How to Organize Coupons

Coupons are excellent budget-balancing tools if used consistently from week to week.

Groceries and household supplies are unavoidable expenses; therefore, using manufacturer’s coupons the right way can add up to big savings.

Although many people like the idea of using coupons, the task of clipping and sorting them on a regular basis can be daunting.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve clipped a ton of coupons only to make it to the checkout line without pulling a single one out because my organization system was so whack.

How to Organize Coupons in a Logical Manner

Now that I have a system in place to help me retrieve the right coupons at a moment’s notice, I don’t find myself scrambling at the checkout line.

I take a simple approach to coupon organization. I like to sort coupons into categories that mirror the order of the aisles at the grocery store I do most of my shopping at. This makes shopping easier because the coupons are already in the correct order as I navigate the aisles.

Even when I shop somewhere else, this organization method serves me well because most grocery stores have similar layouts (except for Target, which switches up its aisles every so often – so tricky!).

Suggested Coupon Categories for Grocery Stores

The categories shown below are based on the order of the aisles in a typical grocery store. To set up a coupon file, start with the number of available categories in your organizer, then label the tabs based on the order of the aisles at your most frequented store.

Note that there are 13 categories below because many standard coupon organizers have 13 sections.

• Personal Care / Medicine
• Cleaning / Other Household Supplies
• Meat / Dairy
• Sauces / Dressings / Condiments / Jellies
• Canned Goods / Soups
• Pasta / Rice / Seasonings / Crackers
• Beverages
• Flour / Baking / Oil
• Cereal / Breakfast Foods
• Paper Goods / Containers
• Baby
• Frozen Food / Bread
• Dessert / Snacks

I recommend you sort coupons into narrow enough categories that each section is not overflowing with coupons. If necessary, expand into two coupon organizers in order to sort coupons into more specific categories.

Make It Intuitive

Also, make sure to organize coupons in a way that makes sense. If an organization method seems completely un-intuitive, it will make sorting through your stash of coupons a frustrating experience.

For example, if there are some categories of items rarely purchased for your household, it would make sense to group these categories together, regardless of their location in the store.

Separating them into their own category eliminates the need to sort through them every time a coupon is needed.

By clipping them and keeping them on hand organized in a way that they can be found in a moment, they are available when needed to take advantage of an excellent deal.

This is especially important if you forget to make a shopping list ahead of time and notice an outstanding sale price while shopping.

Do you have a favorite way to organize coupons?

Resources I recommend:

The Peaceful Mom has an awesome e-book on the subject of saving more without being an extreme couponer (which I love, seeing as how I’m either all or nothing with my couponing efforts these days!).

Click here to purchase ==> Save More Clip Less: Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half without Extreme Couponing

I highly recommend checking it out. This book, which only costs $2.99, will more than pay for itself in ONE SHOPPING TRIP.

Note: The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

This post is included in the Complete Guide for Stay-at-Home-Moms, a collaborative effort by over 50 mom bloggers