Coupons keeping it all together

Using coupons is helping our family stretch the budget during this rough financial patch that we are all going through at this time. One of the most frugal, money-saving things that I can do is utilize as many of the coupons that are at my disposal as possible for the products that we use.

In order for me to utilize these coupons to the best of my ability I had to come up with a way to organize them so that I would be able to use as many as possible. The more I use the more I am able to save.

The first thing that I did was to organize the coupons into simple categories.

• Dairy

• Canned

• Frozen

• Baking

• Cereal/Crackers

• Boxed Meals/Sides

• Seasoning

• Snacks

• Cleaning

• Paper Products

• Beauty

The second thing I did was decide on if I wanted to put them into a binder or index box with dividers. I chose the binder, that way it fit nicely on my office shelf and was also easy for me to carry in the cart.

I used binder 5 tab dividers to divide all of the sections with. In each section I placed zipper pocket and baseball card holders to hold all the coupons in.

I like the zipper bags the best because it is easier to place the coupons inside. The draw back is that you can not see your coupons at a glance. So I have both in each section of my binder.

How to Make a Zip Pocket Holder for Binder

I cut down a gallon zip lock bag from the bottom end so that it will fit in the binder, next I cut a sheet of card stock so that it will slide into the zip lock bag leaving a little hanging out the end that you cut. Once that is done I use clear packing tape and tape the cut end closed. After the bag has been reinforced with the packing tape I punch holes in the zip bag with a three hole punch.

Using the coupons at the Grocery Story or other Stores

When I make out our shopping list for each store, I put the coupons I’ll be using in each store envelope. I then write my list for that store on the outside of each envelop and place a circled C next to the items that has a coupon. This way I make sure that I am getting the right item while at the store and it also insure that I will use all of them at check out.

 

Here is another cute coupon organizer from Glowgirl.

Glowgirl

Coupon Organizer

Money Saving Solutions

• Grow your own Vegetables: Not only will you save your family money, but you will know that your family is getting the freshest and most nutritious vegetables out there.
• Can and Freeze: Can and freeze what you grow and also what is in season. This will save you money through out the year.
• Meal Planning: Plan your meals and make a list before you hit the grocery store. This will keep you on track with what needs to be purchased and save you from making those impulse buys.
• Cook and Freeze: When cooking dinner make a little extra for freezing. Place in individual containers so that it can be used for a packed lunch. My husband and I do packed lunches for work. The children come home for lunch and choose what they want to heat up for lunch; we are down the street from their school.
• Bread and Tortillas: Make your own bread and tortillas these daily items that you eat will save you money when you make your own.
• Dried Beans: Use dried beans in recipies to stretch the meal. I will cook a pot of beans in the crock pot and then freeze in one cup portions for putting into my recipes to help stretch the meal. When you have teenagers you need to stretch.
• Filtered Water: We have turned to filtered water instead of bottle water. Not only does it save on the monthly food bill but it helps save the environment.
• Coupons and Club Cards: When shopping use your coupons along with the story savings cards. This will help you save extra on your grocery bill.
• Save your Receipts: This will allow you to see how much a meal cost and how you could shave the saving on the meal.
• Ten Second Rule: My mom has always told us to do the 10 second rule when purchasing something she says to ask your self, do I really need it? How much will I use it? Will I really enjoy it?
• Bartering: We barter with friends and family. Trading services with one another instead of spending money on services.

Handmade Lunch Sack

Since I have been bring my lunch to work with me I decided to make myself feel like I am going to having this nice relaxing lunch time. So I made myself a vintage lunch sack. I used the pattern that I found in bend-the-rules sewing and I used old vintage fabric that I inherited from my mother in-law. (Some of the fabric in the box dates back to the fifties.)

Another Way to Save Save Money!

Monday is the day I’m going to start saving from going out to lunch to brown bagging it. I do bring my lunch but only about two times a week and the rest of the week I am weak and go with coworkers to lunch, which is costing me about $5.00 a day (sometimes less and sometimes more). When that $5.00 could go to something much more important like my mortgage! That will be a savings of about $60.00 a month. Bring my total savings to…($98.00) and counting.

Saving Quest

There must be more to life than having everything. Maurich Sendak


Our quest to save! With a family of five, two females and 3 males, we all shave. When asked to purchase more razors, my first response was, “I just bought razors.” The teacher in me came out and I did the math. We as a family are consuming 8 to 10 triple bladed razor heads a month. Costing us $1.75 each a cost of $17.50. With our savings quest in mind I found razors for $0.42 each a total of $4.20 a month saving us $13.30. Come to find out all of us like the 42 cent razors better and they seem to last longer as well, which will equate to more savings.
Total monthly savings $38.30 our goal is to save and be less stressed in the end. Giving us more quality time with the children.