Blinkies. Manufacturer coupons that come out of those annoying (unless they’re great coupons) boxes on store shelves. Called blinkies because of the little blinking red lights, although the term is still used for boxes without the lights.
B&M. Brick and mortar stores
BOGO or B1G1. Buy one, get one free, as in BOGO coupon. Use a BOGO coupon during a BOGO store sale and you’ve got two free products!
Catalina. A coupon that prints out of that little machine by the register when you purchase certain items – usually prints after payment, but not always. These are called catalinas or cats after the company that handles the promotions – the Catalina Marketing Company. So when you hear someone is “rolling their cats,” don’t be alarmed!
ECB. Extra Care Bucks. The coupons that print on your CVS receipt. They can be used for payment without limit (other than you can’t use them for taxes) – unlike Walgreens.
Hangtags. Coupons that are hanging from products on the shelf.
IP. Internet Printable. Coupons you can locate and print online and use in a B&M store. IPs are generally limited to two prints per computer.
Magic Coupon Machine. The shiny red machines at CVS that print out a row of store coupons and occasionally free stuff when you scan your loyalty card(s). These are wonderful to stack with mfr coupons and sales. You also earn credits for buying amounts by quarter (and there’s a Beauty Club which currently issues a $5 store credit when you hit $50 thresholds).
Mfr. manufacturer
MIR. Mail In Rebate
Newbie. Someone new to couponing. Hey, we’ve all been there, so don’t be afraid to ask.
OOP. Out of Pocket, the amount of $$ the store expects you to fork over.
Overage. When you have a coupon with a value higher than the product being purchased. Walmart’s policy is to actually hand over the extra cash while Jewel says that the overage can be applied to the rest of the order, but no cash back.
OYNO. On Your Next Order. The catalina that just printed…
Peelies. Coupons stuck on products in the store; peel ’em off and use them.
PG (P&G). Proctor & Gamble, a monthly insert in Sunday papers.
PP. Participating products. Not every item will work for every promotion, so make sure you’re buying the right size, variety and brand.
Q. Our secret lingo for a coupon
Roll. To use a catalina (or ecbs, or RRs) to purchase another product that also produces a cat. Also called flipping. Walgreens RRs don’t allow you to roll between the same mfrs. But you can switch between RRs and loyalty points deals.
RetailMeNot. Formerly Red Plum insert found in Sunday papers.
RR. Register Rewards or catalinas that print at Walgreens and used almost like cash. RRs are considered a mfr coupon, which means you cannot use more mfr coupons than you have items for them to attach to. Store coupons don’t count towards this limit.
SS. SmartSource insert in the Sunday papers.
Stack. Two definitions for couponers: 1) using a store and a mfr coupon (paper and ecoupons) with a sale to get the biggest bang for your buck; 2) When you’re running a Catalina promotion – Spend $30 get a $10 OYNO – you are able to do all the transactions at one time. In other words, you don’t need to break down your $120 order into four separate transactions. A real time-saver.
Tearpads. Coupons that you tear off a pad, usually stuck on a shelf or cooler door.
V. Valassis, the name for red plum in other areas.
WYB When You Buy
YMMV. Your Mileage May Vary. This is a biggie because different parts of the country have different sales, prices and coupons. High rent districts tend to have higher prices, which makes some deals less attractive. Following a deal site based in California when you live in New York will cause you a lot of frustration!