Coupon Methods: Filing Your Coupons

Since I don't use this couponing method, I'm pointing your in the direction of someone who explains it better than I could, Utah Deal Diva:

Clipless Couponing (Or Don't-Clip-'Til-You-Need-It Couponing)

You're new to this whole coupon idea and so far, you're completely overwhelmed. You get the Sunday  inserts, but staring at all the various coupons, wondering which ones to clip and then attempting to figure out what to do with them makes a triathlon seem easy.

Maybe you just had a baby and can barely read this sentence without dozing off. You have little time to take a shower, much less the two hours it would take to clip your stack of coupon inserts. The cost of diapers and formula are adding up, but you can't muster the energy to get back into couponing.

Do either of these scenarios sound familiar? I bet many of you are nodding your heads! And if they don't, just wait, at some point you too, as a result of life circumstances or boredom, will hit a wall with couponing.

For that reason, I'd like to share with you a couponing method that only requires 30-45 minutes a week. Max. It's simple and easy, yet still results in high savings at the grocery store. 

 
 There are three steps to this method:

1. Each week, date the Sunday inserts and file them away. I used to use a cardboard box, but have since graduated to a plastic file box. You can date them by specific insert {Smart Source, Proctor & Gamble or Red Plum} but I prefer to file them by date they come in the Sunday's paper. If you forget to date them, don't worry, the date is in small print on the spine of the insert!
2. Access the Grocery Smarts lists to build a shopping list. They cover just about every store in Utah. Each week the lists are updated with the current sales. Stick to the 4 or 5 star deals so you can save the most money! After you've selected a store, press the "Start" button in the upper, right hand corner to begin creating your list. Scroll down and click on anything you realistically need or might buy. When you're done, press "Shrink" then press "Print" to print the page out.
3. Now grab your coupon box and sit at the kitchen table with your list. The coupon location is on the right hand side of your printed list. You know exactly what coupons you need, so pull the insert out of your files, find the coupon and clip it. I use a plastic page protector to hold my list and coupons. Write additional notes on the side. You're all set to go grocery shopping! Keep the insert in your files for 5 months, then recycle!

No wondering what coupons to clip, no carrying around a bulky binder, and no dealing with expired coupons. This is a simple, proven method that saves you time and money on your grocery bill!