Comment from a Reader: Coupon Binder and BONUS: Woman's Day Article Featuring Me

Stephanie of My Heart Feels Super Happy posted a comment on my

Laura's Couponing and Refunding Hints & Tips post saying:

Laura...

I love the detail you provided about your coupon binder. Certainly no need for us to reinvent the wheel when it seems like you did a great job already! I would love for you to post or send a few pictures of your binder. I am a visual learner...

Thank you!

Stephanie

 

I apologize for the delay Stephanie as it has taken me a little longer than expected due to so much going on around here, but here are the pictures.

This is the binder I have been using since 1999.  That shows you how well the Five Star binders hold up to frequent use!  They are made to last!  The only thing wrong with it is the dirty cloth cover. It needs a little cleaning but since it's cloth, I'm afraid to wet it too much. So grungy it is.

I bought it on clearance at the time and just added an old purse strap through the spine of it to make it easier for me to carry while trying to hold a child's or two hands.  I've had to change straps on it twice now due to the first one getting worn out. lol

The inside is halved file folders for dividers and sports card pages to hold my coupons. 

The information to set up a binder is in my post: Laura's Couponing and Refunding Hints & Tips so please refer to that post on how to set one up completely.

The inside section of the binder has a mesh zipper pocket that I put a sticky note pad in along with scissors, pen, and a calculator (not shown in photo).  Just behind this pocket is a huge built in pocket with a velcro snap. In this is where I put all the store sales ads.

The pocket on the right there is a plastic document folder/pocket that I bought on clearance at Wal-mart a few months back. It snaps close and is perfect to put rebate booklets and such that I come across in the stores until I can get home to file them properly.

This is the side view of the sections in my binder. I have tweaked this a little since my original set-up but it's not too much far off from the original list. My sections now are: Store cards Refund Forms (with a section for Refund Records in which I write down which ones I have mailed in Baby (with subsections) Baking Beverages Canned Cereals & Breakfast Items (cereals sorted by brand) Cleaning Supplies (sub-sections) Condiments Dairy & Refrigerated Frozen Foods (with subsections) Health & Beauty (with sub-sections) Laundry Care Meats & Deli Miscellaneous (this is for clothing, non-grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) Paper & Plastic (with sub-sections) Pasta & Rice Pet Related (sorted by dog, cat, etc.) Produce Snacks & Candy

 

This is an example of what one of the pages looks like in my binder. It's just a sports card page with coupons slipped into the pockets. I trim the coupons as close as possible so that they will fit.   Every now and then I will come across a coupon that doesn't fit into this pockets. When this happens, I will either fold the coupon or if I have multiples, I will make a pocket page like the one below.

Using an 8.5x11 page protector, I can make a four pocket page to put in the bigger coupons and refund forms. Supplies you'll need to make this: 8.5x11 page protector sewing machine thread a craft knife

To make:

Sew the page protector down the middle and then across the middle.

Using your craft knife slit the bottom portion of the page protector just below the thread line, be careful not to cut the back and front.   I poke it and then just insert the knife where I can get one layer. 

Cut from the left side margin if your page protector has one to the center thread line and then cut the right side from the center thread line to the right edge leaving a safe margin. You can reinforce the sides with tape if desired.

 

That's a brief walk through my binder. I hope that helped!

 

 

BONUS:

Here are the scans of the Woman's Day Magazine article in which I was featured.

(You should be able to click on these to enlarge them enough to read if you wish.)

 

I have also been features in Refunding Makes Cents but I will have to locate those magazines again to scan them in.  They are around here somewhere.