After Anne posted a comment on my coupon box post, I thought it may be fun to post the categories I use to organize my coupons. You can go here to see the box I use.
I just recently redid my envelopes and categories. I originally used Money Saving Mom’s system but found that I needed some adjustment.
Each line represents a different envelope. I combined some smaller categories into one envelope to save space (example: batteries, light bulbs, & office supplies).
Food envelopes are at the front of my box, followed by household envelopes in the back.
These categories are also posted in the “resources” tab at the top of the page for future reference.
Coupon Box Categories:
baby food, snacks
baking ingredients (oil, sugar)
baking mixes (cookies, cake, frosting)
bars, breakfast items (granola, breakfast, protein, oatmeal)
bread
canned (soup)
canned (vegetables)
cereal (General Mills)
cereal (Kellogg’s)
cereal ( Post)
cereal (Quaker)
condiments
crackers/chips
dairy (milk, soy, creamer)
dairy (other: sour cream, cream cheese, eggs, butter, cheese)
dairy (yogurt, smoothies)
deli
dough (bread, rolls, cookie)
frozen (meals, meat, dinners)
frozen (snacks, ice cream, appetizers)
frozen (veggies, fruit)
frozen (misc.)
fruit (canned, sauce)
health, organic
juice/beverages
meat (hot dogs, refrigerated meals)
mexican
pasta
peanut butter, jelly, honey
popcorn
produce
rice, dinner mixes (mac & cheese)
salad dressing, sauces, seasoning
snacks: sweet
snacks: salty, other
air fresheners
baby
batteries, light bulbs, office supplies
cleaning
deodorant
dish
feminine
first aid
food storage (bags, containers, foil, wrap, baking cups)
garbage
hair
laundry
make-up, beauty products
medicine (allergy, eyes)
medicine (cold, cough, flu)
medicine (pain)
medicine (stomach acid, fiber)
paper products: eating (plates, napkins)
paper products: towels, tissue, toilet paper
restaurants, stores
shaving
soap, lotion, sunscreen
toothbrushes
toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, whitener
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much Angela!
What type of box do you use to hold the coupons? And where did you get it? I am changing my organization system (currently keeping the whole insert by date in a file folder) and think this looks the best for me because it is portable and I can take it to the store and buy clearance items.
Great information on how to build out and organize coupons! What is your methodology in figuring out which coupons to use? Other than the obvious, I need that item. For instance, sometimes I will miss something because it expires.
Thanks for sharing your categories. I have an expandable file, but it doesn’t have enough slots, and some of them are ridiculously full! Time to upgrade to a box. I have envelopes marked for the stores that have their rewards and coupons for that weeks sale that I’ve pulled ahead of time in the front of my file, then take the whole thing in for any other specials I might find.
This is really helpful! I was using bigger envelopes and had them in a small shopping bag just because I needed some system to start out. I just converted them all to small envelopes and a box and it seems so much more organized! I like that the coupons don’t get jumbled around as much in the smaller envelopes, but what do you do about coupons that are too wide for the small envelopes? I folded them, but I feel like that might make it hard to flip through them.
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