Here is a self-made video tour of my coupon binder. I do hope you enjoy it! (Be nice, this is my very first attempt at this kinda thing).
*For further details about my coupon binder, read my follow up post!*
By the way, why has no one ever told me how annoying my voice sounds?
So, I need feedback, y’all.
Do you want to see more video tutorials on my blog? If so, what would you like to see?
That was good! I don’t get a newspaper, so I don’t really have access to coupons, but it was nice to see how you arranged it all.
And your voice isn’t scary! I always think my voice sounds funny when I hear it on tape-I think it’s because it echos differently inside your head, so you are used to it sounding deeper or something.
Your voice is not at all scary lol! I hate listening to my voice on recording I always think there is no way I sound that anoying and have that much of a southern draw ha ha ha….
Thanks I have been waiting for this post it really helps alot:)I struggle with organizing my coupons I will definatly use your methad!
Oh, I love the video! I’ve tried 3 different methods in the past few months and I haven’t found anything that I LOVE yet. Currently I have an envelope for each category (I get pretty specific) and stuck all the envelopes in a cheapie photo album but the album is too thick to close and hard to carry. I like the envelopes but need a better way to carry them around.
I loved your vlogging. 🙂 Nothing wrong with your voice at all. A friend of mine told me to start you tubing but I don’t want to be seen. LOL But I do love what you did. Keep on vlogging.
About your coupons, you seem to have organized your coupons very well. I too use envelopes. I have thought about the binder just haven’t actually done it.
What a great video! I actually fall into the camp of those who save the full inserts for each week in separate file folders. Then when I hear that a coupon is in the 6/15 SmartSource insert or such I just head to that folder. Then in my purse I have separate business-size envelopes for each store and put the coupons in each one that I know I’ll be using on my trip. I do like your organizer though — I may look for one on my next trip to Wal-Mart. 🙂
Alyssa, I think you did make up a new word!! Cool video, you should defniitely include more where you can! You know I’m a file by insert girl but that’s exactly how I organized my binder when I used one!
Great Video! I am thinking of switching to this system. Right now I am doing the envelope system. I just started couponing about 1 month ago. First I was an one index box, then two and now I am in a shoebox! Soooo embarrassing to carry a shoebox around in the store! Thanks for sharing your system!
That was awesome thanks!
Love the video!! I currently use a binder, but not at all as organized as you. I only have one page per category. I am going to Wal-Mart this weekend!! My weekly ads are just suck in the back and always fall out. Not to mention, I don’t have a zipper. Thanks for sharing. And by the way, you sound fine!:)
I love seeing your coupon binder in action. I’m just using a typical coupon filer/folder and I am CONSTANTLY digging through EVERY coupon.
This is inspiring! I have a question…why don’t you put your internet coupons with the newspaper coupons? Just curious. Trying to understand it all 🙂
I think your voice is great! You know, it only sounds weird to you 🙂
I use a binder too but just a plast 3ring, I love yours!! Much more organized, thanks for sharing!
I have that same binder for my coupons! I love it since it’s so big and zips. I use kinda the same system you do. I got mine from http://www.smartspendingresources.com and love it.
I like how you keep the ads in the front pockets so you always have them with you. I love the binder method even tho I feel so silly sometimes lugging mine into the store with me. 🙂
I think the video is great! My speakers are broken so I couldn’t hear, but I was able to get the idea and it was helpful. maybe you could create a video on how to fix speakers! lol!
The binder is great, and I have the perfect one to use, so no OOP 😉 Thanks for the tips (I especially liked the wraping paper cutter…you can tell I’m a newbie).
Do you take the entire binder to the store? I’ve been just taking the coupons I am going to use. I hate to hold up a line looking for my coupons 🙁
Finally, you posted your coupon binder, yea!!!!!!
Love the binder… I might have to see if I can find a similar one at Wally World… my current system isn’t working as well as I’d like, and is actually falling apart… so perfect time for an upgrade! Thanks so much!
(and no the voice isn’t scary) 😉
Great video! Our binders are very similar. I do not use the back side of the pages and I use 4×6 photo pages for catalinas and awkward sized coupons. I think I am way to catagory specific, as I spend a lot of time filing. Thanks for sharing yours with us.
BTW, I am so jealous of the Farmland ham, bacon, and sausage qs you had in one of your overflow areas! I cannot find where I put mine when we moved, lol.
Your voice is nice! It is weird to hear yourself though, I am always like “wow, that is how I sound to everyone…poor them.” hehe.
I have the same binder as you! I LOVE it! It is stuffed full right now and I can barely even keep it shut. Yours is a bit more organized but I keep all of my ads in the front and I keep extra store coupons in the back too! In the front where your calculator is I keep my Extra Care card and all of my ECB’s then I keep all of the extra CVS coupons I get in the little folder behind the clear spot, if you know what I mean, hehe)
Love your vlogging! You go girl! 🙂
I loved the video tutorial! More please!
Alyssa! That was great! My coupon binder looks a lot like yours because, well, you trained me. Your system has truthfully changed so much about our finances, and for that we can’t thank you enough. I am so glad I came to MOPS that day! I love the baseball card holder system. It helps me to see everything easily.
WOW, thanks for all the feedback!
I still think I sound about 12 years old in the video.
Just a note to add: my coupon binder is a constant work in progress. I constantly change things to fit my needs.
Use whatever system works best for you! I personally like this because I can see everything nicely. Yes, I do take my binder into stores.
I used to be horribly embarrassed to be seen lugging this thing around, but I am no longer ashamed!
Saving money with coupons is smart, and I pay way less than the average shopper.
I usually pull the coupons ahead of time before I check out, that way I am never holding up lines.
Keep those questions coming!
I am so impressed with all of your technological know how. You have learned so much! For more, I’ll tell you something that I just recently learned myself.
The reason why we don’t sound like ourselves on the phone or video is because the signal is not capable of transmitting the highest and lowest pitches. Your voice is NOT annoying. On video or in real life! 🙂
You did a great job! I love your breakdown of your coupon organizing habits. Way to branch out from the blog!
WOW!! thats so great!!!
your voice is far from annoying…but i think we all think our own voices are annoying;-)
Only thing i could think of that you didn’t mention was putting them in some sort of order by expiration date.
I get so mad when i see a sale and i whip my coupon out just to find out ohh yea that expired 2 weeks ago!
I will def. be doing something like this…ive wanted to for so long now! Rite now i have 3 evelopes Baby, Grocery, and USE NOW which is the envelope i take w/me to the store. A binder would be sooo much better for me=)
Also keep up the video blogs!!
That was great! Thanks for sharing! I love your overflow area in each section, I will have to add that to my binder. I use to organize my binder by category too, but then I read an idea to organize it alphabetically and after much hestitation I made the switch! I find it sooooo much faster to locate my coupons now, just an idea for you to chew on 🙂
I am new to couponing, and this was VERY helpful. Thanks so much for taking the time to post your video!
Ha – that is funny! I love the overflow idea and will definitely add that to my binder. Great minds think alike 😉
Alyssa–your system is great! I am just getting started good with couponing and I will definitely have to remember you as a resource. Great job!
I love your voice. Thanks for the video! Just an idea, how about CD album? For those who don’t have this binder yet, like me. I just started couponing 3 weeks ago. Lena.
Thank you for sharing this!! I need a new system & this looks like a great place to start. I'm in SC so you sound just like me & everyone else I know 🙂
I, too, have that exact binder- except mine is hot pink! My family loves to make fun of “Big Pink” but they love to eat the free snacks I bring home! I have done so much better at keeping up with coupons since I started using it!
That is incredible. I love it!
Your voice didn’t scare me off, LOL! You sound very friendly.
I love your binder. I’m a GG-er, too. I keep my circulars intact and put them in sheet protectors. That works for me. But I’m due for a new binder (mine is falling apart), so I’m going to look for one like you have. Keeping circulars in a pocket in front, and keeping special coupon scissors in a pocket, are two brilliant ideas!
BTW, if vlogging isn’t a word, it should be.
Thanks for sharing what you do with your coupons. I have been looking for a system to start with (have only started really doing coupons in the last couple of months). I do have a question though. When you make out your grocery list each week, do you pull the coupons out ahead of time and take the binder with you in case something is on sale that wasn’t in the flyers, or do you pull the coupons out as you go through the store?
Thanks!!
Evie
I ventured on over from MSM. I loved your video and believe me, your voice was fine. Try sounding like a five year old – I do! LOL
Thanks for the video. It’s always nice to actually, physically ‘see’ something in action that we’ve all undoubtedly read about.
Blessings,
Iva
WOW! I thought your voice was super cute by the way! I am inspired by this!
Wow! That is so neat. Thank you so much for the great idea!
Thank you for your video! I may progress on to your method, if you don’t mind me copying yours!
You have a great voice.
I use the exact same system!!! I blogged about it awhile back (http://ramblings-n-writings.blogspot.com/2008/03/frugal-friday-organized-coupons.html). Having the coupons separated by category and in the holders saves soooo much time when planning trips. And in the store when I find an unadvertised deal, I know with a glance whether I have a coupon or not. No shuffling through envelopes (tried that), expanded file (tried that), or past inserts (haven’t tried it since it doesn’t make sense to me to leave the coupons in the inserts by date – seems like I’d miss using coupons before they expire). Again great system!!!!
I have a binder set up very similar to yours (pockets for scissors, a sleeve for restaurant coupons, etc). But, I hadn’t thought of adding a regular page protector for extras in each category. Thanks for the tip!
Wow!! Thanks so much for sharing. I love your method, it is so organized. This gives me lots of ideas to get everything together and get organized myself. Thanks so much.
Love the video! So much better than pictures and printed explanations.
I currently use a plastic coupon file and file by expiration date. How do you handle the expiration date aspect???
Thanks for giving me the tour. I have pretty much the exact same binder but I use 5×7 photo album inserts to sort the coupons. I love your over flow idea with just a regular page protector to hold ones that need to be sorted. Thanks for the great idea.
I have my binder set up almost exactly the same! I have the same binder from Walmart too! Great video and your voice is not scrary!
Michele
I ran across your website from moneysavingmom.com!!! I loved the video!! Very helpful!!
Great video!
Laura
(aka LWMSAVON from various frugal boards and couponing boards — user of a coupon binder since 1999)
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/07/lauras-couponing-and-refunding-hints.html
Great video!
Laura
(aka LWMSAVON from various frugal boards and couponing boards — user of a coupon binder since 1999)
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/07/lauras-couponing-and-refunding-hints.html
Great video!
Laura
(aka LWMSAVON from various frugal boards and couponing boards — user of a coupon binder since 1999)
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/07/lauras-couponing-and-refunding-hints.html
Great video!
Laura
(aka LWMSAVON from various frugal boards and couponing boards — user of a coupon binder since 1999)
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/07/lauras-couponing-and-refunding-hints.html
I have been a big coupon user for many years, but I have recently started to get even more serious about it. I use a 1 inch notebook binder with trading card holders too (my husbands brilliant idea). It is so much easier than the little coupon accordian files. Being organized saves so much time, not to mention money. I may have missed it on your video, but do you take the entire organizer with you in the stores?
I love it! In fact, you’ve inspired me to change my system…hope you don’t mind. 🙂 Keep on vlogging!
That was awesome!! I need to highlight this video on my blog. It deserves more than a comment entry.
Mercedes
PS. I am twitter follower.
I love the video. I actually have a similar idea instead i use page protectors for each main product (like L’oreal, revlon, advil, exedrin, etc.). I use both sides of the page protector. For the not so popular brands i use the couponizer from couponizer.com. The food section i have is in page protectors and the categories match that of the couponizer.com . I love your folder, i bought mine at big lots for $8, but i wanted to get one with a handle to carry it easier.
Estera
Two questions:
Where can I get a copy of the grocery game rules (new to this!) and
Why do you keep the internet coupons separate instead of filing them in the categories?
Thanks for the tutorial since I’m a newbie!
Your voice is great…sounds like someone I’d like to be my friend:) I’d like to see grocery rules also.
Great video! Your voice is great. I love how you threw in a “y’all!”
I love the zipper binder and have actually been thinking of getting one. I have mine in a regular binder and my coupons fall out all the time if it gets turned up the wrong way! LOL! Thanks for sharing yours! It’s great inspiration!
Thanks for sharing. My binder is almost exactly the same. However, I love your overflow idea! My husband is a pastor and we get to church on Sunday morning a couple of hours early, so that is when I work on coupons. I can’t tell you how many times I have had them all categorized and had to put them all together for lack of time to file. I will be adding an overflow for each section.
Thanks so much,
Susan
http://www.outofthenestandbeyond.com
I just got into couponing about 6 months ago and decided to try the binder method after getting lost in inserts every week – I bought the exact same binder (in green) and set mine up (almost to the “T”) the same way that you described (though I don’t have my Grocery Game rules in mine…yet – great idea!) My tabs are also pocket folders that hold my overflow..otherwise exactly the same – great video!
i really enjoyed your vlog! looking forward to the next one!
Very cool. I may just change my method completely!
I love your binder! I think I am going to try that, I have outgrown my current system.
Yes I did watch it, sorry I couldn’t comment until now. It was very intersting and I will have to try that out!
I’ll be posting in the next few days. I’v scored big this week=) It’s so exciting=)=)=)
I love your system. I went ahead and changed mine pronto! My old system wasn’t working for me, since I had to look through every coupon with it. Now, all I need to do is flip through the pages. I even put similar coupons on the same page to make flipping through the binder even easier. I didn’t realize from the video, how big the binder is, but I love it! I think I’m going to get a second one for my home files.
I’ve never heard of the rules for the coupon game. What is this?
Awesome job! I’m a visual learner and really liked seeing your explanation instead of reading it.
Questions–why do you keep your internet printed coupons separate? How do you find them if they’re not filed under food, health, etc.?
Questions:
Do you clip all the coupons from the paper and store them or just the ones you know you will use? I usually have about 3 coupon inserts every week. I started transferring them to a binder like yours but am thinking I will run out of room.
Also, you mentioned you get about 15 coupons per page. Can you give more detail? Are they duplicates?
Thanks!
Great video! I am a new mom, new to coupons, and new to “mommy blogs”. There is a whole new world out there! 🙂 I have some of the same questions as others. I would love to see the grocery game rules and wondered why you kept internet coupons separate. Thanks!
Audrey’s momma
Great job! I have yet to organize my coupons in a way that works for me, so this was a great incentive for me to get my butt and gear and organize my coupons!
Now THAT is a binder! And yes, vlogging is a word. And no, your voice isn’t scary or annoying! 🙂
Amber
I have the same binder. I actually ended up dumping mine recently. I did love my binder i just wish the trading card sleeves were bigger pockets. I’d probably still be using it if they were. But since I don’t get as many inserts, I’m back to using my creative memories photo binder (looks and feels like a coupon accordian file but bigger) so I can carry it with me all the time. I do alot of drive bys on lunch break and it is easy to carry.
I loved it! I’ve only been couponing a few weeks now (three maybe) and I’ve already outgrown my little coupon file! I’m headed to Wal-Mart tomorrow and I’m getting the materials to do that! It’s perfect! Thank you so much for sharing!
when my 4 yo son saw this video he said to me: “that must be you!” 🙂
when my 4 yo son saw this video he said to me: “that must be you!” 🙂
when my 4 yo son saw this video he said to me: “that must be you!” 🙂
when my 4 yo son saw this video he said to me: “that must be you!” 🙂
Love you binder, just switched to one myself and love it your contest has given me the push to put it on my blog soon. Question you are obviously a Grocery Gamer, I looked into it awhile ago and passed but may rethink what are your reasons for using it? pros/cons? Thanks for sharing
Great system! My mother-in-law just came into town and set up a binder for me very similar to this. I do two things differently. First, I organize my grocery coupons according to how my favorite grocery store is layed out – dairy first, meats, cereals/baked goods, freezer, etc. That saves a lot of flipping back and forth. Second, I put my store-printed coupons in the normal coupon section with like items. Say, I got a $1 Colgate from a CVS receipt. It would go with my toothpaste coupons and not with my ECBs.
I really like your voice, and you coupon system!
Love the system and the vlog! New to couponing myself.. What exactly is the groecery game?
Also, you should put together a “coupon system” thats labeled like yours and offer them for sale on Ebay or something, I’d buy one.
Tucky
awesome! i’m off to target tomorrow to get my binder!!! woo hoo!!!
Wow I am new to this site…I am always in search of a great coupon adventure. I also do the binder…here is what I do…I have a list Baby Baking Beverage cleaning products candy…you get the point. I get 4 sunday newspapers for the coupons and in my binder I have a tab with the catergory…and then 3 inserts behind each tab. The trick is that the inserts are baseball card holders….so you can get all your coupons beatly in all the inserts where cards would go. It is amazing….besides CVS I am very attached to Frys….Almost every shopping trip at the bottom of my slip it saves how much you saved, it’s always around 60-90% I love love doing it. I have never paid for toilet paper toothpaste mouthwash most dental items and household things come to aboput .50 cents. Also Kmart just starting doing double and triple coupons up to 2.00 ladies that means 4 dollars off. They will be doing that every other month. My shopping trip to Kmart when I left they owed me money (which the just called it even) and I got 130 dollars worth of things. YEAH..its so much fun. Also if you go to quaker websites you can print the coupon for bites granola bars and such and then at frys grocery store its free. I live in AZ
I didn’t know how to get my name in the comment…my nameis Kelly-Rae I actually use couponsense.com they will give you a list of what is free and what coupon to use and its really detailed…like if you want milk…type in milk and it will show you what store is the cheapest…you can do that with every grocery item out there. I really like this site all you ldaies have great systems…by the way I wrote the comment above from anonymous…how to I get my name there….do I need to be a member?
I love your blog!
This was great! You were brave to go “live” but it was very beneficial for a new couponer to see an organization system that works. I am sure mine will be trial and error but I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. Thanks again. Quick question…There are so many sites on coupons. Do you make any income from your site? If so, I’ll keep you in my favorites.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. It was very helpful as I am getting into couponing. I have a quick question…Do you make any income from your website? I was curious because there are so many websites. If so, I’ll keep you in my favorites. Thank you again.
I’m getting ready to go from an accordion file to a binder. Thanks so much for the look into yours. I love the comment about not needing the diapers much longer. 🙂
I enjoyed your video and method for saving coupons. Just one question..how do you keep up with expiration dates..do you clean out your binder weekly. My problem is that by the time I am ready to use the coupon it has expired! Bummer
Thanks. JuneM, Savannah, Ga.
I LOVE IT..! THAT’S A GRRRREAT IDEA!!! THANK U, THANK U!!!
Hey, that’s exactly how I do it!! With the overflow pages and everything!! How funny. I love it!
.-= Kelleigh @ Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs´s last blog ..What is Swagbucks? =-.
Thank you for sharing! It was so helpful!
Reading all the comments was interesting – how does one go about this in Australia? Any recommendations for websites?
Very nice binder, Im actually just getting started and decided to check out your website.
Thanks for the tips!
I would love for you to keep sharing your knowledge. My pastors wife told me about you and it was a blessing that she did. I am just getting started and I actually will be doing my 1st CVS challenge today! YEAH!! Thank you so much for your video. Can’t wait to see more.