The New Year--Big Coupon Purge

Project Done!







One of my resolutions learned from my first year of returning to my frugal roots: Keep up my coupon binders.

I will admit this fall I did not keep up. Between Marissa's wedding and getting used to homeschooling two high school girls instead of one, doing our homestudy for adoption and building projects, my coupons were neglected.

I implimented my double coupon binder system last spring when I could no longer fit my coupons in the plastic organizers. As a result I spent money on things I knew I had coupons for back home, and when I have to travel to the city to shop it was not worth waiting and going to get the coupon. If I get behind, I end up with piles of coupons waiting to be filed away and it takes way too long to get back on track.

Lesson learned:

• Keeping up my binders saves money.
• Getting behind costs precious time.
  
• Do it right away, and make the time and system work or be drowning in coupons.
• I know where the coupons I know I have are and can find them easily.
• I have to program the time into my schedule to do it right away. Sunday afternoon clipping, and on the first of the month purge.
• Printable coupons have a basket by the computer and will be filed on Sunday.
• On Friday night movie night I will cut out the printable coupons while hanging with my girls.

I spent a little over and hour purging expired coupons and my binders are looking really empty. I keep two binders, one for food items, the other household items to keep it simple. I use a sturdy carry-case that I got for FREE which holds even two stuffed binders which go everywhere.