On my personal blog I post a Frugal Friday post, along with other women from biblicalwomanhood.com.  Last Friday I posted about using coupons.  A reader commented she would use coupons if she could figure out how to keep them organized- so, I decided to share some tips for organizing coupons to help her and any other readers that need assistance in this area.  Remember, an organizing strategy doesn’t work unless it works for you!  I will leave several suggestions and it is up to you to discover which method works best for you.

• There are standard coupon holders that divide by category.  I had found this works well only if you are going to frequently clean out the holder.  Otherwise, you will be trying to find a coupon for a particular product only to discover it expired months ago. 
• You can take the standard coupon holder a step further and purchase a small accordian file (I have one that fits in my purse) so that you can make your own categories.  The categories printed on the standard holders are typically quite broad and that, again, just means more coupons to shuffle through to find the one you need.  With the small accordian files you can create your own categories, which is nice.
• Another option is to use plastic sandwich bags.  This is what I take the coupons in that I am going to use on a particular trip to the store.  Instead of shuffling through the larger holder, do that before you go to the store.  Then, just take the coupons you know you are going to use to the store.  Saves you time and impulse purchases (buying something just because you have a coupon).
• Some ladies I know keep their coupons in a compartment in their wallet so that any time they are out they can see if they have coupons that are usable.  That to me is coupon dedication, right there!
• You could always use envelopes, labeled with the category or by expiration date.  I would recommend having a basket or drawer designated to keep all the envelopes in or at least bind them all together with a rubber band to keep them from getting spread all over the place.
• Similar to recipe storage, you could use an index card box with the dividers. 

Just like with any other type of organizing project, you have to find the system that works for you.  Clipping coupons is worth it, specifically if you combine the coupon savings with grocery store sales and stores that double the coupons.  In economic times such as these, it is important to do whatever we can to be good stewards of our resources.  And, as The Organizer, Kelly, points out- don’t limit yourself to grocery store coupons.  Many department stores offer coupons and special sales that you can use to correspond with the purchase of a needed item such as a winter coat, etc.

Happy shopping and happy organizing!