Couponing

I’m trying to make use of coupons I get online and in the mail to make my budget stretch farther.  I’m not trying to be an extreme couponer, but I’m definitely all for saving as much money as possible!

Today, I finally organized all of my coupons.  I put them all in a 5x8 index card accordion file that I happened to have from my high school research paper days.  So far, I have the following categories: groceries, home supplies, toiletries, Emma, takeout and shopping.  The first four categories are self-explanatory, but takeout includes all of my restaurant and fast-food coupons and shopping includes coupons I have received in the mail for stores such as Kirklands and Bed Bath and Beyond.  I also have a section in the front that currently holds CVS Extra Care Bucks and %-off coupons from Banana Republic.

The only issue I have with this system so far is that the coupons are not organized by date.  I have many coupons that expire on August 31st, so if I’m going to use them, this week is it.  I’m planning on spending some time this afternoon looking at the various circulars to see if I can pair some of my coupons with store sales before Wednesday.

Hopefully, this system will work and I will be able to get some great deals by remembering to use my coupons!