New to couponing? Let me help you out a bit.
First, let’s talk about the coupon lingo you see all over the blogs…
Here’s the basics:
- BOGO or B1G1 – Buy one, get one, I prefer using BOGO because it’s faster to type ;)
- CRT = Cash Register Tape, a coupon that prints at the end of your receipt
- ECBs = Extra Care Bucks, rewards at CVS. See CVS posts for more on them and how to get/use them
- MFC = Manufacturer Coupon
- MM = Money Maker, sometimes you can make money off of a coupon if it exceeds the cost of the item, or if you are getting a rebate, RR or ECB back for purchasing the product. In the case of a coupon being more than the item costs, just make sure you have an item in your transaction that absorbs your overage because a store will not give you money back if the coupon exceeds the item price.
- OOP = out-of-pocket, meaning what you have to pay for an item or transaction before ECBs, RR, or rebates
- Q = a common abbreviation for “coupon”
- RR = Register Rewards, rewards (coupons) from Wal-Greens. See Wal-Greens posts for more on them and how to get/use them.
- WYB = when you buy
Sunday coupons come in different inserts in the paper. Each insert has a name and we have an abbreviation for all of the inserts…
- RP = Red Plum
- SS = Smartsource
- P&G = Proctor & Gamble
- GM = General Mills
(P&G and GM are abbreviations you are likely to see other places, not just when talking about inserts since they are commonly discussed companies)
Now, how to decipher a post about an ad item with coupon matchups (this varies from blog to blog, but once you understand the basics you’ll understand it anywhere. So I’m going to show you how I do it…)
Here’s an example:
Kraft Mac-N-Cheese – 50c
Q: 30c/1 (10/18 RP) (exp 12/31/09)
=20c
It’s the name of the product and how much the advertised price is. Just below it you will find a list of available coupons (sometimes there will be more than one). Next to each coupon will be the name and date of the insert where you will find the coupon. Next you will see the expiration date of the coupon. Some bloggers do this for every coupon. I only do it for coupons that are expiring soon just to help you see that you might want to go ahead and do this deal because it may be the only one before the coupon expires.
Hope this helps you get started!
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