Coupon Lingo, Terminology, & Sources of Coupons

Coupon Lingo/Terms

v Bricks: An internet printable coupon distributed for manufacturers by Coupons.com. Bricks coupons can generally be printed 2x from each pc.

v Catalina: (Cat) A coupon printed at the register on a special printer from Catalina Marketing. Cats, which may be store coupons or manufacturer coupons, are triggered by the buyer’s current purchase or history of past purchases.

v CRT: Cash register tape (receipt). In some stores, like CVS and Rite Aid, coupons are printed on the bottom of the receipts.

v DND5: A coupon that is marked “Do Not Double” but that has a bar code beginning with 5. Unless the cashier overrides it, the coupon will double in value according to the store’s policies. Bar Codes beginning with 9 do not double automatically.

v Dollar Doubler: A store coupon that, when used in conjunction with a manufacturer’s coupon with a face value of $1, causes the $1 coupon to double in value.

v Dollar Tripler: A store coupon that, when used in conjunction with a manufacturer’s coupon with a face value of $1, causes the $1 coupon to triple in value.

v E-coupon: An electronic coupon available online that can be downloaded onto a shopper’s store loyalty card or cell phone.

v Extra Care Bucks: (ECBs) A coupon that prints at the bottom of a CVS receipt when the buyer makes a qualifying purchase. ECBs are considered to be “earned” and can be used on a future purchase (with some exclusions). CVS now refers to these rewards as Extra Bucks, but many couponers continue to use the old name.

v Hang tag: (HT) A coupon designed to hang around the neck of a bottle, such as a bottle of wine. The coupon many be used to purchase that item or, sometimes other items.

v Internet Printable: (IP) A coupon that consumers can print at home. IPs are available on manufacturers’ websites or Facebook pages and on IP websites like those run by Coupons.com and Coupon Network by Catalina. Many IPs can only be printed a limited number of times per computer, (usually 2x) but some are PDFs and are unlimited.

v Instant Value Coupon: (IVC) A Walgreens store coupon found in the store’s weekly ads and monthly coupon booklets.

v MQ: Manufacturer’s coupons.

v OYNO (sometimes ONYO): On your next order, a coupon that’s good for a specified amount off any future purchase or off the future purchase of a particular item.

v PDF: A coupon available on the internet in Portable Document Format. PDF coupons can be printed an unlimited number of times; they can also be downloaded to the user’s computer to be printed later.

v Peelie: A coupon attached to an item that is peeled off before use on that item or another specified item.

v +UP Rewards: (+Ups or Wellness Rewards) A coupon that prints at the bottom of a Rite Aid receipt when the buyer makes a qualifying purchase. +Ups are considered to be “earned” and can be used on a future purchase.

v Register Rewards: (RR) A Catalina coupon printed at Walgreens when the buyer makes a qualifying purchase. RR are considered to be “earned” and can be used on a future purchase.

v Store coupon: A coupon issued by a store rather than a manufacturer. Grocery and drug stores print coupons in their weekly circulars and make them available on their websites, through e-mail links, and in stores.

v Super Doubler: A store coupon that, when used in conjunction with a manufacturer’s coupon with a face value of more than $1. (up to a specified limit), causes the manufacturer’s coupon to double in value.

v Tear pad: (TP) A printed coupon from a pad usually found hanging from a store display or shelf.

v Video Value: (VV) A Rite Aid coupon that is “earned” by watching video ads online. VVs are a form of an internet printable.

v Wine Tag: (WT) Same definition as Hang Tag.

  

Sources of Coupons

Ø Cellfire: A website where users can select and download coupons to their store loyalty card or cell phone.

Ø GM: A coupon insert issued by General Mills and distributed with Sunday papers a few times a year.

Ø Insert: A glossy booklet that contains manufacturer’s advertisements and coupons. Inserts are distributed with Sunday papers throughout the year.

Ø P&G: Proctor and Gamble inserts distributed with Sunday papers several times a year, usually at the beginning of the month.

Ø RedPlum: (RP) A coupon insert distributed with Sunday papers several times a year except most holiday weekends, and also a website with printable coupons. RedPlum.com

Ø Reinventing Beauty: (RIB) A magazine sold at CVS that contains coupons.

Ø SmartSource: (SS) A coupon insert published by News America Marketing and is included in Sunday papers. The SS insert is published throughout the year except some holiday weekends. Also internet printables at: SmartSource.com.

Ø Tear pads: in grocery stores placed on shelves.

Ø Grocery store vendor samples. (They always have leftover coupons after their show so ask if you can come back and pick up the extras.)

Ø Coupon shop at the grocery store, they always have coupons to get the consumer to try a new product.

Ø Blinkies: the automated coupon holders hooked to shelves. They will let you take 2 coupons and then it will “wait” for a few seconds before releasing another. Common thought is take 2 and move on so that others can have a chance to get some too.

Ø Product samples always come with at least 1 coupon in the freebie. Internet blogs will advertise free samples. (Also is a good way to build up a donation box.)

Ø Facebook, like a product and usually a company will let you download a coupon they are offering.

Ø Manufacturer Websites; If you use a product and are brand loyal, then go to that particular website and ask for a coupon.

Ø Call the Manufacturer and tell them you like a product. Most all of the time they will get your info and mail you out a bunch of coupons.

Ø Internet blogs; sign up for a few in your local area and they will update you often on what coupons are available to print at that moment.

Ø Grocery store/newsletter or ads.

Ø Coupon clipping services. There are many around, you can get whole inserts or have someone clip the certain ones you want.

Ø Ebay; bid on coupons. Some have free shipping. Always bid your max when you pick one to bid on so that you don’t have to continue to watch the auction plus you can move on if you don’t win the auction.

Ø All You magazine and Fitness magazine will have manufacturer coupons available in their monthlies.

Ø Coupon Exchange/Train. See if there is one in your local area you can participate in.

 Miscellaneous Coupon Terms/Abbreviations

ü Beep: The sound the register makes to prompt a cashier to take some action, like enter a price.

ü BOGO or B1G1: Buy one, get one free. The term is used to describe both sales and coupons. There are a number of variations (B1G2…)

ü Box Tops for Education: (BTFE) A promotional program through which schools earn money for supplies and equipment.

ü Cat deal: A promotional sale in which the purchase of a specified item or items triggers a coupon, usually on OYNO, printed at the register.

ü Corp: Corporate Headquarters, usually of a grocery or drug store chain.

ü Couponing: Using coupons to save monies.

ü CS: Customer service.

ü Dead: Expired. The term is used to refer to promotions that have ended or printable coupons that are no longer available.

ü DND: Do not double, an instruction to retailers not to double the face value of the coupon. Marking coupons DND is one way manufacturers limit the redemption of particular coupons.

ü Double: To increase the face value of a coupon by twice its normal value. Some stores double coupons with a face value of less than a specified amount, usually .50 or $1.00.

ü Double Dip: To qualify for two different promotions with the same purchase.

ü EXP: Expiration Date.

ü Free after Rebate: (FAR) a mail-in or other rebate for the full purchase price of an item.

ü GC: Gift Card.

ü GDA: Good Deal Alert

ü HBA: Health and Beauty items

ü Loyalty Card: a card issued by a store that entitles the buyer to sale prices and participation in store promotions.

ü Mail-in Rebate: (MIR) A rebate that consumers submit through the postal service. MIRs generally require an official rebate form, the original register receipt, and proof of purchase; usually the bar code from the package.

ü MFR: manufacturer

ü Money Maker (MM) An item that, when purchased with a coupon or as part of a promotion, provides overage.

ü MRP: Manufacturer’s retail price.

ü Out of Pocket: (OOP) the amount of money paid for a purchase after coupons have been deducted.

ü Overage: The difference between the cost of an item and the value of a coupon, when that number is negative. For example, using a $1.00 coupon on a .75 item might result in an .25 overage. In stores that allow overage, the difference will be taken off the cost of other items in the same transaction. Few stores will return the overage to the buyer in the form of cash back.

ü POP: Proof of purchase (usually the bar code from the package).

ü PSA: Prices starting at.

ü Q: Coupon

ü RA: Rite Aid

ü Rain check: A document issued by a store when the store is out of an advertised item. A rain check enables the customer to purchase the item at the advertised price at a later date.

ü Rebate: A refund of all or part of the amount paid for an item.

ü Rock-Bottom Price: The absolute lowest price that one expects to pay for a particular item. When possible savvy shoppers wait to buy until and item is at is RBP.

ü Roll: To use rewards (ECBs, RRs, or +Ups) or Cats earned in one transaction to purchase another group of items that produce new rewards or Cats.

ü Rolling Expiration: An expiration date on an IP that’s determined by the date the coupon is printed (for example, 30 days from the print date).

ü Single Check Rebate: (SCR) Rite Aid’s rebate program, which allows customers to enter their receipts online or mail them in and receive one check for all rebates owed in a particular month.

ü SRP: Suggested retail price.

ü Stack: To use more than one coupon on a single item. Most stores allow customers to stack a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon. But they will not allow more than 1 manufacture’s coupon on a single item.

ü Stockpile: A supply of food, HBA, and household products purchased at rock bottom prices and stored until needed. Stockpiling most of the time is not the same as hoarding.

ü Try-Me-Free: (TMF) A mail-in or other rebate for the full purchase price of an item.

ü UPC: Universal Product Code, the bar code found on the product packaging that is scanned to determine the price of an item.

ü Wags: Walgreens

ü WM: Walmart

ü WYB: When you buy.

ü X: Expiration date.

ü YMMV: You mileage may vary; in other words, your results may differ.

Now that you are up to speed o the language of couponing; grab your MQs and IPs and head to RA or WAGS to snag some RR. Don't forget to check out the HTs while you're there. I founda TMF that turned into a big MM for me. But as always, YMMV! ;)