Photograph Credit: Flickr (Emilian Robert Vicol)
In winding down this food series and reviewing your savings after checking your grocery list, the next step is reviewing your grocery envelopes.
I am assuming you use an envelope or binder to hold your grocery list, coupons, and rain checks. If you use a holder for these items, then organizing this space after grocery shopping is using your time wisely.
My planner of choice is an envelope with the store name written on the outside. When I return home, I will spend some time preparing my envelopes for my next shopping trip. The system I use is as follows:
1. Removing Items
When I organize my envelopes, I work on a clean desk surface with space to form piles and with only one envelope at a time. I take all the items out the envelope and then begin sorting.
2. Sorting Items
With the pile of the items in my hand, I make three piles:
- Trash
The items in the trash pile maybe store coupons that I did not use and will expire, store advertisements that print with Catalina coupons, and my finished grocery list. I place these items in the trash can.
- File
In this pile are my receipts and coupons that I planned to use but decided against when bypassing the deal. I will then file the receipt with my paperwork and place the unused coupons back in my binders.
- Keep
Any items that I need to keep in the envelope stay in this pile. These items might be rain checks, coupons for the rain check items, store coupon policy, and receipt (if I need to return an item).
3. Organizing Items
The items to keep are then organized. My preferred order is as follows:
- Receipts for returning items
- Rain checks expiring this month
- Coupons for those rain checks
- Rain checks expiring after this month
- Store’s coupon policy
4. Inserting Items
With the items organized, I place them back into my envelope for next week.
By removing, sorting, organizing, and inserting the items, you will be ready for your next trip to the grocery store. Keeping the close-to-expiring rain checks and coupons in the front of my envelope remind me of these deadlines before I miss a great deal.
Staying organized takes work, but establishing and repeating a process continues to save money, energy, and time while using time wisely.
Question: What system do you use to keep your coupons and rain checks organized? Please add your answer to the comments.