. (The money sleeves you can buy for currency collectors are too expensive) If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great!!! Thanks
Danielle – I found them at Walmart near the cash register (near the express checkout area).
I looked at Wal-mart but not the check out! Thank you so much!!
You can go to any trading card game store and get them as well.
Thanks, Jessica!
Danielle, I found some at Dollarama but haven’t compared the price to WalMart
Hi
Danielle, my cheap/frugal way of getting the baseball trading card sheets was I purchased battered up binders at the second hand store. Most had sheets in them. So I paid very little for them. My zippered binder also came from there. I lucked out and found a brand new zippered binder for $2
Cheers and happy couponing
The dollar store (dollarama) has the baseball card sheets too!
Anyone looking for baseball card protectors for their binders I found them at Walmart in the toy section. They are where the baseball pokemon and other types of cards are. I believe I paid approx $7 for 35 sheet and 9 pocket on each side of each sheet. I like them better than the buisiness card holder inserts which have much smaller pockets. However I find them very slippery and the coupons shift around any tips on that or is this the main reason for the zip up binder.
The binder sounds like a great idea. I have been using 4 small accordion files sorted into different categories and keep them in a large zippered bag. I use ziploc bags to put the coupons into as i am shopping so that I don’t drop them as I gather items that I am purchasing.
I started out with a zip-lock baggie. That was too awkward to sift through so I used an extra 4×6 photo album we had hanging around and divided coupons somewhat into categories. That wasn’t long before it simply wouldn’t close so I took 2 x 1″ binders that we had here; one for groceries and the other for non-groceries. I found baseball cards at Stapes, Walmart carries them (in scrapbooking section) but was out at the time and I have since found some at Dollarama I’m still using those two binders today, I carry them in a cloth reusable bag that is just the right size to hold both and the weekly flyers. While I try and pull coupons I know I will use before a shopping trip, this makes it very easy to pull a coupon if I stumble across a good deal somewhere. I did have a thicker zipper binder with everything in one but it just didn’t work for me. The tabs stuck out too far and it wouldn’t easily zip. I also found it rather awkward-the two small ones are much easier for me.
i use a binder and a box to use my coupons in the best place to get hockey or baseball cards is dollarama you can get nine sheets at a time for a dollar. the biggest thing with dollarama is you can’t use coupons anymore.
Crappazola! I bought a package of different sheets when we in the US in April for you and keep forgetting to drop it off. Wanted it to be a surprise…but if I post it here…then hopefully I don’t forget…I think it was like $7 at wm near the cashiers where trading cards were. The sheets were marketed as “coupon sheets”…including the ones that hold bills for bill collectors!
MaricrisMas: Aww, you’re the best!
I finally converted my accordian files to a binder. I had 5 different files: Canadian coupons, American coupons (we live near the border), baby coupons, retailer specific coupons and coupons for trading, all sorted by expiry date. But it got to the point where it was a hassle to be standing in the aisles at the store riffling through my coupons because I just knew I had one for a certain item but couldn’t remember which month it was for. So just this week I established my binder. I have big categories (food, household, health and beauty) and then subcategories in each, still sorted by date. I can’t wait to see if it works!!
I have been using envelopes and putting a months worth of coupons in each one. I am thinking now of trying the binder with the card collector inserts, thanks!
Im using an accordian file at the moment, I see that people divide into groups, and dates and paper and so on, I set my accordian in alphabetical order, so if I see Irish Spring I go to my (I) and look through them, or C if colgate is on sale…..for me this is the easiest….. sad day today, I went through my coupons that expire tomorrow and I feel Im throwing out money now, I am looking at setting up a binder now, and if anyone knows if alphabetical is possible ??????
Any tips for couponing for someone who is disabled and cant use scissors.
Debra. I found a item called slice in amazon but I’m sure you could find it somewhere else also.
http://www.amazon.ca/Slice-112366-Safety-Cutter-Green/dp/B002OOVC84/ref=pd_sim_k_1
I have an accordion file I keep in the front of my binder. I have a section in it for each store. I make a list for each store every week, and collect the coupons from the binder and put them in the file pocket. There is also a pocket in the file where I keep coupons expiring that month. I look through them first and use what I can. (Others, I leave in the store for other people to use.)
Great Article!!
Question: There were a number of items that were starred, but I couldn’t find further reference: i.e.:
-Large 3 Ring Binder (Zippered is best)*
-Trading Card Sheets (9+ pockets on each sheet)*
-Page Dividers*
Page Dividers were discussed in the article, however I couldn’t discern any reference to the Trading Card Sheets, for example
Thanks, Nicole
Nicole, there is a * beside the basic items needed.
Trading card sheets can be found at the dollar store. they hold trading cards but can also be used to hold coupons.
Hope that helps.