Coupon Binder

I am by no means an extreme couponer. But I do like getting things cheaper than normal. When I go grocery shopping I have all my coupons laid out, I have my store loyalty card digitally pulled up on my computer, I write down a list of dinners for 2 weeks (our pay period) and check off what I already have on hand. It takes me a good couple hours to get ready to go grocery shopping. Why would I do all that work? Why not just go shopping and not worry about planning ahead or the fuss of coupons? Because I save, on average, $24 to $30 dollars on items we use all the time!  That is what makes it whole it to me! 

My original coupon binder looks like this:

I organized it in order by most important, when my kids were really little the most important thing for us to save on was baby items. Now that my kids are older and I've been doing this for a few years I only really shop at one store. I used to write everything down that I needed on a pad of paper and then rewrite it in the order that I get them at the store that takes a lot of mental work. So I figured there had to be a better way that I could go grocery shopping and not miss using any coupons for items that I was buying. And I'm a mom so remembering last minute is always so stressful. So I decided to reorganize my coupon binder in a way that reflects the items within the store I go to. 

First I wrote down seven different categories for my 7 different dividers and this is what I came up with:

Then I came up with subcategories per divider like under the food there is boxed in canned food.

Next it was time to redo my coupon binder. The simple as getting my label maker out and relabeling my dividers.

Then I rearrange my coupon so according to their new dividers and subcategories.

And finally I had this many pencil pouch left over from my busy bags that I purchased from the dollar store. I figured it was a better place to hold all the coupons I am going to use for my next shopping trip instead of the plastic sandwich baggie I was using because the pencil pouch actually fits in the binder.

And that's it I'm ready to go! Not only do I have all my coupons better organized, and a new place to put all of my coupons I'm going to use, but my list fits perfectly in the pencil pouch couldn't be simpler!

Happy Mommy-ing!

What's In My Purse?

This is my current purse: it is a Thirty One Retro Metro tote that I bought through Ebay. I love how spacious it is! On the outside you can see I have my hand sanitize from Bath and Body Works in Stress Relief (being a mom I need clean hands and a clear head) and my Peter Pan Pin.

Inside I have a purse organizer that I saw on Pinterest and just had to have! It holds everything I need! I will admit that it doesn't work as well as I envisioned it would but for now it works okay.

Here is the insert out of my bag. As you can see it has a large middle pocket, 2 zipper pockets and mesh pockets on the sides. 

On this side I have (from left to right) my tissue, my breath mints, my Victoria Secret Bombshell roll on perfume, Bath and Body Works Georgia Peach travel body lotion, Baby Lips in Peach tinted lip balm and orange tic-tacs.

On the flip side I have only my store loyal cards on a key ring (Pin from Pinterest!) and my Belle notepad.

From the middle I have my pill case that houses 6 different medicines I might need when I'm out and about (pepto bismol tablets for both me and my kids, Aleve, off brand of Sudafed, Dramamine, Imodium and Allergy medicine) my Dave's Ramsey Financial Peace Envelope system (I have my grocery money, money for diapers and wipes, money for going out as a family and money to spend when family is visiting)  and my Perfect Cents Wallet from Thirty One. 

Inside my Perfect Cent Wallet I have a pen, my gift cards, bank cards, zoo membership card, and a few loyal cards that I use often. It has 4 pockets I can put money and I often separate my money on the left: top has my money to spend freely and underneath it goes the money I use for gas. On the right hand side has pictures of my family. 

These are the contents of my "Just in Case" bag. I have two compact mirrors (not sure why I have two but I do and the Peter Pan one doesn't stay in this bag, it lives in one of the side pockets on the outside of my purse), sunscreen, a Peter Pan Power Bank with cord, Tide 2 Go Pen, a mini lighter, 3 extra lip care items (2 are lipstick and one is chap-stick but not the shimmery one I have in my purse, in case I don't want the color or my husband needs some), a tiny tube of tinted moisturizer, a tiny tube of fountain, a travel sized mascara in black and a small thing of cream blush that I can use as eye shadow as well, travel sized finger nail clippers, extra hair ties and bobby pins and a small safety pin (which yes I actually have used this a few times when I needed to keep my dress from showing too much in the front 😉). 

This is one of the zipper pockets and it just has my headphones wrapped around a clip and a small USB charger that I can use to charge my phone (with that small cable from the "Just In Case" bag), I can charge my power bank or charge my Ipod (that cable is in the car unless I'm not driving then I take it with me). 

This Retired Metro Retro Tote has the key holder on the inside. My car is key-less and we always go in through the garage so I don't need to have my keys out and ready but having them on this hook makes sure they don't fall into the purse and get lost)

Hiding way in there is my Ipod and normally my phone in the outer pocket closest to me. 

I like that this Metro Retro Tote has a tag thing on the outside, I hook my sunglasses to it when they are not on my head. That way they don't get lost or broken!

And that's what I have in my purse with me at all times! You never know what you will need or when so I have always thought it best to be prepared for anything!