We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGeek
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Finance

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Coupon Organizer?

Dana Hinders
By
Updated: Feb 17, 2024
Views: 9,320
Share

If you’re looking for a way to save money on the products you buy every day, consider clipping coupons to make the most of your family budget. Coupons, whether obtained from your local newspaper or a discount shopping website, can save you anywhere from a few pennies to a few dollars on everything from shampoo to soft drinks. In some cases, you can even take advantage of a store’s double coupon deals to obtain free items.

Although it’s possible to save a significant amount of money by using coupons, the process does require a commitment to careful organization. Many people find it helpful to use a coupon organizer to sort coupons by product category and expiration date. This makes it easier to quickly locate a particular coupon while shopping.

You can buy a coupon organizer at office supply or discount stores, as well as on websites devoted to helping you master the art of coupon clipping. Prices will vary according to the size and features offered. However, since there are many different types of organizers available, it’s not too difficult to find a coupon organizer that fits your needs.

Most coupon organizers have a variety of labeled pockets or dividers to help you sort your coupons. Some organizers also have special features such as a calculator, shopping list, calendar, or notepad. Ideally, a coupon organizer should be made of plastic or thick cardboard to prevent it from becoming damaged while in your purse. In addition, it should feature a secure closure to prevent accidental spills.

The Couponizer® is one example of a mass-produced coupon organizer. This system was designed by Amy Bergin, a stay at home mom with three children who advocates coupon clipping as a way to balance your family budget. The Couponizer® features a wire-bound booklet, stickers to allow you to customize your coupon categories, sorting mat, shopping list, scissors, and carrying bag. In addition, The Couponizer® includes a savings guide with tips for successful coupon use and a tracking sheet to help you record your monthly savings.

If you’re not sure a coupon organizer is a wise investment, making your own organizational system for sorting coupons is a great alternative. Take a stack of several letter sized envelopes and label each envelope with a coupon category such as “Snack Foods” or “Household Cleaning Products.” Alphabetize the envelopes in a shoebox or small plastic container and bring your homemade coupon organizer with you when shopping.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Dana Hinders
By Dana Hinders
With a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa, Dana Hinders brings a strong foundation to her work as a freelance writer. After discovering her passion for freelance writing following the birth of her son, Dana has been a vital part of the WiseGeek team. She also showcases her versatility by creating sales copy and content for e-courses and blogs.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Editors' Picks

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
By MaPa — On Jul 05, 2011

I have seen people mention buying things you don't need just because it's a good deal, and that is a definite potential problem. However, I have a foolproof strategy that combines coupon use with good old fashioned thriftiness, and you end up with the best of both worlds, savings and practicality.

I simply do this each week: I go through my coupons and the sale papers to find the things I can get for free or close to free. Then, I ask myself which of those things I would realistically use. There are always at least a few every month, and usually at least something every week.

Then, I go and buy as many as I can get for the good price. One week it may be shampoo, the next boxes of pasta, the next week laundry soap. These things end up costing me almost nothing, and I have my staples bought and stored for months or years to come. Once I have a good supply I don't even save that kind of coupon for a while until I work my way through it, and I put a note in my organizer to remind me.

My grandmother, who lived through the Depression, used to say "Buy it cheap and stack it deep". I think this is great advice, and I save a ton of money this way.

By oasis11 — On Jul 05, 2011

@SurfNTurf - I have to say that I used to have that attitude toward using coupons too, until I started watching a reality show based on people that were experts in using coupons. I could not believe the amount of money they would save.

Most of these people left the store buying $500 or $600 dollars worth of groceries and only paying about $5 for it. It was amazing. They bring their coupon organizing binder with them and sometimes find additional deals.

I saw a lady only pay two cents for an order that was $670. I know that a lot of these people stockpile their products in their home and when they go shopping they shop in large quantities for a few select items. One lady had to special order some sports drinks because she was going to buy cases of them and they were all going to be free.

They also label and date products that can go bad like cereal so that they are always eating fresh food. Some of these people that were featured on the show gave away thousands of dollars worth of merchandise to the members of the military and many local charities.

It is really nice when you give back like that because many of these people develop enormous stockpiles of products that they couldn’t possibly use.

By Viktor13 — On Jul 05, 2011

While the manual coupon holder is a good thing, don't forget that there are also several web sites that track and list deals in your area, and also have coupons of their own that you can print and use.

I prefer this multimedia strategy. I go through the Sunday papers and the junk mail advertisements every week, but then I spend a few minutes online and I end up with all kinds of extra deals.

If you are dedicated enough to collect and organize your coupons, then spend the few extra minutes and go online to round out your research. Nothing wrong with using all of your resources.

By surfNturf — On Jul 04, 2011

@SauteePan -I admire people that can be so organized and end up saving a lot of money. I find the coupon organization process so time consuming that I just give up. A lot of times I see coupons for things that I would never buy so it doesn’t make sense to spend hours clipping coupons to save a few dollars. I just don’t have the patience to do it. I really wish I did.

By BigManCar — On Jul 04, 2011

@surfNturf - See that is the beauty of the organizer. I understand that the process is tedious. I found it that way when I started too. I spent a long time clipping and sorting, but I never seemed to use them or never had the right one when I went to the store.

Ironically, it was a free coupon organizer someone gave me that made me so much more efficient. I put all of my coupons in there, and now I have exactly what I need when I go shopping, and I save all kinds of money. It really made the difference.

By SauteePan — On Jul 04, 2011

@Subway11 -I know what you mean. I have a coupon organizer wallet, but I am really looking or a coupon binder because my coupon organizer wallet can’t hold all of my coupons and with a coupon binder I can see the front of all of the coupons by turning the page instead of digging for them in a wallet.

If I am going to the store for a few things, then the wallet is not a bad idea, but if I go for my grocery shopping trip for the week, I would rather have a coupon binder. I usually scout all of the buy one get one free deals and usually will stock up on toothpaste, detergent and foods with a long shelf life that I would normally buy.

I don’t buy things that I would never use just because it is a good deal because I will be throwing my money away and defeating the purpose of using the coupons in the first place. But I think that having the right coupon organizer does make things easier.

By subway11 — On Jul 03, 2011

I think that coupon organization is probably the hardest thing with regards to coupon clipping. I clip coupons and I sort them by classification and when I go shopping I separate the coupons further by aisle.

I usually take a look at the weekly grocery ad to a couple of my local grocery stores and decide what I am going to buy and what coupons I am going to use. I also usually buy two newspapers for the Sunday coupons because this way I can add more coupons to my collection.

If you are organized and have a system down you can save a lot of money. I usually save more than half of my entire grocery bill in coupons and I know people that save even more. You really have to plan for the trip, and don’t pick up impulse items.

I am looking to get a coupon binder so that I can carry my other coupons with me in the store. Sometimes stores put certain items on clearance because they will no longer be carrying the item and you can really save a lot of money on those if in addition to the discount if you also use coupons.

I love using coupons. It is addicting and it makes grocery shopping so much more fun.

Hot Topics
WiseGeek,
in your inbox
Our latest articles, guides,
and more, delivered daily.
Follow us:
Dana Hinders
Dana Hinders
With a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa, Dana Hinders brings a strong foundation to...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-a-coupon-organizer.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.