Couponing is a Second (or Third) Language

5/13/11

I was thinking back to some weeks ago when I first started seriously looking for internet articles about ‘extreme couponing’.  I found a few sites, which led me to Facebook pages, which led me to blogs.  And in many of the blogs I read, there was some sort of secret handshake code language going on:

At Wags this week:  Use 2 $2/1 from 03/24 SS and $1/2 store printable here. Buy 2 pay $7.98, get $4 RR, MM!

Huh?

Translation:

At Walgreens, use two, $2 off (1 item) coupons from the March 24 SmartSource coupon inserts (they assumed I had obtained multiple copies of these inserts at the time and actually kept them!).  Click the blue link to display a store website where you can print another $1 store coupon for the purchase of 2 of these items.  Then, buy 2 items @$7.98, and with coupons and the $4 in Register Rewards you receive after checkout, this purchase is a money maker!

                                                 $7.98  purchase 2 items

                                          -       2.00  one of the SS coupons 

                                          -       2.00  the second of the SS coupons

                                          -       1.00  the store coupon, when purchasing 2
                                          -       4.00  Register Rewards, prints after purchase

($1.02) Overage!

Based on this translation, the numbers make sense when the item is a food product with no tax. However, when it is a taxable item, you will be charged the tax on the $7.98 amount.  Using Washoe County’s 2011 tax rate of 7.725%, an additional $.62 will apply to a taxable purchase.  

 So you won’t be able to retire on these savings.  But if you think of the $4 RR coupon as if it is cash, you got paid to take the purchase out of the store.  Count your blessings!

Coupon Lingo Translator

$1/1               $1 off of 1 item; $1/2 = $1 off of 2 items

2/$7               Two items for $7

B1G1               Buy 1 Get 1 Free; (B2G1 = Buy 2 get 1 free)

Blinkie or Blinky  In-store coupon dispenser, named for the red blinking light on the box

Cat or Catalina    Type of coupon dispensed after purchase, and redeemable only at that store.  Example – Walgreen’s RR’s (Register Rewards)

Coupon Insert      Booklet of coupons generally found in the Sunday newspaper

Coupon scanner     Device in CVS stores that scans UPC’s to verify prices; scan your ExtraCare card barcode to print store coupons

DND                Do Not Double

Double Coupons     Doubles the value of coupons

ECB                CVS ExtraCare Bucks

ExtraCare Card     CVS store card for discounts and ECB’s

GC                 Gift card

Hangtag            Type of coupon hanging around the neck of a  bottle or jar

In ad coupon       Coupon printed in a sales ad

IP                 Internet Printable
ISQ                In-store coupon

MFG or MQ          Manufacturer coupon, i.e. a coupon provided by the manufacturer such as Nestle or Betty Crocker

MIR                Mail-in rebate

MM                 Money maker; use of coupons and/or rebates that results in a negative monetary amount after purchase; some stores do not allow this, check store coupon policy

OOP                Out of pocket

P&G                Proctor & Gamble coupon insert

Peelie             Type of coupon found on packages that can be peeled off

Price matching     A store policy to offer an item for the same price as a competitor – check the store’s policies

Printable          Coupon that can be printed from the internet; some popular printable coupons come from coupons.com, which requires a software add-in called Coupon Printer

Q                  Coupon

RC                 Rain check, a receipt issued when an item is out of stock; when the item is available again an RC allows you to purchase the item at the original advertised sale price

Rolling            Refers to a coupon allowance, where you can use a coupon received from a purchase of an item, towards a future purchase of the same item.  Most Walgreen’s Register Rewards won’t roll, so you can’t use an RR earned from Noxema razors towards the purchase of another package of Noxema razors (as an example). 

RP                 RedPlum coupon insert from Sunday newspaper

RR                 Walgreen’s Register Rewards

SS                 SmartSource coupon insert from Sunday newspaper

Stacking           Combining store coupons and manufacturer coupons on a purchase; check store coupon policy to verify stacking is allowed

Tearpad            Type of coupon fastened in a booklet of coupons with glue on one edge; usually found near an item for which the coupon applies

UPC                Universal Product Code; a machine-readable identification number printed on product packaging, and often required as proof-of-purchase when sending in a mail-in rebate form

WAGS               Walgreens

Wyb                When you buy; i.e. ‘get $4 RR wyb 2 packages’