Saturday, March 28, 2009

Coupon 101 - Coupon Lingo

There are a lot of terms and abbreviations specifically related to couponing. Use this as a reference as you view my blog and others that use this lingo.

Couponing - the "game/art" of using coupons

Couponer - a person who uses coupons

Stacking/Stack - using a sale, store coupon, and/or manufacturer coupon together to maximize savings (or make money) on an item. Example: Item is on sale for $2.99 and you have a store coupon for $2 off and a manufacturer coupon for $1 off - you get the item free plus "make" $.01

Coupon Inserts

SS - Smart Source insert found in your sunday paper

RP - Red Plum insert found in your sunday paper

V - Valassis insert found in your sunday paper

P&G - Proctor & Gamble insert found in you sunday paper

Types of Coupons

MFR, MQ, Q - Manufacturer's coupon

Peelies - coupons directly on the item that can be peeled off. These also are sometimes around the "neck" of the products
like shampoo.

Tear pad - pad of coupons on the shelf or display

Blinkies - coupon dispenser (usually red and blinking) near the product

Catalina, Cat - coupon that prints from the register after a purchase

IP - Internet printable

MIR - Mail-in Rebate

CVS

ECB - Extra Care Buck - rebates printed at bottom of receipt

Walgreens

ESB - Easy Saver Book - book found at front of store near weekly ad - this is monthly, full of coupons and rebates

ES or ESC - Easy Saver Coupon - coupon found in ESB

ESR - Easy Saver Rebate - rebate found in ESB

IVC - Instant Value Coupon - coupon found in ad or ESB

RR - Register Rewards - coupons/rebates that print out at register

Directly on Coupon

One per purchase - coupon applies to one item - this does not mean you must do separate transactions, but simply means if you have one coupon and buy two of the item the discount is only applied to one of them.

One per order/transaction - you may only use one of these coupons per transaction, but you may do multiple transactions as you check out or come back another day and use another of that coupon for that item.

Once per customer - one per time you enter the store (you are a new customer when you come in the store again). If you get a nice cashier they may let you just do multiple transactions, but if they are alert and sticklers to the rules you may want to go out and come back in or come back another day or just make your husband or child do the transaction for you in a separate order.

Other

BOGO or B1G1 - Buy One, Get One Free

B2G2/B2G1 - Buy 2, Get 2 or Buy 2, Get 1

$1/1, $1/2 - $1 off one item, $1 off two items

CRT - Cash Register Tape - coupon prints at end of receipt or at register

FAR - Free after Rebate

OYNO - On your next order

OOP - Out of pocket

PSA - Prices starting at

WYB - When you buy

Overage - when an item is more than free or gives you a "profit"

Filler - inexpensive item that gives you an expense so that you can use all your coupons to get items free or more than free (the stores will not literally pay you to take their things)

YMMV - Your mileage may vary - basically saying this is the deal at my store, but may not be the same at yours - usually for items that aren't in the ad, but were on clearance or unadvertised special.

I know this list may be a bit overwhelming, but it pretty much covers everything that you may see in your ads, coupon inserts, on coupons, and used on blogs. This should help you interpret what people are referring to so you can get the best deals too!

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