arci122 Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Now that a few ads have come out, I am going to start getting my BF binder together. Each year I get some new ideas on this site to improve it. Let me know and others know some great tips for your binder. One BIG lesson learned last year was to not highlight the items I want, but make a list also in case the store is crazy!
jenmovdob Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 I've been doing the BF thing for a few years, but after recently joining this site I realized I'm not as professional as I thought. I keep hearing mention of binders. I'd love any tips on how to be organized. Also, does anyone use coupons? Which stores do this and how do I get them? Thanks.
starbeck96 Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 I don't do binders either. I have a regular notebook that I make my list of what I want. I have a separate page for each store so I can mark off what I actually was able to get and what I still need. I'm not really sure about the coupons, but I think Target has some. I believe you can go to their website and get those though. I am not completely sure about this though.
Princess7915 Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Well - I am not the hardcore organizer like some people on here. It's just not in my nature. I do try to be more organized on BF than usual because it does help you - if you forget something in a very crowded store you are not going to go back for it! And things are so crazy it's not likely you will just stumble upon the things you are hoping to find. About a month ago my DH bought me a new itouch! I haven't had one before and I do not have a fancy cell phone so I'm super excited about that thing! I got an app that lets me keep my Christmas Gift list with me on that tiny little device! I can store ideas, check them off as I've bought them and keep a record of my budget - way cool and super portable. A+ for my organization this year!
Illinoismom Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 I have a binder that is cross referenced and tabbed, For price matching. All Items highlighted and second set of ads if needed. I am like a general sending the army out on Black Friday. We always get what we need, I also shop for several others. I used to just use lists, I used to use just a note book but forgot things and was frustrated
Kibit13 Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Well - I am not the hardcore organizer like some people on here. It's just not in my nature. I do try to be more organized on BF than usual because it does help you - if you forget something in a very crowded store you are not going to go back for it! And things are so crazy it's not likely you will just stumble upon the things you are hoping to find. About a month ago my DH bought me a new itouch! I haven't had one before and I do not have a fancy cell phone so I'm super excited about that thing! I got an app that lets me keep my Christmas Gift list with me on that tiny little device! I can store ideas, check them off as I've bought them and keep a record of my budget - way cool and super portable. A+ for my organization this year! Which App did you get? This would be perfect for me. I hate carrying around heavy notebooks while I am out shopping during the Christmas season. I have also begun taking pictures of presents I have that need something to go with it. For instance I found a cute necklace for my Mom and I am looking for earrings to go with it. I took a picture of the necklace and have it on my ipod touch (my husbands old iphone) and when I see earrings that might work with the necklace I pull up the picture and look at how well they go together. I just started doing this and it works really well. Adding a Christmas List App will make it even more efficient.
Illinoismom Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010004.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010003-1.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010002-1.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010001-1.jpg
HansieDZ Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Which App did you get? This would be perfect for me. I hate carrying around heavy notebooks while I am out shopping during the Christmas season. I have also begun taking pictures of presents I have that need something to go with it. For instance I found a cute necklace for my Mom and I am looking for earrings to go with it. I took a picture of the necklace and have it on my ipod touch (my husbands old iphone) and when I see earrings that might work with the necklace I pull up the picture and look at how well they go together. I just started doing this and it works really well. Adding a Christmas List App will make it even more efficient. That's a great idea (taking pictures)!If I am trying to match a specific color,I find something around the house (a crayon,paint swatch or anything small) that matches and carry that with me.
snowcrustracer Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 I use the "MY LIST" feature off the Black Friday home page. You can check off all of the early bird specials and put notes for each store. I find it to be a big help. http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ShoppingList
Klownicle Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 I dont' think the deals have been that good to warrent a binder. Hopefully this year all the store talk will prove worth it.
AuntieJul Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Excel spreadsheets, which I can then upload to my phone...
sweetdiggity Posted October 24, 2010 Posted October 24, 2010 Wow, some of you are SO organized with this stuff. I just use a plain old piece of paper, write down the store and what I'm getting at each. lol
arci122 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Posted October 25, 2010 Great ideas so far, but what's in the envelopes? Receipts? I use the plastic page for baseball cards to put my coupons in so they are easy to grab and I can see what store they are for.
doublehsmom Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 wow you people are very organized! I just right it out on a piece of paper what I want and who its for so I don't forget..(hate it when that happens)..lol..might try something different tho sounds like a great idea just I do just like having the paper folded up in my purse and know before I go in to the store what I am getting. Now for the coupons am I missing out on something? I don't use them on bf. where do we get them?
Illinoismom Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 Great ideas so far, but what's in the envelopes? Receipts? I use the plastic page for baseball cards to put my coupons in so they are easy to grab and I can see what store they are for.Yes those are for receipts
Illinoismom Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 I dont' think the deals have been that good to warrent a binder. Hopefully this year all the store talk will prove worth it. Depends on what you are looking for and who you have to buy for. I have used the binder method for several years, But I use binders on all the things I do.Heck you should have seen my cruise binder
noehlp Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 I use the "MY LIST" feature off the Black Friday home page. You can check off all of the early bird specials and put notes for each store. I find it to be a big help. http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ShoppingList I agree, this is a GREAT feature that GottaDeal has!
mcwalker Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 The GottaDeal "My List" has been working great for me, with key personal notes added. It is very compact and easy to fold and carry in a pocket. I can't imagine carying a binder into stores wher I will be rushing about. I may need to go a bit further, especially if I get into any price matching, but I will still look for compact pocket size methods.
tinkrbel Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 I will sit down someday soon and take bits and pieces from all your scenarios to create my own. I like the binder idea but don't think I have the patience to create it plus would be bulky and I don't really plan on price matching (I'm still too scared). I like the notecards idea and maybe I'll try the gottadeal list this year. I usually just excel a list with the stores in order of stores(listing opening hours), what I want, price etc and keep ads in the car. Usually 2 or more places have same thing so just add to each stores list and then cross of all lists when I have. I'm not as organized as many of you but I usually get what I want. I will definitely be printing ads in color this year, B&W just isnt the same for product recognition and its on work's dime anyhow:) I think my biggest difference this year will be calling around/visiting stores I plan to purchase at and speaking to store manager about policies/procedures/ and previous years experiences.
Princess7915 Posted October 25, 2010 Posted October 25, 2010 I did start off by using a free app called "Gift List" by Gennubi (the icon is a wrapped red box with gold bow) it was okay but it didn't let me delete an assigned gift that I added to a person so that App had to go. I need a list of ideas as much as a list of what was bought! So now I'm using a paid app (which I am all about free apps - I always try free first!) this one is called Better Christmas List (?) by Before Dawn and the icon looks like Santa's hands holding a yellow list. This one does lots of stuff. I've used it now for about a week and I really like it. It actually does way more than I will use. If you need to keep track of what you've wrapped and mailed it does that as well! You can take a photo of a gift idea in a store and attach it right to your list when someone you're shopping with says Hey I like that! And they you can go back and buy it later and know exactly what it was! Or As I like to do, snap a shot of the barcode then go look it up online for price :) The only thing that I don't like about the app so far (and it's minor) is that it organizes your people alphabetically within the group and not by your own priority. The app is on sale right now for anyone interested
SherryDA1964 Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010004.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010003-1.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010002-1.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f137/Illinoismom/p1010001-1.jpg All I have to say is YOU ROCK!!! If I could just get half that organized!! Good for you!!!
lbass Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 which Christmas list app are you using? thanks!
Elmck Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 The GottaDeal "My List" has been working great for me, with key personal notes added. It is very compact and easy to fold and carry in a pocket. I can't imagine carying a binder into stores wher I will be rushing about. I may need to go a bit further, especially if I get into any price matching, but I will still look for compact pocket size methods.I use this too. It was a big help last year. I would like to put the sale ads in a binder and may try to this year. I keep the master list but we spread out so I make store list for each person that is heading out.
lot-narth Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 I used to long time ago just have some ads and a note pad I wrote on Thanksgiving. Then I got a bigger notepad. Then I found this site around 2004 or so and started printing lists from the computer. Now I have list printed from this site, and pictures of the items if on sheets per store for people in my posse that don't know what the item looks like when they go to get it. We also have all the ads in a binder according to time they open or we are going there. We usually have 3-4 people (me and the people I can con into helping me) and I give each one of the printed lists and each car gets a binder with the ads. And we also have another folder for coupons.
lcplwinkerswife Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 i have a binder as well... similar to illinoismoms ... with envelopes for different stores, a tab for each store that i know or think im going to, and coupons if i have any as well. it works really well for me.:)
TazErase Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 I try to carry as little as possible to keep my hands free to grab the items I need. I carry the sales circular for the store, and a printed out sheet for each store.
coupons4alexis Posted October 29, 2010 Posted October 29, 2010 I use the "MY LIST" feature off the Black Friday home page. You can check off all of the early bird specials and put notes for each store. I find it to be a big help. http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ShoppingList I have never known that exsisted. I am definately using that this year!
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