Coupon Organization - Personal Stash

You should have separate files for your personal coupons and the coupons you trade.  Setting up similar formats will make your life easier.  But these should always remain separate.  A well-organized shopper saves more, even on last minute purchases!  I purchased this box on eBay, but I customized it with special tabbed inserts and a category list I designed for MY needs.

This is my personal stash of coupons.  Yes, I know VERY organized!  But remember, many stores have unadvertised sale items, clearance items, etc..  These are often items that are NOT on your grocery list, but if you have a coupon for them, they can be worth buying!  So keeping yourself WELL organized can allow you to make those last minute purchases and save more!

This is the full size image of my personal stash box.  Click the image to the left and it will display the full size image so you can get a closer look.

This is a full size image (Click the image to the left and it will display the full size image so you can get a closer look) of the custom index I designed for my coupon box.  This particular box came with one already, but you all know me (LOL).  I designed the categories based on my purchasing habits!

This is a full size image of the left side of my personal stash coupon box.  I added and designed custom index tab dividers for my coupon box.  This particular box came with index cards, but they did not include actual tabs, which I like.  I printed a second copy of my index list (shown above).  And then I cut them out and inserted them into standard 1 inch divider tabs.  The divider tabs make accessing each category much easier!

This is a full size image of the right side of my personal stash coupon box.  I added and designed custom index tab dividers for my coupon box.  This particular box came with index cards, but they did not include actual tabs, which I like.  I printed a second copy of my index list (shown above).  And then I cut them out and inserted them into standard 1 inch divider tabs.  The divider tabs make accessing each category much easier!

This shows 4 special categories I added that make life so much easier!!

• Potential Coupons - Coupons are placed in this category when I prepare my grocery list at home.  This allows me to determine my savings and costs for my grocery trip (while using my price book).

• Today's Coupons - When I place an item into my cart, I move the coupons for that items from Potential Coupons.  This allows me to hand the cashier the stack easily for all my purchases.

• Free Coupons - I like to keep these separate from other categories.  This helps me avoid having them expire before I get the chance to use them!  I check this section during every trip to the store!  I shop multiple stores, and not all stores carry all the items I purchase.

• New coupons - This is a section that I use to add any coupons to my box that I acquire during my grocery trip.  Once I get home I can sort through them and place them in the proper category, or add them to my trade box.