As soon as you discover couponing you quickly realize that couponing has a language all its own. This coupon lingo can be very confusing. We commonly shorten down a lot of the terms of couponing for ease and convenience, but this can be frustrating for newcomers. This is a list of terms and acronyms commonly used in couponing to help you out. If you encounter any that aren’t listed post in the comments and I’ll get them added.
$$/$$ – This means $ off when you spend $ amount. Example: $5/$25 is $5 off your purchase when you spend $25.
$/# – This means that you get $ off for every # you buy. Example: $5/2 would mean that you get $5 off every 2 that you buy.
B1G1, BOGO – Buy one get one free
BOG50% – Buy one get 50% off a second
Blinkie – Red Smartsource machine with a red blinking light on it. They are located by the product associated with that particular coupon.
BTFE – Box Tops for Education
C/O – Cents Off
CH – Clearing House
CAT – Catalina. Coupon that prints from a Catalina machine at the register that is either $$ off your next purchase or $$ off a certain product.
CRT – Cash register tape (receipt)
CVS – Name of one of the three main drugstores.
DEAD – An offer is no longer valid or the coupon is no longer available
DND – Do Not Double. The coupon wording prevents stores
Double – 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.
EC – Extreme Couponing. Referring to the TLC tv show.
ECB – Extra Care Buck. Exclusive to CVS. They work like cash on your next order.
ES – Easy Saver. This is Walgreens’ monthly rebate program. You can find the books by their ads in the store.
EX, X, exp – expires on, expiration date
FAR – free after rebate
FB – Facebook
FSOT – For Sale or Trade
GDA – Good Deal Alert
HBA – Health & Beauty Aids. General category for drugstore-type items
HT – hang tag
HTH – hope that helps
IDSO – In desperate search of
IMHO – in my humble/honest opinion
In Ad Q – coupon that is found in a store’s weekly add. You can cut it out and use it that week.
Inserts – These are “packets” of coupons found in Sunday papers. These are typically sent out by Smart Source (SS), Red Plum (RP) and Proctor & Gamble (PG)
IP – Internet Printable. A coupon that can be printed online. Also referred to as “printable.”
ISO – in search of (basically you need it)
IVC – Instant value coupons – seen in Walgreens rebate booklet and ads
IVDSO – In very desperate search of
ITA – I totally agree
KWIM – Know What I Mean
MFR – manufacturer
MIR – Mail In Rebate. These are checks or coupons that the manufacturers/stores will send you if you meet the requirements on the rebate form.
MRP – manufacturer’s retail price
NAZ – Name, address, zip code
NAZP – name, address, zip code, phone number
NED – no expiration date
NFN – no form needed. Usually referring to rebates.
NT WT – net weight
NWPR – no wine purchase required. Found often on coupons and rebates offered by wine companies.
NBPN – no beer purchase necessary. Found often on coupons and rebates offered by beer companies.
OOP – Out Of Pocket. This is the amount of money that you have spent after coupons, ECBs, RRs, Catalinas. The amount you actually pay out in cash.
OOS – Out of Stock. When a store is temporarily out of an item but plans on getting in more inventory. Sometimes they will offer a raincheck in cases like these.
OP – Original poster. This is the person who first posted the information.
OYNO – On Your Next Order. Used when referring to coupons that you can use on your next order at that store.
Peelie – Coupon found attached to a product. You have to peel it off.
PG – Proctor & Gamble. This is one of the Sunday insert companies found in your newspaper.
POP – Proof of purchase
PP – purchase price of a product
PP – Paypal
Printables – These are coupons that you can print online. Also referred to as IP or Internet Printables.
PSA – Prices Starting At
Raincheck – A slip of paper you can ask for in the store when an item is on sale and out-of-stock.
Q – Coupon
RA – Rite Aid. One of the three main drugstores.
RAOK – random act of kindness (means you will give the coupons away free)
Rebate – coupon offering something back for purchasing an item. Generally mailed in post-purchase
RP – Red Plum. This is one of the Sunday insert companies found in your newspaper.
RIB – Reinventing Beauty. A magazine found at CVS with coupons in it
RR – Register Reward. Exclusive to Walgreens. They work like cash on your next order.
SF – Store form
SMP – specially marked package
SRP – suggested retail price
SS – Smart Source. This is one of the Sunday insert companies found in your newspaper.
Stacking Coupons – 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.
Tear pad – A pad of forms/coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display
TIA – thanks in advance
TMF – Try Me Free. mail in rebate for full amount of product
Triple – This is the term used when stores will triple a coupon’s value.
UPC – Universal Product Code. This is the bar code that’s scanned on products for pricing/info at the stores. Several companies will ask you to mail these in on rebates
VV – Video Value. Specific to Rite Aid. A coupon you earn for watching videos on the Rite Aid website
WAGS – Walgreens. One of the three main drugstores.
WYB – When you buy
WSL – while supplies last
WT –Winetag. These are coupons that you’ll find hanging on the wine bottles in the stores.
YMMV -Your Mileage May Vary (a generic term for “It worked for me, may not work for you”)
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