Coupon Organizing: Extreme Saver

After you've chosen your couponing level, you'll want to chose how you organize your coupons.  This is important, if you bypass this step you'll be mad about it when you go to use your coupons.  The way you organize your coupons is completely personal and up to you however it varies with your level too.

Here's a guide to help you organize based on your couponing level:

Extreme Saver: You have the most coupons and need to be very organized with them in order to save time (and your sanity).  You will need 2 - 3" binders, card collector sheets, sheet protectors AND an envelope size expanding file folder.  The binders will house your coupons for general storage.  The expanding file folder will hold the coupons that you will be using for your specific shopping trip, divided by stores for that day and transactions.  Always carry both all, this way you'll have your expected coupons ready to go and have your other coupons in case you find a great unadvertised sale.  Use the card collector sheets to store your coupons, each type of coupon in one slot (eg: 5 Bounty Paper Towel coupons for $1.00 off all go into one pocket of the sheet).  Use the sheet protectors to store coupon policies for the stores you frequent.

Here are some categories to divide your coupons by organizational tool:
Expanding File Folder
Store 1: List, Transaction 1, Transaction 2, Transaction 3, Transaction 4, Sales Flyer
Store 2: List, Transaction 1, Transaction 2, Transaction 3, Transaction 4, Sales Flyer
Store 3: List, Transaction 1, Transaction 2, Transaction 3, Transaction 4, Sales Flyer
Store 4: List, Transaction 1, Transaction 2, Transaction 3, Transaction 4, Sales Flyer
Store 5: List, Transaction 1, Transaction 2, Transaction 3, Transaction 4, Sales Flyer
Fast-Food Restaurants
Sit-Down Restaurants

3" Binder #1: Edibles
Baby Foods, Baby Cereals, Baby Formula, Baby Snacks, Baking Mixes & Flours, Bars, Breads, Butter, Canned: Beans, Canned: Fruits, Canned: Meals, Canned: Meats, Canned: Soups, Canned: Veggies, Candy, Cat Food(if you have one), Cereals, Cheese, Chips, Coffee, Cookies & Crackers, Dairy Creams, Dog Food (if you have one) Dressings,  Dry Condiments, Dry Goods: Other, Eggs, Frozen: Desserts, Frozen: Fruits, Frozen: Meals, Frozen: Meats, Frozen: Veggies,  Fruit Snacks, Juice, Lunchmeat, Meal Kits, Milk & Creamers, Meat, Nuts, Oil, Pasta, Produce, Refrigerated Misc, Rice, Sauces,  Seafood, Soda, Soups, Spices, Sweeteners, Wet Condiments, Yoghurt

3" Binder #2: Non-Edible
Bathroom Cleaners, Bathroom Tissues, Batteries, Body Cleansers, Body Moisturizers, Books, Cat Stuff (If you have one), Clothing, Computer Items, Dental Care, Deodorant, Deodorizers, Dog Stuff (If you have one) Electronics, Facial Care, Facial Tissue, Food Storage, Gardening, Hair Care, Hair Color, Laundry, Magazines, Makeup, Medicine, Misc, Nails, Napkins, Office Supplies, Pesticides, Razors, Shaving Prep, Suncare, Toilet tissue

These essentials will keep you organized and sane: