1. Envelopes – For a beginner, I would definetely suggest using envelopes to organize your coupons. Just write the categories (food, pets, health & beauty, etc.) on them and stuff your coupons inside.

2. Accordian File – This is another great system for a beginner. These have tabs for you to make categories for your coupons. Just clip your coupons and put them in their respective categories.

3. Coupon Binder – These are great if you have a ton of coupons. Simply purchase a large binder, some divider tabs and either baseball card protector sheets or plain paper protector sheets. Divide your coupons by categories with your divider tabs and place your coupons in the protector sheets. It’s also a good idea to carry a pair of scissors, pen & pencil and calculator with you when you shop!

Do I really have to carry my coupons with me EVERYWHERE I go?  YES well almost everywhere..

I wouldn’t suggest bringing them out to dinner with you. Or to family get-togethers. Or the movies. I do, however, suggest bringing them with you anywhere you go IF you think it’s possible you may end up in a store that accepts coupons. A good tip for this is to make sure to keep your coupons in your purse or car with you so that if you do make that unexpected trip, your coupons are right there and you don’t miss out on a good deal!

Some people suggest only carrying the coupons you plan on using when you go shopping. This idea is fine and dandy, but I suggest carrying ALL of your coupons in case of unexpected deals. Many stores have items on sale that are not advertised in their flyers. You can also almost always find clearance racks at stores and you would miss out on those deals if you don’t have all of your coupons with you! What if you see Secret Deodorant on the clearance shelf for .99 and that item wasn’t in the flyer so you didn’t bring your .75 coupon for it? That means you miss out on this deal or pay the .99 for it instead of the possible .24 (because odds are, if you leave the store to go get your coupon, by the time you get back, someone will have already bought this clearance item).