Coupon Lingo

Coupon Lingo:

$1/1, $1/2: One dollar off one item, one dollar off two items, etc. 

2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for one dollar, three items for two dollars, etc.

ALA: As Low As

AM: Ad Match 

B1G1/BOGO: Buy one item get one item free

B2G1: Buy two items get one item free

Balance Rewards/BR: The Balance Rewards program is Walgreens’ new (September 2012) reward program.  Earn points when making qualifying purchases and then redeem them as a Walgreens gift card.  This program seems to be taking the place of the Register Reward program.

Beep: Sometimes the register will beep when a coupon is scanned to indicate that the cashier needs to take an action, like entering a price.

Blinkies: Grocery/drugstore coupon dispensers with blinking lights

BRICKS: “Bricks” coupons are internet printable coupons. If you print a “bricks” coupon, you will know based on a picture of a computer/printer with a small blinking dot as it sends the information to your printer. You can normally only print 1 of these coupons.  

Catalina/Cat: Catalina coupon, prints from a separate machine when your receipt prints

CRT: Cash register tape, usually used when referring to CVS coupons that print with receipt

Closeouts/CO: These are typically greatly reduced items that the store does not plan on re-stocking.

Competitors: This is the term meaning “of related chains.” For example, grocery stores will take other grocery store’s coupons and drug stores will take other drug store coupons. Always check with each store on what their couponing policy is and whom they consider to be a competitor. 

Couponing:  the practice of redeeming discount coupons in order to save money.

Couponer: A person who collects and saves coupons to redeem them on products, such as groceries. 

Couponing Policy/CP: This is the statement that each individual store abides by, in relation to coupons. What is typically included in their policy is whether they: take competitor’s coupons, take coupons past expiration dates, “double” or “triple” coupons, accept Internet Printables or if they even accept coupons.

Coupon Insert/Insert/CI: These are “packets” of coupons found in Sunday papers and also sometimes in the ads mailed to you during the week. These are typically sent out by Smart Source (SS or S), Red Plum (RP) and Proctor & Gamble (PG) they are also referred to as inserts, S, SS, RP and PG.

DEAD: Refers to a dead deal, or that an offer is no longer valid, this is often used in terms of a coupon that runs out of prints.

Discontinued: This means that a store has depleted their inventory of an item and does not plan on re-stocking it.

DND: Do not double

Double Coupons/DC: This is the term used when stores will double a coupon’s value. Example, if you have a $1 off coupon, they’ll take $2 off. Stores vary on how often they do this ranging from never, always, on occasion or specific days of the week. Some stores may also set a maximum value limit. Example, no coupons over $2 and only 10 per transaction/day.

eCoupons: 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 app and show your discount code to your cashier. 

Ea.: Each

ECBs: Extra Care Bucks, CVS loyalty rewards system.

ES: Easy Saver, Walgreens rebate booklet

ETS: Excludes trial size

Exp.: Expires

FAR: Free After Rebate (See Rebate for explanation)

FAE: Free after Extra Care Bucks (See ECB or Extra Care Bucks for explanation)

FARR: Free After Register Rewards (See RR or Register Rewards for explanation)

Fillers: Items you add to your purchase to get your total up.  Usually to be able to use a $x off $xx coupon.

GC: Gift card

GM: General Mills Insert

Handling Fee/HF: Refers to an amount, usually $0.08, paid by the manufacturer to reimburse the store for the trouble of accepting a coupon.  The handling fee is usually used to pay a clearing house to sort, organize and bill the manufacturer.  If a store chose to sort its own coupons, they will keep the handling fee. 

HOT: Hot Deal or Coupon, a deal or coupon that will not last long

IDSO: In Desperate Search Of

Inserts: These are “packets” of coupons found in Sunday papers and also sometimes in the ads mailed to you during the week. These are typically sent out by Smart Source (SS or S), Red Plum (RP) and Proctor & Gamble (PG) they are also referred to as coupon inserts, S, SS, RP and PG.

Internet Printable/IP/IPC/IPQ: A coupon that can be printed online. Also referred to as IP or Printable.

ISO: In Search Of

IVC: Instant Value Coupon, Walgreens' store coupons found in ads and monthly booklet

IVDSO: In Very Desperate Search Of

Matchup: Matching store sales to coupons

MFR: Manufacturer

MF/MQ/MC: 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, approx $0.08. 

MIR: Mail-in rebate

MM: Money Maker

NED: No Expiration Date, a coupon that has no expiration date.

NT WT: Net Weight, in reference to coupons that stipulate based on the wording that you must purchase a product with a specific net weight.

NLA: No longer available

One Coupon per Customer/OCPC: Limits you to only using one “like” coupon per customer or person, per shopping trip. 

One Coupon per Day/OCPD: Limits you to only using one “like” coupon in a 24 hour period. 

One Coupon per Purchase/OCPP:  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 Shopping Trip/OCPST: Limits you to only using one “like” coupon per shopping trip.  If you change locations, then it’s a new shopping trip and you can you another “like” coupon. 

One Coupon per Transaction/OCPT: Limits you to only using one of that 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. 

OOP: Out of pocket

OOS: Out of stock

Overages: Potential profit after using a coupon with a sale item

OYNO: On your next order

OYNP: On Your Next Purchase. Used when referring to coupons that you can use on your next purchase (order) at that store. (Sometimes Competitors will take them.)

Peelie: Coupons found on products in the store. (Don’t forget to pull these off and hand them to your cashier when you check-out. Don’t rely on the cashier to notice them for you. It will only aggravate you later when you come home to find it’s still there!) 

PG/P&G: Proctor & Gamble. A big chain of brands that also puts out a coupon insert.

POP: Proof of purchase, used when remitting a MIR.

Prinables: These are coupons that you can print online. Also referred to as IP or Internet Printables.

PSA: Prices starting at

Purchase-Based Coupon/PBC/PBQ: 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.

Q: Coupon

Rain check/RC: A slip you can ask for in the store when an item’s on sale and out-of-stock. Some sales will specifically say “No rain checks” and some stores will put an expiration date on their rain checks

R: Regional coupon, will be listed after insert date as applicable

Rebate:  A rebate is a refund of part or the entire amount paid.  Rebates are sponsored by a store or a manufacturer.  Either clip and mail UPC bar-codes or enter receipt proof of purchase online, then wait for your rebate check in the mail.

RP: Red Plum. This is a coupon insert that you’ll either find in your paper or the mail.

Rolling Catalinas/RCAT: This means that you can use a catalina (see definition) as payment on another transaction of equal merchandise and another catalina will still print. Example, if you buy 5 “name brand items,” a $5 catalina will print. If you then buy another set of those same 5 “name brand items,” you can use the previous catalina you received as payment towards the order and another $5 catalina will print.

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 bar-codes or UPCs, no mailing or stamping an envelope.

S or SS: Smart Source. This is a big name coupon source. They not only send out inserts in the papers but they also have an online site with printables.

Stacking Coupons/SC/SQ: This is the term used when stores will let you use their own store coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for the same item. Example: Most Targets would let you use their $ off “specific brand” product coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for that same “specific brand” product.

STOCKPILE: Is a pile or storage location for bulk materials, including groceries, personal care or household products.

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/SLC:  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.

Triple Coupons/TC: This is the term used when stores will triple a coupon’s value. Example, if you have a $1 off coupon, they’ll take $3 off. Stores vary on how often they do this ranging from never, always, and on occasion or specific days of the week. Some stores may also set a maximum value limit. Example, no coupons over $2 and only 10 per transaction/day.

TMF: Try Me Free

Tearpad/TP: Pad of coupons attached to a display, shelf, or refrigerator door.

+UP Reward/UR: Rite Aid reward program

UPC: Universal product code, bar code

WAGS: Abbreviation for Walgreens

WSL: While Supplies Last

WT: Wine Tag. These are coupons that you’ll find hanging on the wine bottles in the stores.

WYB: When you buy

YMMV: Your mileage (or manager) may vary, meaning some stores might give you a deal but others might not

If I missed anything, please let me know so I can get it added!

I hope this helps everyone!