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Coupon Lingo Quick Reference Guide

December 27, 2008 by Tara Kuczykowski 143 Comments

Probably one of the most frequent emails I receive is in regards to all those abbreviations that we “couponistas” use when posting store deals, so this list has been a long time in the making.

Sunday inserts:

P&G = Procter & Gamble Sunday insert
RMN = RetailMeNot Sunday insert
SS = SmartSource Sunday insert

:: Coupon Insert Schedule

When I list the store deals and refer to a coupon from a Sunday insert, the information on where to find the coupon is in parentheses. For example, (SS 12/2/18) would indicate that a coupon came from a SmartSource insert that was distributed in the 12/2/18 Sunday newspaper.

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.
B1G1: Buy one item get one item free
B2G1: Buy two items get one item free
Beep: Sometimes the register will beep when a coupon is scanned to indicate that the cashier need to take an action, like entering a price.
Blinkies: Grocery/drugstore coupon dispensers with blinking lights
Catalina: 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
DND: Do not double
Ea.: Each
ECBs: ExtraCare Bucks, CVS loyalty rewards system
ETS: Excludes trial size
Exp.: Expires
GC: Gift card
IVC: Instant Value Coupon, Walgreens’ store coupons found in ads and monthly booklet
MIR: Mail-in rebate
NLA: No longer available
OYNO: On your next order
OOP: Out of pocket
OOS: Out of stock
Peelie: Peel-off coupon found on product packaging
PSA: Prices starting at
R: Regional coupon, will be listed after insert date as applicable
RRs: Register Rewards, Walgreens’ Catalina coupons
Q: Coupon
SCR: Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid monthly rebates program
Stacking: Using both a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon on one item
UPC: Universal product code, bar code
Tearpad: Pad of coupons attached to a display, shelf, or refrigerator door.
+UP Reward: Rite Aid reward program
WYB: When you buy
YMMV: Your mileage (or manager) may vary, meaning some stores might give you a deal but others might not

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: back to basics, coupon basics, coupon lingo, how to use coupons

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. claudia

    August 6, 2009 at 10:49 am

    can you please tell me what FLIP in the food lion post stands for?

    Reply
  2. judi drummond

    August 7, 2009 at 11:39 am

    I’m with claudia (last post on 8/6 at 10/49 am)…what does FLIP mean? thanks

    Reply
  3. Kaylia

    August 10, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    Hey what news paper do you guys buy, i live in brooklyn and bought the daily news yesterday and it was a waste of money there was only the redplum insert and it had more pet food coupons then anything else

    Reply
  4. Tamara

    August 19, 2009 at 11:34 pm

    I have a question most of the of the examples I understand. However this one I don’t think it was done right:
    Eggo Pancakes (14.1 to 16.4-oz.), $2.79
    $1/2 Eggo Frozen Product, exp. 9-27-09 (Kellogg’s/Keebler Insert 8/2/09)
    $0.89 ea. after coupon!

    Ok the coupon was to be used for 2 items so how is it .89 that is the price for one?

    Reply
  5. Tara Kuczykowski

    August 20, 2009 at 12:07 am

    Hi Tamara – it depends on the store that you found this particular scenario on. It could be that the item is on a BOGO as the Publix deals often are.

    Reply
  6. Tamara

    August 20, 2009 at 12:15 am

    Thanks so much for the quick response. This was for the Food Lion post and I did look @ the ad and the waffles are on a BOGO deal, thanks for helping me get the most out of my shopping.

    Reply
  7. jackied

    September 22, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    If I have a mfr coupon for $1/2 Hellmans mayo and I get two , can I use a second mfr $1/2 Hellmans mayo, since I have two of the item? Or is it a one coupon limit when it says it’s for 2?

    Reply
  8. Tara Kuczykowski

    September 22, 2009 at 11:52 pm

    It’s a one coupon limit because you have to purchase 2 items to get the discount.

    Reply
  9. Jackie Daniels

    September 23, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    Thanks Tara!

    Reply
  10. kristen

    September 28, 2009 at 10:54 pm

    If a coupon says like one dollar off when you buy two, do you have to buy two? or can you just buy one item and still get the coupon savings?

    Reply
  11. Tara Kuczykowski

    September 28, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    You have to buy whatever amount is specified on the coupon, so in that case you’d need to purchase two.

    Reply
  12. Glenda

    October 11, 2009 at 9:42 pm

    Hey guys, I’m just starting ….any great tips on getting going on this couponing?

    Reply
  13. Anna

    October 11, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    Can you give me a list of where a cvs market might be located

    Reply
  14. Amy

    October 12, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    Tara thanks for all of your help! I REALLY appreciate it! Do you know if Meijer stacks their coupon with manufacture coupons like Target does?
    Thanks Amy

    Reply
  15. Donna

    October 12, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    For the person who wanted to know where to locate a CVS. You can call 1-800-ShopCVS or go on line to CVS.com. You also can print coupons from their website to be used at the store. Remember when you first go there to sign-up for an extra care card. It gets you all the sale prices and earns you extra bucks. After you get your extracare card then go back to their website and register your card and they will send you more coupons. I get them every week usually on Friday. Also they give you alot of helpful health info. If you need more info about CVS let me know I not only work there but before working there shopped there all the time.

    Reply
  16. elizabethlilly

    October 14, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    I can’t get the coupons to print out on my personal coupon box. I clicked the print button and it just lists my coupons and doesn’t do anything else. Any ideas what may be wrong? I can print the other coupons on the website. Thanks

    Reply
  17. Tara Kuczykowski

    October 14, 2009 at 2:45 pm

    Which coupons are you trying to print, Elizabeth? Not all of the coupons in the coupon database are printable. A fairly large portion of them are from newspaper inserts. If you have a printable coupon in your PCB that won’t print, it likely means that it’s no longer available. The PCB is meant to be used to mark coupons that you personally have in your possession. If you use it as a bookmarking tool to print coupons later, they may have already reached their print limit and not be available.

    Reply
  18. Kim

    November 4, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    I was wondering if you can use one coupon to buy multiple numbers of the same product. Like the 2/$1 campbells soup coupon, can I buy a whole case of soup using the same coupon?

    Reply
  19. rose austin

    November 9, 2009 at 8:11 am

    what does regional mean

    Reply
  20. laura butler

    November 12, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    the coupon on scotties for .99 . Target dont even sell scotties unable to find them at any store can you help also walgreens add on kleenex for 1.09 with a $1 of coupon in healthy living book unable to find this book at no walgreens

    Reply
  21. lorraine griffin

    November 29, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    hello does walmart accept other stores coupons, like target?

    Reply
    • Judi

      April 30, 2011 at 7:51 pm

      yes walmart accept other store coupons like target, walgreens, etc.

      Reply
    • Jennifer Stehens

      October 10, 2012 at 1:30 pm

      Yes Walmart accepts competitor coupons and they will also adjust prices from other store ads as well.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        October 22, 2012 at 4:12 pm

        not ALL wal marts will do this check your store policy

        Reply
  22. Molly

    December 2, 2009 at 1:12 am

    There was a coupon in the Sunday insert a couple weeks ago for Buy any Oil of Olay body wash and get Oil of Olay lotion for free. There is no stated limit on the coupon for the price of the lotion, so if you go to WalMart and buy the smallest body wash Oil of Olay ($3.27) you can get the $8.94 large body of Oil of Olay lotion for free! 2 full size Oil of Olay products for $3.27 plus tax…not too shabby! Happy Couponing!

    Reply
  23. Kristi

    December 4, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    OMG so I am someone that is new to this whole coupon craze… How in the world can you save so much money? This is really frustrating.

    Reply
    • Ileana

      June 25, 2011 at 11:28 pm

      im new too! and im confused and frustrated. i have no idea how to go about ANY of this, all i know is that i wanna save!!!

      Reply
      • Bexter

        June 26, 2011 at 6:58 pm

        Don’t worry. You’ll pick up on stuff. I’d advise you to clip any coupons you think you might use ever from Sunday’s paper and then watch Deal Seeking Mom for the specials. For example, DSM might let you know that Walgreens has something on special for $2 less than normal that you have a coupon for $2 off. Acting on it will save you $4. If it’s something you regularly use, score for you!

        Reply
  24. laura

    December 9, 2009 at 11:05 pm

    My SmartSource coupons are different than the ones that you’re listing. Any help for zip code 47720?

    Reply
  25. Janet A.

    January 4, 2010 at 6:00 pm

    My Discount Drug Mart manager in Willard, Ohio 44890 will not take online coupons anymore. Says he can’t tell the good ones from the bad ones and the manufacturers won’t refund money to him for them……The ones I used were not copies or anything either. They were from the 4 major online coupon sites. I have to go out of town now to use them. DDMart was my first choice b/c it was close to where I live. Very dissappointed …….

    Reply
    • Janet A

      February 4, 2011 at 5:42 pm

      Hi Everyone, I’m happy to report that Discount Drug Mart in Willard, Ohio 44890 is now accepting online coupons again . I no longer have to go out of town to use them. Very Happy!!!!!!!!about it!!!!!!and wanted to update the situation..:)

      Reply
  26. Donna

    January 5, 2010 at 10:05 pm

    Janet, you could always do what I did and that was to print an original coupon and then photo copy (actually several differnet ones from different sites) and put it on a posterboard and circled and highlighted the diffences (water seals, the statement that states how to tell if it is a photo copy) and take it to the store and give it to the manager. I went though this several years ago at my neighborhood food store. I feel that with the growth in on-line coupon printing all stores need to get proper training in how to tell the difference with the coupons. It’s only good customer several.

    Reply
  27. Janet A.

    January 6, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    Thanks Donna! That’s a good idea. I’m going to work on that. I hope he appreciates our effort. Love using coupons!!

    Reply
  28. Robin A Collins

    January 24, 2010 at 11:17 pm

    In response to Molly above; this is most often times NOT ALLOWED and therefore NOT the norm. Any store that I’ve been to (not to mention everyone I talk to) says that they will ALWAYS take off the lowest priced item and give it to you for “free” not the higher priced one (even if it’s NOT stated on the coupon). I guess they feel that it should be a “given”. But, hey if it works at your local store then I say, “GO FOR IT”!!!! Any amount of money we can save is AWESOME. Better off in our pockets than their BIG FAT bank acct’s!!

    Reply
  29. EMILY BRIGGS

    June 12, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    I am new at couponing n can’t seem to get the great deals I keep hearin
    g about. I’ve seem on news reports where womeb are paying a few bucks for over $100 worth of stuff. How is this possibe?

    Reply
  30. Cristina

    July 7, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    I too am new to using coupons. I don’t get the Sunday paper – is it worth it to subscribe JUST for the coupon inserts?? I think mine would be about $150 per year.

    Reply
    • Debra Collins

      May 30, 2011 at 11:08 am

      It most definitely is worth it to subscrib to the paper for the coupons. I do. You only need to get the Sunday paper because that is the one that has the coupon inserts. I subscribed to Fri, Sat and Sun only because they had a deal inside Krogers where if I signed up that day I got a $10 Kroger gift card and the price of the subscription was less than Sunday alone. The Sunday paper alone is probably going to run you $1.59 or so and one or two coupons will pay for it and you will have so much more than that in coupons. Good luck.

      Reply
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Hey there — nice to meet you!

I'm Tara: mom of 5 teens/tweens and one 80-lb. Weimaraner, who fancies herself a lap dog. Born and raised in Ohio (GO BUCKS!!!), my fave things include cooking + baking, my JEEP Rubicon, the 4x4 beaches at OBX, and checking out the local craft beer scene...
 
As you can imagine, all of this puts a good dent in my monthly budget. So I've learned how to save on the things I NEED, so I can spend on the things I WANT.
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