Coupon Organizer

I've had a little one home sick with the stomach bug this week, so last night was my first time escaping leaving my house to buy some much needed Easter supplies.  In my haste to run out the door without turning back I left two coupons behind.  These coupons would have saved me $25!  That's a pretty big chunk of change, right?

Well, I will not be left coupon-less at the checkout again, gosh darn it!  And since I am too vain to carry around the cheesy plastic accordion file that previously held our coupons (which completely explains why I left my coupons home last night), I needed to come up with a better solution.

Here is my new and quite fashionable, I might add, coupon folio:

I had picked up this Mead refillable planner on clearance at Target simply because I loved the color (and because I am a huge sucker for that red clearance sticker!)

I wasn't really sure what I would use it for...until last night.

 It was a cinch to put together during a phone call with my sister (multi-tasking at its finest!)

1) trim the flaps off some old envelopes

2) reinforce the bottom with some pretty patterned paper

3) punch holes

4) punch out tabs, write categories, and adhere to each envelope

I am not a huge coupon-er, so I organize mine by store/theme:  Groceries, Clothing, Home, Restaurants, Crafts, Entertaining (like movies, mini-golf, roller skating), Target, and a Miscellaneous catch-all one.

 This holder even has pockets and business card organizers that are perfect for all those loyalty cards.  And I think I'll stuff receipts into that zippered pocket.

Tuck in a pad of paper and a pen for list making and it's finished.

I can almost hear all the money I'll be able to spend on crafts saving!