The Illusive Foreign Language of Couponing
Okay folks, there’s just no easy way to put this. Sometimes I write articles that are a little entertaining, and sometimes I just have to write out the plain old boring facts, because there’s just no way to make a joke. Today is plain old boring facts day. I’ll try to find a place to insert a chuckle, but no promises!
When I first started frequenting freebies and couponing sites, I noticed they had a language all their own. I would see things like:
Example Deal:
Conagra Products – Receive $3 in RR wyb $10 worth
Butterball Chicken Broth $.50
–$.35 each wyb 20 after RR
Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers $3
- Use the $1/1 PRINTABLE coupon
$2.00 each after coupon
–$1.25 each wyb 4 after RR and coupons
Healthy Choice Frozen Entrees $2.50
- Use the $1/2 coupon found in the 04-05-09 SS insert
$2.00 each after coupon wyb 2
–$1.25 each wyb 4 after RR and coupons
***Of course you can mix and match these any way you like!
***There is also a MIR to get a $10 coupon booklet wyb $34 worth of Con Agra products
WAIT…huh? What in the world does this even say? I recognize the word “chicken” but that’s about it. And this is all supposed to be one deal? Can I print it out and take it to the cashier at my local Walgreens with tears in my eyes and beg for help and pity? Something tells me that might not work. So instead, I decided to suck it up and learn a new language…the language of couponing.
Let’s start with a list of abbreviations:
AC – After Coupon
AR – After Rebate
BOGO or B1G1 – Buy One Get One FREE!
CAT or CATALINA – coupon dispensed at register after purchase
ECB – Extra Care Bucks – CVS “money” printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
IP or PRINTABLE- Internet Printable Coupon
MFG – Manufacturer’s Coupon
MIR – Mail-In Rebate
OOP – Out of Pocket – actual cash paid
OYNO – on your next order – when you buy advertised item, you get $ off or something free, on your next purchase
P&G – Proctor and Gamble insert in Sunday’s paper
Q – Coupon
RC – Rain Check
RP – Red Plum insert in Sunday’s paper
RR – Register Reward – Walgreen’s “money” printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
SS – Smart Source insert in Sunday’s paper
SCR – Single Check Rebate – Rite Aid’s rebate program
WYB – When You Buy
2/$5 – This means 2 items for $5, can be any combination
$1/2 – This means $1 off of 2 items, can be any combination
Okay, those of you who are newbies, I KNOW you just skipped over all those abbreviations with glazed eyes. Go back and read them now, because you’re going to need all that information and knowledge in this next paragraph…trust me!
Let’s take a look at that deal again, and this time I’ll use RED to explain it a little better! Please take note that this a deal that was written for Walgreens, so when you see the term Register Rewards, it’s referring to a program that Walgreens has. And also please note, that this is an old deal…don’t get too excited…I was just using it as an example!
Example Deal w/Explanations:
Conagra Products – Receive $3 in RR wyb $10 worth
Conagra is the name of the company – You will receive $3 in Register Rewards for each $10 in products that you buy
Butterball Chicken(I KNEW THE WORD CHICKEN!!) Broth $.50
The Broth’s sale price – no coupons available
–$.35 each wyb 20 after RR
These will be $.35 each when you buy 20 of them. Yes it sounds like a lot but remember the article on stockpiling. Buying at this price will save you a lot later!
Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers $3
The Fresh Mixers are on sale for $3
- Use the $1/1 PRINTABLE coupon
The blue font indicates a coupon that is available, in this case there is a $1 off 1 item coupon that can be printed, click the PRINTABLE to print it
$2.00 each after coupon
This item will be $2 each if you JUST use the coupon
–$1.25 each wyb 4 after RR and coupons
This item will be $1.25 each when you buy four of them after you use the required coupons and receive your Register Rewards
Healthy Choice Frozen Entrees $2.50
The Frozen Entrees are on sale for $2.50
- Use the $1/2 coupon found in the 04-05-09 SS insert
The blue font indicates a coupon that is available, in this case there is a $1 off 2 items coupon that can found in the April 5, 2009 Smart Source insert
$2.00 each after coupon wyb 2
This item will be $2 each when you buy 2 if you JUST use the coupon
–$1.25 each wyb 4 after RR and coupons
This item will be $1.25 each when you buy four of them after you use the required coupons and receive your Register Rewards
***Of course you can mix and match these any way you like!
Because there is multiple items included you can choose any of the available items
***There is also a MIR to get a $10 coupon booklet wyb $34 worth of Con Agra products…click HERE to get it.
This is telling you that there is a Mail in Rebate you can send in that will get you a $10 coupon booklet when you buy $34 worth of Con Agra products, click the HERE link to print out the form
Practice Example:
OKAY, YOU GET THE IDEA, SO TRY THESE NEXT FEW LINES ON YOUR OWN!
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta BOGO $1.79
- – Use two $1/1 coupons found in the 04-05-09 SS insert
Free after coupons
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta is the name of the product and the company that make it. It is on a buy one get one free sale in this example. So, two packages will cost you a total of $1.79. Find and use the $1 off of one package coupons in the April 5, 2009 Smart Source insert in that date’s Sunday newspaper. If you have and use two coupons (remember that you can use one coupon for each item in a buy one get one free sale) then you will be getting both packages of pasta free, and may possibly even get an overage (depending on your store’s policy.)
Okay! So, how did you do? A little rough at first, I know, but try it again a time or two, and you just might get it! And don’t get discouraged…remember, it’s not easy to learn a new language. I promise, when you start checking out deals on SwagGrabber every week, these terms and abbreviations will start to become second nature!
So, now that your brain may be feeling a little scrambled, don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for our next segment: Coupon Organization. Maybe it will help to organize all those unorganized thoughts you just had! Until then… start over and read this article again, and AGAIN!
Entire Series….
Part 1 – Couponing Think Big Start Small – click HERE to read Part 1
Part 2 – Price Points & How to Find Coupons – click HERE to read Part 2
Part 3 – The Illusive Foreign Language of Couponing – click HERE to read Part 3
Part 4 – Coupon Organization – click HERE to read Part 4
Part 5 = Your First Shopping Trip – click HERE to read Part 5
{ 0 comments… add one now }