Coupon Tip - 12/14/09

I was chatting with a reader yesterday (Hi Cathy!!) and she was excited about learning how to coupon. She mentioned though that she didn't know what some of the abbreviations that I use mean so I thought I'd do a quick list of common couponer's abbreviations! As always, if you ever have a question on something I post, post a comment below and I'll be sure to answer!

Common Coupon Abbreviations/Terms

• B&M - brick and mortar store, a store you can actually walk into (made of bricks and mortar)
• B1G1 or BOGO - buy one get one
• B2G1 - buy two get one
• Blinkie - coupons from smartsource coupon machines instore (there is a light on the side that blinks which is why they are called blinkies.
• BTFE - Box Tops For Education
• Cat - short for Catalina coupon
• Catalina - coupon dispensed after a purchase usually with a store logo printed on it from the store that you received it from. These are distributed by Catalina Marketing.
• CRT - cash register tape (coupons found at the bottom of receipts usually are called CRTs)
• DND - do not double
• ECB - Extra Care Buck (rewards from CVS)
• FAR - free after rebate
• GM - General Mills (they often put out separate coupon inserts)
• Hangtag - coupon found around the neck of a product, usually hanging
• Insert - coupon insert found in the Sunday paper
• IP - internet printable
• IRC- instant retail coupon (also know as peelies)
• MIR - mail in rebate
• MM - moneymaker (an item that you make money buying)
• MQ - manufacturer coupon
• NAPN/NAPR- no alcohol purchase necessary, no alcohol purchase required
• NBPN/NBPR - no beer purchase necessary, no beer purchase required
• NWPN/NWPR - no wine purchase necessary, no wine purchase required
• OAS - on any size
• OOP - out of pocket (amount of cash spent)
• OOS - out of stock
• Overage - the difference between the price of the item and the value of the coupon if the coupon value is higher. Example, you have a $1 coupon and the item is .99, you have .01 overage.
• OYNO - on your next order (typically, these are $$$ off coupons to be used on your next order)
• P&G - Procter & Gamble (they often put out separate coupon inserts)
• Peelie - coupons that are adhered directly to the item that you have to "peel" off
• Printable - a coupon that you print from the internet
• PSA - prices starting at
• Q - coupon
• RC - rain check
• Rebate - mail in offer to receive money back for purchase
• Rolling - using ECBs, catalinas or register rewards to purchase new items that will generate more ECBs, catalinas or register rewards
• RP - Red Plum, distributor of Sunday coupon insert
• RR - Register Reward (offered at Walgreen's)
• Stacking - using one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item
• Tearpad - coupons offered at the store that you can tear off a pad
• TMF - Try Me Free form - usually a mail in rebate (MIR) allows you to send in for the full purchase price so that you can try the item for free
• Wags - Walgreen's
• Winetag (or WT) - coupon found on the neck of a wine bottle
• WYB - when you buy
• YMMV - Your market may vary, deal may or may not work for you

Hope that helps. Let me know if I use any others that you don't know and I'll add them to this list!!