Couponing Basics: Know the Lingo

You may feel overwhelmed when you're trying to look at the deals for your local stores. BOGO, OYNO, FAR? What is all this stuff? Well, don't worry. I'll do my best to explain all the terms you'll come across.



AC - after coupon
AR - after rebate
Blinkie - coupons found in stores in a blinking machine. They are usually located next to the item for which they're to be used.
BOGO/B1G1 - Buy one get one free
Catalina/Cat. - A coupon that prints along with your receipt; usually triggered by a specific item that you purchased.
CRT - Cash Register Tape; a coupon that prints directly on your receipt.
DND - Do Not Double. However, if a coupon begins with a 5 it will automatically double unless the cashier manually overrides it. If a coupon begins with a 9 it will not double.
Double/triple coupons - Some stores will double the value of your coupons. For instance, if a coupon is worth $.50, you will get $1.00 off. Some stores occassionally have special promotions in which they will triple the value of your coupons.
ECB - Extracare Bucks from CVS. For more information on the CVS Extracare program, see our CVS Tutorial.
ESR - Easysaver Rebates from Walgreens.
FAR - Free after rebate
FLIP - Food Lion internet printable
IVC - Instant Value Coupon; Walgreens coupons found in their Easysaver booklet.
IP - Internet printable coupon
MIR - Mail-in rebate
MQ - manufacturer's coupon
NED - No expiration date
OOP - out of pocket; refers to the total amount of actual cash you spend
OYNO - on your next order
P&G - the Proctor and Gamble insert from the Sunday paper
Peelie - A coupon attached to the product that you can peel off and use instantly.
Q - coupon
RC - raincheck
RP - the Redplum insert from the Sunday paper
RR - Register Rewards from Walgreens.
S - the Smartsource insert from the Sunday paper
Stacking - using both a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one item
Tearpad - A pad of coupons where you can just tear one off. These are often found on cooler doors. They may or may not be next to the item that they are to be used for.

If a date is listed beside an abbreviation, the date stands for the week that the paper came out, and the abbreviation stands for which insert a coupon was in. So if a coupon was from 10/12 S, you can find it the Smartsource insert from the October 12th Sunday paper.