One of the grueling parts of using coupons is getting rid of them when they have expired. If you are using any of the clip-and-sort methods, you'll need to go through each section at least once a month to pull out the expired coupons. Of course if you use all of them, there won't be any expired coupons left, but chances are, there will be some. This is a great task to pass along to some of the younger members of your family if possible. It's also an easy task to do while chatting on the phone or watching TV.

If you find you have a lot of coupons that you don't use, find out if there is a place in your local library where you can leave them for someone else to use. This will help you avoid ending up with expired coupons at the end of the month that you never got around to using, and it gives someone else an opportunity to use the coupons and save some money.

Send Expired Coupons Overseas for Military Families to Use

Once you pull all the expired coupons out, you have a choice of what to do with them. You can toss them in the garbage or recycling bin, or you can send them to military personnel overseas, who can still use them up to six months after they expire. The commissaries overseas will take these coupons from military families. And since most of them are working on a budget, they are very appreciative of the coupons. It may be the only way they can get their hands on them.

There are several ways you can send the coupons to these families. There are many blogs online that organize and send the coupons overseas and there are many organizations that do as well. Check the website Overseas Coupon Program (www.ocpnet.org) for a list of bases and addresses where you may send coupons. They also have great tips on how to go about doing it. You can send them in a priority envelope that you can pick up for free at the post office and you don't have to pay extra overseas shipping, which is a nice perk. It will cost you a few dollars in shipping, so the more you send, the better, but either way it's a small investment to help those serving our country.