Beginner's Guide to Coupons #3: Decoding the coupon lingo

For those of you who are new to couponing, here is a list of the common abbreviations and "lingo" used for coupon match-ups.

General

There are several different kinds of inserts in the papers, but the ones you get differ from week to week. Most weeks, you will get a Smart Source insert and a Red Plum insert. Once a month, you will get a Proctor & Gamble insert. Occasionally, there will be an extra smart source or miscellaneous insert. The abbreviations are:

• SS: Smart source
• RP: Red Plum
• P&G: Proctor & Gamble
  

A coupon match up will read something like this:

• $1/2 Kellogg's coupon in 8/2RP

This means there is a coupon for $1 off of the purchase of 2 boxes of Kellogg's cereal in the Red Plum insert of the Sunday paper on 8/2.

• Blinkie: coupons found on the aisles in grocery stores in a little machine that spits out the coupon
• Tearpad: coupons found on the aisles in grocery stores on a tearpad
• IP: internet printed coupon (my blog will usually have a direct link to these)
  
• BOGO: buy one get one free
• WYB: when you buy
• YMMV: your mileage may vary (In other words, some stores may accept the coupon, others may not.)
• OOP: out of pocket
  

CVS

There are a few special abbreviations to know for CVS coupon match-ups, which are explained in the guide to CVS.

• ECB: extra care buck (A coupon that prints out after you purchase specific item(s), good for cash value off your next shopping trip at CVS.)
  
• CRT: cash register tape (a coupon that prints out with your receipt or at one of the machines at the front of the CVS store)

Walgreens

There are a few special abbreviations to know for Walgreens coupon match-ups, which are explained in the guide to Walgreens.

• Wags: Walgreens
• RR: register reward (A coupon that prints out after you purchase a specific item(s), good for cash value off your next shopping trip at Walgreens.)
  

That's the basics. Be sure and read my post on CVS & Wags for more details on how their programs work.