Orderliness Reduces Insanity

All last weekend I researched couponing again. I found The Grocery Game and joined for their free trial. So far I like it but I also like CouponMom. Easier to understand so far. I really like the idea of combining coupons with sales and store coupons. This can really save us some money!

The fun part of using the above sites? You can print coupons online! I started printing right away. I'm probably going to need a coupon for ink soon! lol

Yet as soon as I started accumulating coupons, I panicked. They were all over the place, in piles. I tried using some envelopes. No dice. Too complicated.

Being the artist (aka: packrat) that I am, I dug through all my supplies and pulled out this little metal lunchbox. It is perfect for holding all the already cut coupons (plus I will look totally rockin' carrying my lunchbox thru the store!) I organized with the following topics (I think I got the list with my additions, from Money Saving Mom) :

Baking (oil, sugar, flour, dry mixes)
Batteries/Lightbulbs
Beverages
Bread (loaves, rolls, crackers)
Canned (meat, soup, veggies, fruit)
Cereal
Cleaners (bathroom, kitchen, detergent, laundry, floor, glass)
Condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, dressings, jelly, PB, spag sauce, syrup)
Dairy
Frozen (drinks, ice cream, meat, veggies, snacks)
Hygiene (bandaids, deodorant, face, feminine, hair, lotion, shaving, soap)
Meat
Medicines/Vitamins
Mexican (salsa, chiles, sauce, shells)
Office Supplies
Paper Products (tissue, cups/plates, TP, ziplocs, foil/plastic)
Pasta/Rice
Pet Products
Seasonings
Snacks (fruit snacks, granola bars, candy, gum)
Teeth Care
Vegetarian Foods
Dining Out

Misc (oil changes, toys, store coupons like JCP, clothing, etc...)

I read up on how people sort there coupons and some people have a good idea. Insert organizing. Inside each newspaper comes a couple coupon inserts. The Smart Source, the Red Plum and once a month, the Procto r& Gamble insert. Instead of cutting out every coupon, I filed them under tabs by date (using clear page protectors found in the office supply section of the store.)

There are places online (ie: like Grocery Game and Coupon Mom) where you can get lists of sales and they reference the exact insert the coupon came out of (like I've done in my previous couponing posts.)

I also found this unique website that made my life a heck of a lot easier for when I just want to know what coupons are inside the inserts with out looking through them page by page. This website also shows you the upcoming Sunday's coupons list before Sunday is here. That way you can start preparing... I love that! It also has a 'Coupon Schedule' so you know what insert comes in each newspaper. I guess some weeks there is no Red Plum or one of the other inserts.

I think this couponing is going to be a fun experience. It's going to be harder than I thought because we don't eat a lot of processed foods (and that is what a lot of the coupons are for), we have 2 people who try to low carb and 1 vegetarian. Difficulties in the making. Plus, the Sunday paper did not have the store ads in it. When and how am I supposed to get those? I have no idea... I guess I'll look around in the internet to see what people say about that.

Now, just waiting on my newspaper subscription to start today.  Can't wait to receive it at home. Ohh!  I'll have to tell you about how I got coupons for free. Another post...

Next post: Late night finds!