Couponing is a Second (or Third) Language
5/13/11
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
- 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
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$1/1
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$1 off of
1 item; $1/2 = $1 off of 2 items
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2/$7
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Two items
for $7
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Ad match
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Walmart
price match policy
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B1G1
|
Buy 1 Get
1 Free; (B2G1 = Buy 2 get 1 free)
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Blinkie
or Blinky
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In-store
coupon dispenser, named for the red blinking light on the box
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Cat or
Catalina
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Type of
coupon dispensed after purchase, and redeemable only at that store. Example – Walgreen’s RR’s (Register
Rewards)
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Coupon
Insert
|
Booklet
of coupons generally found in the Sunday newspaper
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|
Coupon
scanner
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Device in
CVS stores that scans UPC’s to verify prices; scan your ExtraCare card
barcode to print store coupons
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DND
|
Do Not
Double
|
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Double
Coupons
|
Doubles
the value of coupons
|
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ECB
|
CVS
ExtraCare Bucks
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Ets
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Except
trial size
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ExtraCare
Card
|
CVS store
card for discounts and ECB’s
|
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GC
|
Gift card
|
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GS1
Databar
|
Family of
symbols (barcode) for POS systems
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Hangtag
|
Type of
coupon hanging around the neck of a
bottle or jar
|
|
In ad
coupon
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Coupon
printed in a sales ad
|
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IP
|
Internet
Printable
|
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ISQ
|
In-store
coupon
|
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MFG or MQ
|
Manufacturer
coupon, i.e. Nestle or Betty Crocker
|
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MIR
|
Mail-in
rebate
|
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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
|
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OOP
|
Out of
pocket
|
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OYNO
|
On your
next order/shoppping trip
|
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P&G
|
Proctor
& Gamble coupon insert
|
|
Peelie
|
Type of
coupon found on packages that can be
peeled
off
|
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Price
matching
|
A store
policy to offer an item for the same price as a competitor – check the
store’s policies
|
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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
|
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Rolling
|
Refers to
a coupon allowance, to use a coupon received from a purchase of an item
towards a future purchase. (Many
Walgreen’s Register Rewards won’t roll towards the purchase of the same item)
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RP
|
RedPlum
coupon insert
|
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RR
|
Walgreen’s
Register Rewards
|
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SS
|
SmartSource
coupon insert from Sunday newspaper
|
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Stacking
|
Combining
store coupons and manufacturer coupons on a purchase; check store coupon
policy to verify stacking is allowed
|
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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
|
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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
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WAGS
|
Walgreens
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Wyb
|
When you
buy
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YES
|
Your
Essential Shopper
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