Coupon Jargon and Abbreviations
Are you tired of trying to crack the codes on coupons like a detective? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this beginner’s guide, we’ll uncover the secret language of coupons and help you decipher those mysterious acronyms. Say goodbye to the confusion and hello to the savings as we take you on a journey through the world of coupon lingo. Get ready to unlock incredible deals with ease-no magnifying glass required!
It’s coupon jargon and abbreviations for you!
Welcome savvy shoppers! Are you ready to unlock the secrets of couponing? Well, you’ve come to the right place because today we’re going to delve into the world of coupon terms and acronyms. If you’ve ever felt lost in a sea of acronyms like BOGO, MFR, or OOP, fear not! We’ll be your guide as we demystify these mysterious codes and empower you with insider knowledge. Get ready to save big and speak the language of savings like a pro – let’s crack the code together in this ultimate coupon crash course!
$1/$2, $2/$2, etc:$1 for both products, $2 for both products, etc. You have to buy 2 items to get any savings; you can’t redeem a coupon for half the value of one product.
Bipolar Disorder:Crash. A summary of your shopping trip, including coupons used, stores, out-of-pocket expenses, sale prices, etc.
Buy One Get One Free. Usually ends in “free” or “half off,” meaning buy one, get half off, or buy one, get one free.
B1G1, B2G1: Another way to write “buy one, buy one”. The “B” stands for “buy” and the “G” stands for “get”. These numbers indicate how many products you must buy to qualify and how many you get when you redeem a coupon or offer. Buy one, get one free. B2G1=Buy two, get one free. B2G2=Buy two, get two free.
Blinkie:Manufacturer coupons given out at the coupon machine next to the products in the grocery store aisle. Recognize them by the blinking red light. Distribute a coupon every so often. Manufacturer blinkie coupons can be redeemed at any store, not necessarily the one where you found them.
Cat; Catalina: The Catalina Coupon Machine, sometimes abbreviated “CAT”, located at the cash register, dispenses coupons in the form of long receipts that can be used for future purchases.
Catalinas, which refer to the coupons themselves, may be manufacturer or store coupons. Some Catalina coupons are advertised, some are generated based on consumer behavior.
Coupon: A coupon circular attached to a Sunday newspaper ad. Smart Source (SS), Red Plum (RP), and Proctor and Gamble (PG) offer coupon inserts, sometimes referred to simply as “inserts”. Coupons are a valuable money-saving tool!
Coupon; ask; a note from a store or manufacturer giving a customer a discount on a specific product. Coupons can be clipped from newspapers, printed from the Internet, or even downloaded onto your store membership card.
(v) The act of redeeming a discount coupon to save money.
Coupon user:A person who collects and saves coupons to redeem for goods, such as groceries.
Double coupon:Certain stores always double coupons up to a certain value, usually $0.50. If your store doubles coupons to $0.50, any coupon of $0.50 or less will double in value. Coupons of $0.51 or more will be equal to face value and will not be doubled. You do not need two coupons for an item. Each coupon is worth twice as much. Other stores may double coupons on certain weekdays, usually slower days like Tuesday. Other stores may offer “double the value” coupons for physical stores. Even other stores may offer double coupons during special promotional weeks and advertise this in their weekly ads.
Vouchers: E-coupons are digital coupons; they can be downloaded to your store membership card or cell phone. Download them from your computer or via your cell phone to your loyalty card. Grocery coupons must be downloaded to your loyalty card and are automatically deducted when you swipe your card at checkout. E-coupons can be downloaded to your phone for other retail items such as movie rentals. Use the mobile app to download the coupon and show the cashier your discount code.
ECB or Extra Care Bucks: the CVS rewards program, formerly known as ECBs. extra bucks print based on the store’s weekly or monthly ad deals. When you make a qualifying purchase, you will receive the coordinating Extra Bucks value shown in the ad. Extra Bucks are similar to Catalina or Signup Bonuses, but they are printed directly at the bottom of the receipt.
EXP: Expired or Expiration Date.
Gift Card, a term used for transactions when a gift card is given.
Handling Fee:Usually $0.08, this is a fee paid by the manufacturer to the store to compensate the store for the hassle of accepting the coupon. The processing fee usually pays the bill clearing house to sort, organize and invoice the manufacturer. If the store chooses to sort the coupons themselves, they keep the processing fee.
IP:Internet Printable Coupons
ISO:In Search Of. A term used when searching for a specific coupon or item.
MIR:Mail-in rebate, a rebate that must be submitted by mail. These are traditional rebates that require you to mail in proof of purchase in the form of a receipt and UPC barcode. Manufacturer:The company that produces a branded product: manufacturer of Dove soap, manufacturer of Pace Salsa, etc.
MQ;Manufacturer Coupon:A coupon produced by a manufacturer or a marketing company acting on behalf of a manufacturer. Manufacturers offer discounts to customers to entice them to buy their products. When redeeming a coupon, the manufacturer will reimburse the store for the full value of the coupon plus a processing fee of approximately $0.08.
MM:Money Maker; you will make money from this transaction.
NLA:No Longer Available.
One Coupon per Purchase:Means you can only use one coupon per item. This means you cannot use two of the exact same coupon for the same item.
One Coupon Per Transaction:Restricts you to using only one coupon per transaction. You can request separate transactions. For example, if you have 5 coupons that say “one coupon per transaction”, you can request that they be split into 5 transactions and paid for 5 times.
For: Out of pocket. How much do you really pay?
Sticky: Adhesive manufacturer coupons found on products in stores. Peeps are usually good for a wider selection of products than the one it’s sticking to. Be sure to read the small print on the coupon to see if the coupon can be used on a smaller size or a different variety of the same product, allowing you to maximize your savings.
Procter & Gamble:Procter & Gamble produces a wide variety of consumer products and is one of the largest companies in the world. P&G offers monthly coupon inserts filled with coupons for a variety of brands produced by P&G, including:Always, Bounty, Crest, Dawn, Gillette, Olay, Pampers, and Tide.
Page; Plenti Points; Rite Aid Rewards Program. Shop at Rite Aid to earn PP. they are applied to your card and available the next morning.
Purchase:A purchase is the purchase of any item. If I buy 30 items in one shopping trip, I buy 30 items.
Purchase-Based Coupon:A purchase-based coupon specifies the minimum amount to be subtracted from a future purchase. Some common values:$2 off $10, $3 off $15, $4 off $20. Purchase-based coupons can be used in addition to store and manufacturer coupons.
Reinforced Concrete; Refundable Checks:A refundable check is a written document that you can request from a store when a discounted item is out of stock. When the store restocks the item at the end of the sale period, you will be entitled to purchase it at the previous sale price. The store may include an expiration date and quantity limit on your next check. Rescheduled checks are usually issued at the customer service desk.
Rebate:A rebate is a refund of some or all of the amount paid.
It refers to a program that provides you with a cash rebate to qualify your purchase. Discounts are sponsored by stores or manufacturers. Either clip and mail a UPC barcode or enter a receipt to prove your purchase online and then wait for your rebate check in the mail.
Sign up for rewards. Walgreens Pharmacy Rewards program, and a version of Catalina Coupons. Look for the same machine at the register that dispenses long receipt-like coupons that may be used on future purchases. rs can’t be “rolled” like Catalina.
Rolling Catalina: This refers to the practice of splitting your purchase into multiple transactions in order to use the registered Catalina coupon from the first transaction to pay for your second transaction. Another catalina is printed from the second transaction to pay for the third transaction, and so on.
Save; Save Inserts; Formerly known as Red Plum Coupon Inserts; Paper coupons come in the form of insert booklets on Sundays
SS: Smart Source. marketing companies such as RP, Smart Source Coupon Inserts and websites that offer coupons from a variety of manufacturers. smart source is part of the news marketing company of america. smart source coupon inserts can be found in most Sunday newspapers.
Stacking:Stacking can refer to any two promotions used at the same time. When a coupon and a promotion appear together, we say “put the coupon and the promotion together”.
Stacking Coupons: Stacking coupons is the use of both a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same product. Almost all stores allow you to “stack”. Only one manufacturer’s coupon may be used per item.
Inventory (n). Food Pantry Food and non-food pantries Buy things on sale and you’ll get coupons. Buy products before you need them and stock up on food and toiletries.
Store coupons; coupons made by stores to entice you to buy a certain product at their store. Stores do not get refunds from store coupons. Store coupons can be found in weekly ads, printed online or downloaded as e-coupons.
Store Loyalty Card:A free card that you present at checkout for additional savings. Fill out a short application to get a loyalty card at your local grocery store. If you don’t want to carry a card, the cashier can find your preferred card by entering your ten-digit phone number.
Transactions:Transactions refer to your entire purchase, especially what you paid for the purchase. If I buy 30 items and then pay the cashier, I’ve only made one transaction.
Torn Paper:TP;Found a stack of manufacturer’s coupons near a product in the shopping aisle. Tearpad manufacturer’s coupons can be used at any store, not just where you find the coupons.
WAGS: abbreviation for Walgreens Pharmacy
WC; Walgreens Cash; money you earn when you buy something at Walgreens
UPC:Universal Product Code. An electronically scannable bar code printed on product packaging.
WYB:When you buy. Some sales or coupons require the purchase of multiple items. We always include the final price when reporting KCL transactions. Example: Purchase 2 Mint Milano Cookies for $2 each and use 1 $1/2 coupon, final price: $1.50 each, WYB 2. You must purchase 2 to use the $1.00/2 coupon, so the final price is shown as “WYB 2″.
YMMV: Your mileage may vary. Not everywhere, stores vary
By familiarizing yourself with coupon terms and acronyms, you can unlock the potential to save money with coupons. From buy one get one free to MIR, you now have a better understanding of what these terms mean and how they can help you save money at the register. So next time you’re browsing for specials and discounts, don’t get overwhelmed by all the acronyms – instead, use them to save you money! Happy shopping!
