# How do you organize your coupons? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709 "2004-01-04T22:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/1 "2004-01-04T22:53:41Z")
So I clip coupons every Sunday. I may be a bachelor but I do know how to find a good deal at the grocery store. What I _don’t_ know is how to organize my coupons. I have a mulit-compartment coupon holder with tabs and lots of blank tab stickers. Thing is I can’t decide how I want to divide them up. About the only ones I can figure out easily are “Health and Beauty” and “Cleaning Supplies.” How do you have your organizer divided? ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/2 "2004-01-05T00:44:36Z")
Mine go straight into the trashcan… ---
**Author:** ![LadyMack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@LadyMack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyMack)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/3 "2004-01-05T00:57:44Z")
When I was shopping at only one store, I sorted by the layout of the aisles. Now that I may shop at several, I sort by categories, such as dairy, meat, frozen, housewares, cereals, snacks, etc. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/4 "2004-01-05T01:16:55Z")
I sort mine by expiration date. I hate getting nabbed trying to use an expired coupon. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/5 "2004-01-05T02:12:10Z")
Some categories I use quite a bit: Frozen Foods Dairy Health and Beauty Canned goods Snack foods Cereals Pasta and Rice Sauces, spices and condiments Beverages Cleaning products Today’s Shopping (when I’m making out my grocery list, I put the list along with the coupons to use that day in this slot). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/6 "2004-01-05T03:05:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vunderbob \* > \*\*Mine go straight into the trashcan… \*\* Thanks, vunderboob, that helps a freaking lot. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-coupons/222709/7 "2004-01-07T15:34:41Z")
By expiration date. I have pieces of blank blue paper in between the months. Before I head to the store, I put the ones I think I’ll use on that foray right in the front. The two stores I shop at have double and triple coupon weeks at least once a month, so even a disorganized shopper like me can save a surprising amount of money.