How Do I Know What it All Means? Learning the Lingo

How Do I Know What it All Means?  – Learning the Lingo

Think back to your first day of 7th grade as you head into Spanish 101 and find your seat.  You’re feeling pretty confident because you’ve got a good grasp on the English language and that was pretty easy to learn, right? You watched Sesame Street in your formative years and think that you know some key Spanish phrases.  Then, your Spanish teachers walks in, introduces herself and proceeds to say something completely in Spanish. Your immediate thought may have been, Elmo did not prepare me for this.  But, as your teacher went on to explain (thankfully, in English) you can’t be expected to know something you’ve never been taught.

Now, think about the first time you listened to someone talking about couponing or you read a thread in one of our groups expecting to understand everything on day one.

OOP, BD, NLA, RA, IP….if you’re new to the Couponing world these abbreviations may seem like a whole other language and I guess it is.  We’ve gotten used to “shorthand” in our real lives – LOL, TBT, BRB so why not in our Couponing world.

Here is an alphabetical list of the most commonly used Couponing abbreviations, acronyms and other coupon terminology:
B1G1 – Buy one get one. If it isn’t followed by anything else it means “Buy One Get One FREE”. It could also be followed by 50% or some other percentage, meaning “Buy One Get One 50% Off” for example

B2G1 – Buy Two Get One. Similar to the B1G1 idea

Blinkie – A coupon that’s dispensed from a machine located in front of or near the product it is for. The dispenser usually has a blinking light, hence the name “Blinkie”. After you pull the coupon out, another one dispenses.

BOGO – Another way to refer to Buy One Get One.

BOLO – Be on the lookout

BD – A breakdown of how the deal was done.

Catalina/CAT (MEOW )– A coupon from a machine next to the cash register that dispenses coupons after your cash register receipt prints. Sometimes you get it for purchasing specific products. These can usually be used like cash on your next purchase. Sometimes it’s a coupon to entice you to buy a specific product on a future visit. If they say “manufacturer’s coupon” you may be able to use them at other stores (check the individual store policy).

Coupon Fairy – A person who leaves coupons in the store near products. It can also refer to someone who gives coupons to people in general.

CPN or C – Coupon

CRT – Cash register tape. This is usually used to refer to CVS coupons that print on a receipt

CS – Customer Service

DCH- Dirty Coupon Ho

DND – Printed on a coupon meaning do not double or does not double.

ECBs – Extra Care Bucks. This is the CVS reward program. Extra Care Bucks can be used like cash at CVS on a future purchase.

ETS – Excludes trial/travel size

GC – Gift Card or Gift Certificate

Hangtag – A tag hanging from an item that often includes a coupon. Also sometimes referred to as a wine tag because they are commonly found on wine bottles.

HTSFF – How to Shop for FREE – the best how to ever for couponers to follow

ICYMI – In case you missed it

IG – Instagram

Inserts – Coupons packets found in the Sunday paper. The most common inserts are RedPlum, SmartSource, and Proctor & Gamble.

In-Ad/IA- Coupons found in the weekly store flyer. Most often, they are store coupons.

IMO – In my opinion

IP/IPQ – Internet printable coupon

ISO – In search of

IVC – Instant Value Coupon. Refers to Walgreen’s coupons found in their monthly coupon book and in their ads

JFY – Just for you – These are coupons that CVS sends to cardholders, usually via email offering a one time use percent off or $ off purchase coupon linked to their ExtraCare Card.

KFR – Kellogg’s Family Rewards – Enter codes from Kellogs products you buy to earn points. You can redeem points for high value coupons

L2C (or LTC)- An electronic coupon that you load directly to your store rewards card.

Matchups – A listing of available coupons that match up to the sale offers at the store for the week. The match ups will help you to maximize your savings by combining a sale and a coupon (and sometimes a reward)

MC/MF/MFG/MFR/MQ – Manufacturer Coupon

MIR – Mail in Rebate

MM – Money Maker. This is when the rewards you receive back exceed what you paid for the item.

NCR – Not coupon related

NLA – No longer available

NSL/NSR – No size limit/restriction

NSR – Not store related

OOP – Out of pocket. The cash you actually pay to the cashier after the sale price/coupons/redeemed rewards

OOS – Out of stock. The store is currently sold out.

OTC – Over the counter. This refers to medication sold that doesn’t require a prescription.

OYNO/OYNP – On your next order/purchase

OVERAGE – When the coupon amount exceeds the item price. Some stores will allow you to use overage towards other items in your order and some will adjust the value of your coupon to the selling price of the item (see your individual store policy). Some stores, like Walmart will actually give you cash back for your overage. This is not a common practice so check your store policy to see their policy on overage.

Peelie – Coupons found the product that you need to “peel” off to use

PG or P&G – Proctor and Gamble. This often is referring to the monthly coupon insert that Proctor & Gamble puts in the Sunday Paper.

Plenti Points – The rewards at Rite Aid

PM – Price Match. This is when one store will match another stores advertised price.

POP – Proof of Purchase

PP – Purchase price or Paypal

PPFF – Paypal friends and family. It’s a payment method choice in paypal transactions.

Printable – Internet printable coupon that you print from your computer

PSA – Price starting at – the lowest priced product

PSP – Pre-sale Price. This refers to the regular shelf price of an item.

Q – Coupon

RA – Rite Aid

RAOK – Random Act of Kindness

RC – Rain Check. A raincheck is a signed slip from a store allowing an item to be purchased at the current sale prices in the future when the item is no longer on sale. You can get a raincheck when the sale item is sold out at the time of the sale.

Rebate – A mail in (or online submitted) offer by the manufacturer to try a product and then submit proof of purchase (usually the UPC and/or receipt) to get money back.

RedPlum – A coupon insert found in the Sunday paper

Retail Me Not – A coupon insert found in the Sunday paper (formerly RedPlum)

RMN – Retail Me Not

Rolling – Using store rewards to pay for your next purchase

RP – RedPlum

RP Printable – Printable coupons from RedPlum website

RR or RRs – Register Rewards.  Walgreens catalina type rewards that print from the Catalina machine at the register

SmartSource – A coupon insert found in the Sunday Paper.

SS – SmartSource

SS Printable – SmartSource internet printable coupons

Stacking – Using a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on an item to get an even lower price

TMF – Try me free. A product that has  a mail in rebate that refunds the money you spent on the purchase to get you to try the product

TP – Tear pad. A pad of coupons usually located at or near the product.

TQ – Target Coupon

WAGS – Walgreen’s

WT – Winetag – A coupon hanging from a bottle of wine often not requiring a wine purchase to use.

WYB – When you buy

YMMV – Your Mileage (or Market) May Vary. This means that you may or may not get the same deal in your store. It depends on factors such the coupon policy, your coupon value or how the store reads the coupon.

New lingo is added all the time so if there is something we’re missing, just let us know so that we can update the list.

Hopefully, we’ve answered your question “How Do I Know What It All Means?” Use this as a reference tool until Couponing becomes your second language!

Happy Shopping!