My couponing process usually takes 1-2 hours not including shopping time (not too bad). Here’s what I do:
1. Sunday afternoons I spend one hour max sorting the Sunday ads, clipping the coupons and putting them in my binder. How?
2. Buy five papers
- Separate the ads and collate the same ones together. (i.e., Five ads for Pantene should be in one stack.)
- Print out the sorting sheets and lay them out on your table. (Click here for the sorting sheets)
- Cut five coupons at once. Three options: scissors, paper cutter, paper slicer and cutting board.
- When you cut the coupons, place them in the relevant category. (i.e., Cheerios coupons go in the ‘Cereal’ section.
- Finish cutting all coupons. I keep a trash can next to the table and throw the remains right in the trash can.
- Finally, start with the first section on your sorting sheet and put your coupons in your desired organizer. (options: envelopes, accordion file folder, binder with sections and plastic sheets)
5. Visit www.southernsavers.com and look at the coupon matchups posted weekly.
There is also a coupon database on this website that helps you check if there are coupons to go with the ad that you don’t have.
6. Print coupons when you have a second. I don’t know how long this takes because I’ve worked it into my routine. The boys watch Baby Einstein before naptime and I send a bunch of coupons to the printer. Put them in a stack and save them for Sunday when I cut them at the same time as the ads. (Cutting once a week saves tons of time.)
