Coupon Organization Revisited (Or How My Droid is Changing The Way I Organize Coupons)

As I mentioned last month, I finally got a smart phone, a Motorola Droid. I’m enjoying my new phone so far, and one thing it’s done is change how I organize my coupons. Again.

I’ve tried multiple methods, including clipping only those coupons I need for the week and filing the inserts at home, but that made me feel I was missing out on deals because I’d be in the store and not have a coupon for a clearance item. So then I tried carrying the unclipped inserts with me, but that proved too unwieldy. I’d be in a store, knowing I had a coupon, but not be able to remember which insert it was in so I’d be standing in the aisle flipping through page after page (yes, that was me). Plus, after a couple of months, the inserts got heavy.

I went back to clipping every coupon, and filing the coupons in organizer wallets that I picked up in Target’s dollar spot. But my grocery wallet always threatened to explode, and clipping every coupon that comes my way is time consuming.

About three weeks ago, it occurred to me that I can easily look up the source of a coupon now that I have my Droid. I don’t even have to log in to Coupon Mom to view the regional coupon database.

So now, I’m clipping coupons for those products that I am likely to buy if they’re on sale and I have coupons, but leaving the inserts mostly intact. I’m filing them by date in an expanding file folder that OfficeMax sent me a while back (similar to this one). I bring the folder with me when I go shopping, but leave it in the car. If I see an incredible deal in the store that I just can’t pass up, I can always go clip the coupon, but that doesn’t happen too often.

My coupon wallets are so much more manageable now, and I’m a happy camper because I don’t have to spend nearly as much time clipping and sorting coupons!