Okay, so I'm returning back to the coupon organization...and I'll try to be short and sweet!
I told you how I was doing my file system for the inserts. This second part is for the ones that are cut out. The ones you print, the blinkies from the store, mail outs, etc.. A friend of mine sent me this link that was just wonderful and saved me a lot of time. It was very similar to what I was working toward. So, I took it and modified it to fit my needs.
Basically, it's a three ring binder with 4x6 or 3x5 clear photo sheets. (I found that the 4x6 were easier to find) I bought the staples brand for about 3 something a piece. They're color coded with the dividers & labels. Check out this link and you will see what I am talking about. I modified it a little because I still didn't want to search for sections within the dividers so I had to alphabetize them...organize them by dates (I even thought about highlighting the current month so I will use them first before they expire...Is this legal in coupon world?)...and I had to add a few extra labels that applied to our family.
The link is http://www.homeof5.com/2008/09/frugal-friday-coupon-binder-tutorial.html. I totally got caught up into all of the options to organize! It's so much fun to see how everyone organizes. Several blogs have explanations, tutorials...and even pictures (yeah)...to organize your coupons. Now, if they could just tell me how to organize my family and how to use these coupons effectively!
Let me take a moment to emphasize that it's not a good idea to get too caught up with how to organize your coupons! I won't name any names, but there is this "friend" of mine that literally typed up an itemized list of all of her coupons...pages and pages. Her daughter even ratted her out and mentioned that she spent about 24 hours just on this stuff. Overkill...is overkill! I really don't think it will help you in the long run. I reminded her OCD tendencies the same thing! Simple and convenient is sometimes the best way to organize...so evaluate your needs and start small. You can always build on your foundation and modify it as you figure out what you need and get wonderful ideas from others!
My girls and I went to Publix...again...today. I did get several things free...pillsbury biscuits, crescent rolls, Cinnamon rolls, a frozen pizza, about five jars of organic baby food, two frozen Green Giant Steamers, two Colgate toothpastes, a bag, etc. That's exciting! Now, I have to learn about the "money makers" as they call it in the coupon world. I'm learning from blogs and sites those are the items that have overage. That's the part I haven't mastered! Baby steps...
At Publix today, Little Bit started pointing and going crazy over an Elmo balloon. She even shakes her body from side to side singing the Elmo theme song...La..La..La... LaLa grabbed her hand and said, "no, no, Little Bit, Mama doesn't have a coupon for an Elmo balloon." :) The coupon frenzy is spreading to the littlest member of our family!
Mama Drama Rule #52: Start Small...start Simple...sometimes that's the most effective way in anything we do...OTHERWISE we get SMOTHERED and OVERWHELMED!
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