Coupon Binder Pages

[mckimba]

Originally Posted by Live4Coupons

I have been very happy with the design. Here is a link to a website where I saw the idea:
How to Make a Coupon Binder, Part 3 Learning to be Frugal

The currency protector pages is a good idea. I will have to keep my eye out to see if I can find any at a good price.

That is an awesome idea !!! I love the fact to "sew" your own pockets with sheet protectors (you can get those so cheap) Guess I'll have to dust off the sewing machine now.

[CurtisBeers]

I agree that I think that the baseball card holders are too small. I like to be able to view my coupons without having to fold them.

I scored a free deal this past weekend. Whenever someone moves out in my apartment building, they put whatever they don't want on one of the poolside tables for people to have (stuff like dishes, wrapping paper, etc.).
One of my neighbors moved out last Friday and he put a bunch of stuff on one of the tables. There was a box with office supplies. Inside was a zippered black binder with mesh pockets on the outside and about 20 packages of plastic photo holders for the binder. Some packages were for 4x6 photos, some were for 3x5 and others 5x7.
These are PERFECT for coupons....now I just have to sit down and organize the binder.
I had been using a small plastic organizer but it sometimes became too fat for all of my coupons and it was not easy to find what I needed quickly.

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by TwilightMom

Thank God for my husband who has been interested in this entire saving money thing and now wants to know what I am working on all the time. He mentioned that it seemed like a pain and thought he could have something that might help me.


It makes sorting and filing the coupons a breeze and I can see everything better, plus, NO MORE FOLDING. Geez, I didn't even last 45 minutes, I could have never kept it up for weeks.

Hi Twilight...

LOL yeah those little baseball card holders are a pain. In fact I've almost completely stopped carrying my binder in favor of a small brag-book for 4x6 photos. I tend to put the q's I know I'll use if I find it on sale... and the rest go in the binder. the brag book fits into my purse nicely and it allows me to be a little organized yet still a bit more free.

I love this idea though. Let me know if you find more top loading ones.

S

[Latonya]

The baseball card holders are too small. I had to fold my Qs. I need BIGGER sheets. I'll keep looking.

[bigmama124]

I use an assortment of inserts--I do use the baseball card ones as they are perfect for like P&G Q's but the printables--FORGET IT!! I to very quickly got frustrated with the folding, then couldnt see what I wanted or needed to see, so I got photo inserts!

Hate to say it but wally world has them for 1.40 they hold like 60 pictures BUT the 5x7's I stand up my Q's and can fit 4 sets in each page.

I also have 4x6 in there--I found the variety of inserts just offered more options that I needed

HTH anyone cost wise

[Live4Coupons]

Originally Posted by mckimba

That is an awesome idea !!! I love the fact to "sew" your own pockets with sheet protectors (you can get those so cheap) Guess I'll have to dust off the sewing machine now.

It's worked out really well for me. Used a zigzag stitch. Made them with vinyl sheet protectors. They are a bit sturdier than the polypropelene ones, which are probably going to be more slippery to sew. I figured that I already had the materials on hand, so would give this a try before investing in something from the store.

Check your local Wags office supply section for clearance binder divider tabs. They have several varieties on clearance for 75 % off. They range from 29 cents to 70-some cents. Some have pockets in them. I picked up some today to use for my binder.

[z_o_z)]

Do you take these binders with you to the store or are they just to organize your coupons at home?

I like my system at home but I definitely need a better "at the store" method. Currently I take a shopping list that includes coupon info for each item. I find all the coupons I need and use a binder clip (think strong chip clip) to hold them together. I take one extra clip and as I pick up each item I move a coupon from one clip to the other. I also check off the item on my list and the coupon. Before I get to the register I tally up how much my coupons are worth. Then I compare the price before they start scanning coupons and when they are done to see if they missed any.

It works... OK... but I don't have any coupons except for what I brought with me. It has not happened often but a couple times I see something I know I have a coupon that would go great but don't have it.

P.S. My home system is any printed or non-insert coupon I put into an excel spreadsheet. I then just put all coupons in expiration date order and clip each month together. Quick and easy to find a coupon in excel and quick to find it it my clip. But its not useful at a store.

[mnm'z]

Many of us do take our binders to the store with us. I put mine in the child seat spline side down and then I can flip through my pages to see my q's. With the system you have at home, it doesn't sound like it would be very easy to bring with you, however. My binder is organized by category and certain q's that are a definite use have their own BB slot (like Pantene Shampoo and Rice-A-Roni), and other slots have a mix of q's (like ALL Tylenol q's go in one slot). This takes a bit more organizing at home, but when you see the clearance rack at the store, it's so very simple to browse your q's to see what you have.

You'll prolly try a couple of different ways to organize your q's before you find one that will really work for you. Everybody's file system is different ~ even among binder users. Just keep reading how every one else does it, and one is going to click with you. There is only one way that is correct ~ YOURS!

BTW, my binder is always changing too, I'll find a different way to do this or that and change it for my better use.

[kimshaw1106]

mnm'z your right our binders always end up changing. I have had it set one way and then I will get a different idea and then change it..Like I did two weeks ago. I like how we have guides to get started on a binder like categories and what not and then take it from there to make it "Your" own.

Was rereading this thread and I like the different size inserts as well and I like the sewing on and thank you live4coupons for posting the link.

[lucyrevenge]

The sewing idea looks super neat. Now I just have to convince my mom to do it for me. I am helpless or unwilling when it comes to sewing. I can't even put a button back on.

My binder is pretty standard and unchanging. When I first got it I grabbed business card size sheets by mistake. I ended up having to slit alot of the openings to make bigger slots. It all worked out but I will eventually need to switch for the better sheets.

Live and learn.