Coupon Binder Boards

I've been couponing for little while and its great saving money. I figured for myself that the binder system works well for me since its so easy to organize all the coupons. But as I would go to the store I was frustrated that the binder( & the coupons) would slip in every direction on the cart. I was at Walgreens one day & the worker had a simple piece of wood on top of the cart to hold the wall hooks. I new I could make my own version- "Heather style". Here is my Coupon Binder Board.


Cut 3 pieces of wood: 13 1/4" x 21 1/2" (1 of these), 1 1/2" x 21 1/2" (2 of these). Nail & glue them together. Paint. Add a handle to the top piece of wood.


Sew (or cut up a fabric belt at a second hand store) a fabric belt. I found some great instructions here. Attach each side of the belt to the underside of the wood.


I designed this subway art vinyl to adhere to the front wood.


It fits on the cart like this. . .


Ready to stay secure on the board (this was the board before being painted black) for easy carry in.



Here is how I organize my binder:

Each store has a pocket divider & pocket sheet protector.


Categories to file coupons[baking, beauty, beverages, canned, cleaners, condiments, dairy, dry(cereals,boxed items, etc.), frozen, health, household, meats, snacks, toiletries].


I use this paper clip to hold(onto the zipper part) all the coupons I will give to the cashier.

I hope this helps you in your Couponing Adventures.


FYI: If for any reason you can't make a binder board, I do sell these. Please email me: loverde@cableone.net. I charge $23.00 for the finished board (shipping outside of Boise ID area is $16.00 UPS)+ $6.00 for the Subway Art Vinyl (shipping for just vinyl $4.00). Pin It

List for {Food} Shopping

Now that I have all my meals in one binder for the next month I thought I'd share my Grocery Shopping List I take with me & put on my clipboard(which now I'm thinking of getting the bigger size because folding the list in half is a pain).

Go here for the printable. {this is my first time using this site for printables so I would love some feedback}

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FIVE FABulously Amazing Women

I just wanted to pay special tribute today to five amazing women in my town. They are the FAB FIVE FruGALS from FABULESSLY FRUGAL. I've gotten to know Cathy (creator of FabFrug) a little over the past couple of years (mostly through blogging, facebook and emails) though we don't often cross paths in person, and she is truly an amazing woman. I don't know how she does it all... But she does!! And Monica (co-founder of FabFrug) is equally as awesome.

There are now FIVE of them contributing their time and knowledge on the site. I appreciate all of the TIME they spend keeping us informed and helping us SAVE MONEY and LIVE more FRUGALLY. Their site is always the FIRST place I go to find the latest DEAL out there.

This last weekend these FIVE women put on FabFrug's 2nd annual "Pay it Forward" benefit garage sale to help some deserving families in need. They reached out to our community and blog/websphere in a plea for help to make this event a success for these families. My parents had the privilege of helping in this event, and were touched by these FIVE FruGALS' sincere desire to serve others. My mom said, "They were all such neat girls!" ...and talked about what an honor it was to serve with them for such a wonderful cause.

You can read about the event here and here. Truly an inspiration! Love u FAB FIVE!! XOXO

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{Shopping} List Clipboard

As a MOM, to make my job easier at the store I carry my trusty Shopping Clipboard. I am a "crosser offer" & mega list maker(I have them everywhere in my house). I have to cross something off to feel like I accomplished something in my day(because diapers, dishes & laundry don't count!).

I just decorated it Heather "style" (6"x9" clipboard at an office supply store). I'm glad it has a place to clip my pen on so its easy access.

I love that I can clip regular paper or a 5x7 notepad. I also attach the coupons I'm going to use so when I get to the register they are ready to give to the cashier. I've had some nice compliments regarding this. I feel good knowing this makes their job a little easier.

This is my version of a grocery shopping list. I made this on my computer to fit what I normally buy for our family. The main categories are: Fruit, Vegetables, Meats, Breads/Bakery, Baking, Dry Items, Snacks/Sweets, Beverages, Dairy, Frozen Foods, Condiments, Canned Goods, Personal Care, Household, Miscellaneous. Here is a great place for a printable list. It had many things we don't buy so that is why I made my own. Before I go, I mark what I need then cross it off at the store. I just fold the list in half to fit the clipboard. After I'm done shopping the clipboard is small enough to fit in my purse.


What works for you when you go shopping?

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Smart n Savvy Coupon Class in My Town!

Jennifer is Smart and Savvy with couponing, and she is doing a class on Tuesday, March 31st!! Let me just tell you... this girl knows how to save money! She has been couponing for 3 years and is an expert in my opinion. Her couponing classes are SO fun and very well worth your time!! I have been to a couple other classes and can tell you that Jennifer's class has been the most enjoyable and informative out of all. Go here if you would like to learn more and/or sign up for the class. Be sure to tell her I sent ya so I get the "brownie points"! :-)

Oh, the class is on Tuesday the 31st, from 7pm-9pm at the Country Inn and Suites. Pin It

Couponing Misdemeanors

Forgive me, but I have to "vent" about something (a first for me on this blog I think)... Fraud is not okay! Some couponers have taken things way too far and it is ruining things for the rest of us. So annoying!! I've witnessed a little greed and a bit of fraud with my very own eyes recently. So sad! I received an email with some copied coupons in a .pdf file the other day. I knew they had to be fraudulent because you cannot copy/paste, scan or photocopy coupons. There is a reason for a limit to how many coupons you can print off the Internet. I heard that companies can track the coupon number to the computer it was printed from, so watch out clever Colgate coupon scanner!

I also ran into an old friend at Albertson's a few months ago that took the IP's (Internet Printables) and copied them over and over to use on all of the promo items they were buying. Maybe they were indeed just ignorant, but doesn't common sense say that that is dishonest? Promo sales are too crazy for cashiers to even notice! This was the very reason that the Nampa (Idaho) Wal-mart does not accept IP's anymore, as of recent. Come on you guys!! Let's have some integrity! (BTW, if you don't have a guilty feeling right now then I'm obviously not talking to you.) But there is obviously a problem in the area with fraudulent couponers. This makes me sad. It results in privileges lost for honest people.

And Wags (Walgreens)... They are about to stop their rebate system! I heard as of May it will be no longer. How sad is that? Their reason? Us "couponers". My good friend did some homework yesterday and visited/called several Wags stores, talking to managers and such. The manager of one of the stores heard that she teaches couponing classes and wouldn't even give her the time of day. Another one (at a different store) was just plain rude to her and wouldn't even answer a question she had. (And some others were also very nice too.) She teaches her classes with the rules of couponing and how to do it with integrity, so she was taken back by the one manager that had always been so good to her in the past. Is Wags warn out? Are they being taken advantage of?

One more... Two other ladies stayed up late last night planning their shopping for the big Huggies sale at Walgreens today. When they arrived there were ladies there buying cases of diapers that they had ordered previously, one in particular with like 20 cases, only to go back and clean the rest right off the shelf. I'm sorry, but that is down right greedy. Not only that, where's the common sense on the store manager's part? Wouldn't they think some people might want to come to the store expecting to buy diapers? I'm sorry, but this has got to stop!! Stop taking advantage and start having some integrity, people!!

Now for my disclaimer... Again, if you are feeling offended and/or guilty right now then maybe it's a good time to evaluate yourself. But I am in no way trying to hurt feelings, criticize or put anyone in their place. I don't even know who the offenders even are, and if I do I would never disclose names or hints out of respect for them!! Let's just be careful from now on and help each other do it right. There. I got it out, whew! Thanks for listening.

Next time I post, I promise it will not be about couponing! In fact I have a lot more great things to share with you! Stay tuned, and have a fantastic day!! Pin It

Couponing

Since I'm really into couponing these days, I thought I'd share some info about it!

Here are some things I've personally learned about "couponing" in the past few months...
1. There really are such people as "couponers" (me being one of them now!), and we are not just "coupon clippers". We are down-right couponers, and there is an art (or skill) to it.
2. The vital part of being a skilled couponer is to be organized with it.
3. Couponing is addicting, and can be very consuming if we are not careful!
4. It's fairly time-consuming if you do it right, but as a SAHM it can be our way of helping with the family budget!
5. There are people that make couponing a whole lot easier and save you so much time and headache! Wanna know who they are on my computer?

Pinching Your Pennies is a biggy. If you haven't already, go to PYP and register, first and formost! You can get on their mailing lists for HOT Screamin' deal alerts to be sent to you daily, as well as being able to get on the forums and see what's hot in your area!

The SmartnSavvy Shopper. This is my dear friend, Jenn S's blog. This woman knows her stuff!! She was and is my couponing mentor, and one of the most genuine, and neatest people I know. She's a SAHM of 5 children, and a savvy homemaker. Girl's got talent!
FabuLESSly Frugal
A Thrifty Mom

Making Life Sweet
Krazy Coupon Lady
Living By the Coupon
Being Frugal is Fabulous
Thrifty is Nifty. She's got a lot of family preparedness ideas too!

This is just a handful of the ones I have bookmarked, the ones I visit the most. You will find many more on my right sidebar under "Deal Finders"! Let me know if your site/blog is not on that list and you'd like it to be!! I'd love to add you!

Some of these women offer couponing classes, and the first 5 are from my town. Jenn, the SmartnSavvy Shopper, is taking sign-ups for her upcoming class on March 19th! I highly recommend her class! She also offers one on one training for those interested, and it's SO worth it!

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Money Saving Info

I went to Albertsons last night and came home with hundreds of dollars worth of groceries for $125, including boneless/skinless chicken breasts for $1.68/lb and a ton of non-parishables!! I was gitty!! Albertsons had a week-long General Mills sale, where you buy $30 worth and they will kick you back $15 in coupons! (And if you do it right, you pay each time you hit $30 and get to use your coupons for the next $30 and so on.) Then if you have manufacturer coupons to use, it's just that much better for you and you get the items for next to nothing!

It all makes my head spin, but there are others who have mastered the art of frugality and have spelled it out for us. There are too many links to mention, but on my right sidebar I have a bunch of them listed under "Deal Finders". Two of them are my friends' Cathy's and Tammy's. I am just a beginner, but I've been doing a lot of reading online at some great blogs and websites on how to pinch pennies and save a lot of money. With Christmas coming quickly I need all the help I can get!!

Walgreens is another store to get great deals from! I just read here about HOW it's done.

Do you know of some other places to go for info, coupons, freebies, etc?? Please share!

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Tuesday Tutorial- Coupon Clipper

My friend Gina got the greatest idea from her next door neighbor, Tammy. She made a coupon binder to organize and keep track of all her coupons. Brilliant!!

All she did was buy a 3-ring notebook, a pack of plastic page dividers with pockets, and a pack of baseball card holders; all from Wal-mart.

She labeled the dividers into different categories.

When she clips her coupons, they go into the basball card holders so they can be seen at a glance. The pockets on the dividers are for the bigger and/or bulkier coupons.

What a fantastic idea! Thanks Gina, for letting me share you and Tammy's creativity. Great job! Pin It