Coupon Notebook

One of the ways I save our family money is to clip coupons on Sunday's out of the local paper.  I found when I started this that I would clip the coupon and then not use it or it would expire before I remembered I had it.  The way I fixed this is I bought myself a handy dandy notebook!

The first thing in the notebook is a zipper pouch.  In it I put a pair of scissors, extra tabs, a pen, etc.

Next in the notebook I put baseball card sleeves to stick the coupons in.  I separated these by aisle at the grocery store.  For example Baking, Cookies and Crackers, Can Goods, etc.  I put the coupons in the sleeves so that I can see what the product is and exp. date. 

After all of my coupons I have a section of recipes that I want to try and ones we use often but I just can seem to remember everything that goes in it!

And I have a page protector that I put all of my recipes in.  At one point I want to add a list of items we buy each week and the price of them so that I can look and see if another store has them on sale.

I am currently creating a weekly calendar that has a place to right what meals we will have and a shopping list so that I will know just what I need.  I am a lover of lists so this really helps me.  And helps me not buy unnecessary things!!!

I know it sounds like a lot but once I got the notebook together now each week I clip the coupons I think I will need and then make my list of items I need for the week.  I plan out all of our meals so that I can use leftovers to make another meal the next day.  I have found this really helps me to save my family money!!  It feels so good when the cashier totals our bill and I hand her the coupons and she scans then and I see just how much I saved!!

What things have you found that helps you with using coupons?