Reader Question: Coupon Organization

A reader asked:  "Would you do a post on how you organize your coupons?"  There are 3 basic components to how I keep my coupons organized:

1. Large accordian file for Sunday inserts:  I keep the inserts whole and write the date at the top.  I then file them by month.  This way if I read about a deal and the coupon is from "11/8 RP" I can just pull it out and snip.  I like this because there is no unnecessary cutting.  If I need to buy something and I want to know if I have a coupon for it, I use A Full Cup's coupon database to search for it.  It's free to sign up. 
2. Small accordian file for loose coupons:  This is used for coupons I receive in the mail; cut from magazines; print "in case"; pull from blinkies in stores; find in or on packaging; cut out of an insert and planned to use, but never did; etc.  It is organized by type of coupon (bathroom, cooking, dairy...)  I go through and clear the expired ones out at the end of each month. 
3. Envelopes:  When I plan a CVS or Target trip, I make my list on a junk mail envelope.  Note:  these are great for saving for many reasons.  I then store the needed coupons, gift cards, CVS card, printed coupon policy, a stock-up price list, etc inside the envelope to take with me.  I have a Target, CVS, Mall, and BRU/TRU envelope at all times. 

Just because this works for me, it may not suit your needs.  Some people like to cut out all coupons and make a coupon binder with trading card inserts.  Others like to carry around a box with little index dividers.  You just have to find what works for you.  Please feel free to share your own organization system in the comments.  Hope this helps!

{late} CVS $0.40

Things have been very busy around here and as a result I didn't go to CVS until today (which doesn't do you much good).  Chances are good I will go tomorrow as well for the start of a new week so stay tuned.  Here's this past week's deals:

Kleenex 110 ct. (x2)
$0.99
- 0.75 (printable)
= $0.24

Ragu (x3)
$1.67 each (3/$5 and earn 3 ECBS when you spend $10 in Ragu/Skippy/Hellmans)
- 0.30 (11/15 RP)
= $1.37 each and earned 3 ECBs

Skippy (x3)
$1.67 each (3/$5 and earn 3 ECBS when you spend $10 in Ragu/Skippy/Hellmans)
- 0.40 (11/15 RP)
= $1.27 each and earned 3 ECBs (same as above, not 3 more)

Earned 1 ECB for 4 visits with a bag tag

Used 8 ECBs

Total OOP = $0.40 and earned 4 ECBs

S's Christmas Wish List

This may be odd, but I thought if I shared S's Christmas list you may get some ideas for your little ones:

• Melissa and Doug latching board
• Melissa and Doug wooden food
• Melissa and Doug lacing beads
• Lauri stacking pegs
• Tree Blocks
• Magnatiles
• lowercase alphabet puzzle
• Animal Baby magazine subscription
• cardboard bricks
• Bilbio
• a quiet book
• Wedgits
• Leapfrog Fridge Phonics
• Magnadoodle

Note:  This is a very long list.  I do not plan for S to receive all of the above!

If you have any great ideas you would like to share, please leave a comment (not that this list needs to get any longer).

Baby Magnets

Sorry it's been slow on here...today I was cleaning off our fridge and realized S didn't play with these anymore, but I wanted to share the idea for those of you with older infants/younger toddlers.  When S was younger I was eager for him to play with magnets on the fridge, but they were always too small for his hands or mouth so I took some old wooden blocks and put self-adhesive magnetic stripping on the back to turn them into chunky magnets that he could manipulate.  You can get the magnetic stripping at craft stores or you can also cut pieces off free promotional magnets and glue them to the blocks.

Pampers Gifts to Grow

Are you redeeming your Pampers Gifts to Grow points yet?  If not, you may want to start and I have some codes to get you going.  You can find codes to redeem on packages of Pampers diapers and wipes and enter them at the Pampers site to earn rewards (gift cards, small toys, books, etc).  Shipping is included in your reward as well.  Pampers also releases promotional codes and I will start posting them when new ones are out.  Here are two current new ones:

XKCMYXFVD96VXVK (3 points)

GROWWITHVILLAGE (1 point)

You can find past promotional coes at Freebies4Mom.  Some of them may be expired though. 

Thanks, Freebies4Mom!

Kids Eat For

S is now to the age where we need to order him something of his own when eating out (which is on a rare occasion these days).  My husband showed me this site the other day and I thought my readers may be interested in it as well.  It shows you a calendar for your area of where/when kids can eat for free or cheap. 

Window Sill Book Display

I really love front-facing book displays for children, but we just don't have the space for one right now.  So instead I display books I want to draw S's attention to on the window sill of our playroom.  That is until I find time to make one of these:

• rain gutter display
• hack a regular bookshelf
• book slings