Coupon Lingo

Us Krazy Couponers use a lot of abbreviations and Krazy coupon lingo. If you are new to the wonderful world of coupons here is the skinny on what the heck everyone is always talking about!

$?/? - This is the dollar amount you will save off the quantity purchased. Ex: $1/2 Mac and Cheese

$?/$? - This is the regular price of an item and the price after sale. Ex: $1.29/$.79 Sunny D

B1G1, B2G1 - Another way to write buy one or two item(s), get one.

Blinkie: Manufacturer coupons dispensed by coupon machines found in grocery aisles next to products.  Recognize them by the blinking red light.  Dispenses coupons one at a time in intervals.  Manufacturer blinkie coupons may be redeemed at any store, not necessarily the store in which you found them.

BOGO: Buy one, get one.  Will usually end with “free” or “half off” meaning buy one, get one half off, or buy one get one free.

Catalina - Store coupon that prints out after your receipt from a store register.

Double Coupons: Select stores always double coupons up to a certain value, usually $0.50.  If your store doubles coupons up to $0.50 off, any coupon $0.50 or under will be doubled in value.  Coupons $0.51 or greater will be worth face value, no doubling.  You do not need to present two coupons for one item.  Each coupon will be worth twice the value.  Other stores may double coupons on a particular week day, usually a slower day like Tuesday.  Other stores may offer physical store ‘twice-the-value’ coupons.  Even other stores may feature double coupons on a special promo week basis and will advertise this in their weekly ad.

DND - Do not double. Some manufacturers coupons state this :(

E-Coupons: Electronic coupons may be downloaded onto your store loyalty card or cell phone.  Download from your PC or go mobile and download to your loyalty card through your cell phone.  Grocery coupons must be downloaded to your loyalty card and will be deducted automatically when you swipe your card at checkout.  E-coupons may be downloaded to your cell-phone for other retail items such as movie rentals.  Download a coupon using the mobile ap and show your discount code to your cashier. 

EXP: Expires or Expiration Date
FAR: Free After Rebate.  Drugstores often feature a product or two that are FAR each week.  An example might be Crest TotalCare toothpaste $2.49.  Submit for a rebate in the amount of $2.49.  This item would be considered free after rebate.  You will still be responsible for sales tax.

Filler Item - A filler item that is an inexpensive item that you may need to make sure that you have the same number of coupons as you do items. These are usually needed at Walgreens and occasionally Rite-Aid.

Freebies - Free Stuff (who doesn't like free stuff???)

GC - Gift Card

IP: Internet Printable coupons may be printed right from your home computer.  Usually limited to 2 prints per computer, download quick and safe printing software to be able to print securely from home.

IVC: Instant Value Coupon.  IVCs are store coupons found in the weekly Walgreens ad.  IVCs may be stacked with a manufacturer coupon.

MIR: Mail in Rebate, refers to rebates which must be submitted by mail.  These are the traditional rebates that require you to mail in both your receipt and proof of purchase in the form of UPC barcodes.
MFR: Manufacturer abbreviation.

Manufacturer Coupon: A coupon created by the manufacturer, or by a marketing company on the manufacturer’s behalf.  Manufacturer offers a discount to shoppers in order to entice them to buy their product.  When a coupon is redeemed the manufacturer reimburses the store for the entire value of the coupon, plus a handling fee, aprox $0.08.

Match Up - When you match a coupon for an item while that item is on sale at a particular store. This is the best way to save the most money, find a great sale and coupon to match.

OOP - Out of pocket expense.

OYNO: On Your Next Order.  Store promos such as Spend $25, save $10 on your next shopping order.  OYNO refers to savings that you will not see on your first transaction, but that may be applied to your next purchase.  Most OYNO coupons have no minimum purchase.  If you spend $25 and receive a coupon worth $10 off your next order, there is no minimum purchase on that next order.  If you spend and value over $10, you may redeem your coupon.  If you spend under $10, you may use your coupon, but will forfeit the difference.

One Coupon per Purchase:  Refers to your ability to use one coupon per item.  Meant to enforce the point that you may not use two of the exact same coupon for one item.

One Coupon per Transaction: Limits you to only using one of this coupon per transaction.  You may request to do separate transactions.  Example:  If you have 5 coupons that read “one coupon per transaction” you may request to separate into 5 transactions and pay 5 times.

Peelie:  Adhesive manufacturer coupons found on products in the store.  Peelies are often good on a wider selection of products than the one it is stuck to.  Be sure to read the fine print on the peelie to discover if the coupon may be used on a smaller size or different variety of the same product, to allow you to maximize savings.

P&G - Proctor and Gamble insert found in the Sunday Newspaper always accompanied by the date the insert came in or online at P&G Everyday Solutions. Ex: P&G 5/15 means the Proctor and Gamble insert that came out on 5/15.

PSA: Prices starting at; when a group of items are on sale, such as Fiber One products 25% off.  We might write “PSA $2.09″ and list a group of Fiber One coupons.  This means that the cheapest Fiber One product is $2.09 and prices go up from there.

Purchase: a purchase refers to buying any item.  If I buy 30 items on a single shopping trip, I just made 30 purchases.


Purchase-Based Coupon: Purchase-Based coupons specify a dollar amount off a minimum dollar future purchase.  Some common values:  $2 off $10, $3 off $15, $4 off $20.  Purchase based coupons may be used in addition to store and manufacturer coupons

Raincheck: A Rain Check is a written slip that you can request from a store when a sale item is out of stock.  When the store restocks the item, after the sale period is over, a rain check entitles you to purchase for the previous sale price.  Store may include an expiration date as well as a quantity limit on your rain check.  Rain checks are usually issued at the customer service desk.

Rebate:  A rebate is a refund of part or all of the amount paid.  These are programs that offer you cash back for making a qualified purchase.  Rebates are sponsored by a store or a manufacturer.  Either clip and mail UPC barcodes or enter receipt proof of purchase online, then wait for your rebate check in the mail.

RR: Register Rewards.  Walgreens drugstore rewards program, and version of the catalina coupon.  Look for the same machines located at register, dispensing long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase.  RRs cannot be ‘rolled’ like catalinas.

Rolling Catalinas: refers to the practice of separating your purchase into multiple transactions in order to use register catalina coupons from your first transaction to pay for your second transaction.  Another catalina prints from the 2nd transaction that pays for the 3rd transaction and so on.

RP: Red Plum coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers. 

SCR:  Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid Drugstore monthly rebate program.  Each  month pick up your rebate booklet to see hundreds of dollars in possible rebate savings.  Shop with coupons, save your receipts and enter quick information online.  The SCR system stores all your rebates and totals them each month.  Request your monthly check be mailed to you and cash it like any other check!  No clipping barcodes or UPCs, no mailing or stamping an envelope.

SS: Smart Source. A marketing company, like RP, Smart Source coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers.  Smart Source is part of News America Marketing Co.  Smart Source coupon inserts can be found in most Sunday papers.

Stacking: Stacking may refer to using any two promotions together.  When a coupon coincides with a promotion, we say “stack the coupon with the sale or promotion”.

Stacking Coupons:  Stacking coupons refers to using both a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one product.  Nearly all stores will allow you to “stack”.  Only one manufacturer coupon may be used per item.

Stockpile (v.):  to buy many items at a time in order to build your stockpile.

Stockpile (n.):  a food storage or stash of food and non-food items.  Stockpiling is a key principle.  Buy items when they’re on sale and you have a coupon.  Buy products before you need them and build up a stockpile of food and toiletries.  When you run out of an item shop from your stockpile.

Store Coupon:  A coupon created by the store to entice you to buy a certain product at their store.  Stores receive no reimbursement from store coupons.  Store coupons may be found in the weekly ad, printed online or downloaded as e-coupons.

Store Loyalty Card:  A free card which you present at checkout to receive additional savings.  Fill out a short application to receive a loyalty card at your local grocer.  If you don’t want to carry the card, the cashier can look up your preferred card by entering your ten digit phone number.

Transaction: a transaction refers to your entire purchase, especially the payment you make for that purchase.  If I buy 30 items and then pay the cashier, I just made one transaction.

Tear Pad:  A pad of manufacturer coupons found near product on shopping aisles.  Tear pad manufacturer coupons may be used at any store, not just the one where you found the coupon.

WAGS: Abbreviation for Walgreens Drugstore

UPC: Universal Product Code. Bar code printed on product packages that can be scanned electronically.

WYB:  When You Buy.  Some sales or coupons require purchase of multiple items.  When reporting a deal  we always include a final price.  Example:  Buy 2 Mint Milano cookies $2.00 each, use 2 $1.00/2 coupons, Final Price: $1.50 each, WYB 2.  You must buy 2 in order to use the $1.00/2 coupon, so the final price states “WYB 2″.