Tip Tuesday: Traveling with Lists and Coupons!

Ever find yourself buried in Post-It notes with grocery lists written on them? Or do you feel overwhelmed by the enormous amount of perk cards and coupons in your purse? Lose your handwritten list? Realized you left your list at home? Buried in receipts as they float in your purse?

If you feel like this, read on. I certainly have felt this way lately...forgetful...unprepared to make a grocery run.

I decided it was time to implement a few organizational tips toward my bursting wallet and floating papers in my purse, modifying my shopping strategy to be more efficient and proactive.

Several years ago, I took a small, hand held three ring binder with plastic business card cover sheets. I turned this binder into an organizer for coupons, cards, and miscellaneous papers like receipts and grocery lists. The binder would keep the items nice and flat while also making them portable so you actually remember to use them.

It works if I use it. I update it periodically with my coupons. I have my reward cards, library cards, gift cards, and important cards sorted accordingly. I can keep the small binder in my car or my purse for easy access. Then if my husband or I run an impromptu errand or make restaurant stop, we take a quick peek inside for a coupon. It is that simple.

I showed this to one of our readers a few years back as well. She had a drawer full of this kind of miscellaneous, important, but not sure what do with, papers that you need for the road. And she had an empty small binder. We put it together. Realizing what she had available, she put it in her purse, and started using it right away, thus saving time and money.

This binder keeps all sorts of cards, documents, and papers....Library cards, reward cards, punch cards, credit cards we do not use very often, coupons, cash for emergencies, and even personal documents as their transported. These typically are small enough to fit in the plastic business card pockets thus protecting the item and allowing quick viewing and easy access. Bigger items fit in the front of the binder. And believe it or not, they make a pocket for cash that will fit in your tiny binder (just go to an office store).

So if you are feeling overwhelmed with these papers or if your purse is, try organizing them in a binder for a while. Modify this idea to make it work for your particular needs. Some people like file folders instead.

Being proactive will save you time and money...and give you a better piece of mind...Just saying...