Ever since I started reading Savings Lifestyle, I’ve wanted to be a successful couponer. I took Andrea’s Focused Couponing class last month thinking this was going to be the fire I needed to be a consistent saver. I’ve done alright, but I lack organization some weeks.

I file all the inserts in a portable file folder (not shown). Then, I clip out what I need or will for use and file them in my new binder (shown). It wasn’t working for me to visit the coupon sites and then flip through the inserts looking for the specific coupon each time there was a match. Better for me was to cut those products or product types I would use. For instance, I will only buy Dannon nonfat vanilla yogurt in the big container. I know I’ll never buy individual cups so it makes no sense to clip those coupons or hold on to them – better to pass them on to someone else.

Since the baseball card pocket sheets weren’t working for me because the pockets were too small and I felt I needed to fold a coupon to fit it in, I decided to sew vinyl to cardstock and make my own pocket pages. Nothing fancy or pretty looking, but I can write my own categories on the cardstock and even used adhesive dry erase paper (clearanced at Michaels) in case I want to write notes to myself before I head out.

I can make as many pages as my library cataloging brain wishes to help keep things very sorted and easy to find.

If you’ve never sewn with vinyl it is pretty easy, put a piece of tape on your sewing machine foot so it doesn’t stick and don’t remove the tissue paper that comes with the vinyl until you’re done sewing.

I gently taped each vinyl sheet to the cardstock to hold it in place while I sewed and because I was sewing both sides at once. It probably took me longer to attempt to cut straight lines then it did to sew these pages.

I think this is the answer I need to be a better couponer, if nothing else, my goal is to not pay full price on non-food items and to be better prepared this holiday season.

Back in 2008 when she was MommySnacks, Andrea (of now Saving Lifestyle) did a post about couponing for smaller households great tips, but some of the links may direct to her old site. But it is a great post and her site is a wonderful resource with it’s matchups and coupon database.