Hints to Help You Start a Coupon Binder

I've had a few interested people and several friends ask me to help set them up with a coupon binder so I thought I would share how I set up my own. I've been through several, starting out with a small accordion style coupon book, then to a notebook with baseball card holders, to my current binder, with baseball card holders, dividers with pockets and 2 sealable pockets holders that I can take out and carry with me.

Here are the steps to making your coupon binder and making it work for you.

1. Pick a binder. I chose a $0.25 cent binder from a yard sale. Mine is 1 and 1/2 inches, although I believe 2 inches may have been more suitable. Mine is also hard plastic and I'm starting to wonder if I should have gone with cloth. Hard plastic slides on the grocery carts. Start with whatever you have handy. Before my binder I used a folder that had 3 prongs to hold my baseball cards in. It wasn't very thick and I liked it until my coupon stash grew.

2. Purchase baseball card holders. My favorite place to buy them is either Amazon or Kmart. Everywhere else I have been is out when I go to get them. If you go to a retail store look by the cash registers where other trading cards are sold for the refill pages. Also think about whether you are going to use only the fronts of the holders, or the backs as well.

3. Purchase Dividers or something with pockets. I've found them really helpful. I purchase mine from Amazon using my Swagbucks money. I chose the 8 tabs and each divider has pockets. These pockets come in handy for coupons that are just too big to even fold into a baseball card slot, freebie coupons that I don't want to lose and for uncut coupons I haven't gotten to yet. I also purchased little plastic Velcro holders to put my current shop in. It's easy to take out and run into a store with, if I don't want to lug my whole binder in.

4. Sort your coupons. Sort them into piles of like items. Toothpaste, toothbrushes together. Frozen foods with frozen foods, etc. I then divide the categories even further if I can.

5. Lay out your baseball card holders and place your cut coupons by category on them. You may need more than one sleeve (and often 2-3 for each category).

6. Place your coupons into the sleeves. I try to place them all facing one direction. In my case either upright, or on their sides facing right. I do use the backs of my sleeves to save space. I also put like products together. For instance my Glade and Febreeze coupons are under Cleaners and Smell Goods. I place all my Glade coupons together before I place my Febreeze coupons within the category. This way instead of looking through 5 sleeves of Cleaners and Smell Goods, I know if I see one Glade coupon, they will all be in the same sleeve. Also be sure if you fold the coupon that you can see the product and the amount off if possible.

I have rearranged, added sleeve under categories, and rearranged again. I'm finally happy! I have these following categories:

1. Toothbrushes/Pads
2. Shaving/Deodorant
3. Lotions/Body Wash/Soaps
4. Hair
5. Medications
6. Cleaners/Smell Goods
7. Grocery
8. Pet

I could further divide grocery, but I'm happy with my organization within that category.

If you're getting started, let me know and share with me your tips for coupon organization!!