Frugal Friday--The Happiness That is My Coupon Binder

1:01 PMHeather

Before I dive into all the bliss that my coupon binder brings me, thought I'd let you see the "AFTER" photo of my tomato closet. 


AH!  I think I loved my children's big reactions as much as the beauty that was restored here.  They are their mother's children in some regards--because it made them so happy to see order restored in my tomato closet/mud room/stockpile storage closet.  I am super pumped to be able to use those hanging files again for their important papers--and to see this closet restored to it's former walk-in glory.

Now that we've settled that, we can move on to my organization heaven that I call my coupon binder.  Voile!
I used to have a little accordian file, and was quite happy with that system--until I watched Extreme Couponing.   While I have no intention of replicating their full-time job of coupon clipping or dumpster diving for coupons--I decided I'd try this coupon binder idea. And, oh my gravy--I LOVE it!  I have actually reduced my time and ease whilst grocery shopping with this binder, paired perfectly with this:
This is a screen shot from the Grocery IQ app. (BTW--my 12-year-old son had to show me how to take a screen shot!) Awesomeness.  It's a free iPhone app, and I set up my grocery store by aisle.  SO, when I put my list in my phone, I can put the items onto the proper aisle.  No paper to fumble with!  Which originally terrified me--I am a paper girl.  But, alas, I am an older dog learning new tricks.  Because the Grocery IQ list allows me to shop down my list in order of the store, and happily tap on the item to remove from the list when I place it in my cart.  Sorta like an electronic highlighter to mark off your task list.


And, check this out:  
Yes, friends--my coupon binder has tabs...and you guessed it.  The taps are arranged in the order of the aisles.  See how that OCD benefits me?  So, my list matches the order of my binder!  That is how I roll, and I am loving how easy my coupons are to see.  
See?  I used plastic sleeves for 4"x 6" pictures, which I find to be a really useful size for coupons.  Each little sleeve--of course--holds like items, such as toothpastes, shampoos, baking mixes, etc.


Just to expound a bit further, here is how I work my grocery shopping system.  I check the Grocery Game website and print my weekly list of bargains to snag.  Then, I go through my pantry, fridge and freezer and add items that I need to restock into my grocery app.  I then type in the Grocery Game items to that list, and pull the coupons I KNOW I will need.  Those go on a big paper clip inside my binder with my Grocery Game list and the store sales ad--just in case I have a question.


The beauty of this binder is that it gives me a shelf in the front of my cart for my iPhone and all coupons are SO easy to access should I come across a sales item or need another coupon while shopping.


INTENTIONAL challenge:  I triple dog dare you to find a couponing system that works for you!  You may not be a binder person, which I find hard to fathom about anyone since moving to this system myself.  But, you know--to each to his own. You can do it my way or the wrong way.  Even if you are short on time, you can shop the sales for your store, and even use a coupon here and there.  And, just in case you were wondering (which I doubt you were)...I have indeed recently expanded my binder empire.   This coupon binder for grocery shopping has been such a great thing that I recently moved all my eating out coupons into a similar binder.  [insert very wide smile here].  Go and shop in binder love!

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