Here are the commonly used abbreviations and terms you will see on my blog and others in the couponing world:
ALA- As Low As
Blinkie- A coupon found in a mounted dispenser on the shelf at the store
BOGO- Buy One, Get One Free
BOGO1/2- Buy One, Get One Half Price
Bricks- An online coupon printing format. Hit the back button after printing the first to get your second print.
BTFE- Box Tops for Education
Cash Card- Found at CVS, a CVS gift card you earn through buying other products.
CAT- Catalina, the coupons that print out at the checkout. If you are expecting one to print, make sure the green light is on first!
DEAD- A deal that doesn’t work anymore. A dead deal.
DND- A coupon that states Do Not Double. Sometimes it still will. Look at the first number in the barcode. If it starts with a 5, it will automatically double (a cashier can stop it from doing so). If it starts with a 9, it will not double.
DND-New- This is a coupon that says Do Not Double and has only a new barcode so there is no 5 or 9 to tell it will double without it being scanned at the store. Don’t expect this coupon to double and be pleasantly surprised if it does.
Doubled Coupon/Doubles- When the store is going to add value to your coupon just because you are using it at their store. The way a store doubles varies by retailer.
ECB- Extra Care Bucks, found at CVS, Store Money to be used on another transaction.
ETS- Excludes Trial Sizes
EXC- Excluding
EXP- Expiration Date or Expires on
Filler- A Cheap Item you use to get to a dollar amount needed for a reward. Also, at Walgreens, this is a cheap item you buy so that you can use all your coupons since they count RRs as a manufacturer coupon and you can’t have more coupons than items there.
GC- Gift Card
GDA- Great Deal Alert
GM- General Mills Coupon Insert
Hangtag- A coupon/rebate hanging from a product at the store.
IP- Internet Printable Coupon
IVC- Instant Value Coupons, found at Walgreens
LFE- Labels for Education
MC- Manufacturer’s Coupon, coupons put out by the company that can be used anywhere coupons are accepted.
MIR- Mail In Rebate
MM- MoneyMaker, when you get more back in either store rewards or coupons than what you initially paid to get them.
MTS- Moments to Save- Pepsico Coupon Insert
NLA- No Longer Available
OOP- Out of Pocket, how much actual cash money that was spent
Overage- When the coupon value is higher than the price of the product, you may get the difference back either in cash or applied to the other items you are purchasing. Overage policies vary widely by store.
OYNO- On Your Next Order
Peelies- Coupons/rebates attached to a product in the store.
PM- Price Match
P&G- Proctor and Gamble Insert
PSA- Prices Start At
Q- Coupon
RC- Raincheck
RIB- Reinventing Beauty magazine, found at CVS. This has store coupons in it
Rolling- When you get a coupon back from buying something and can use that coupon to help pay for the same deal and get another coupon back.
RP- Red Plum Coupon Insert
RR- Register Rewards, found at Walgreens, Store Money to be used on another transaction.
SC- Store Coupon, coupons specific to one store
SCO- Self Check Out
SCR- Single Check Rebate, found at Rite Aid
Shelf Price- The non sale price of the item. At some stores, this is the price you are trying to hit to get a reward instead of the lower sale price. Sometimes called PSP- Pre-Sale price.
SS- SmartSource Coupon Insert
Stacking- When you can use a Store Coupon and a Manufacturer Coupon on the same item.
Tearpad- A pad of coupons/rebates you find at the store.
TMF- Try Me Free, a rebate to get your full purchase price back.
UP- +Up Rewards, found at Rite Aid, Store Money to be used on another transaction.
Wags- Walgreens
VV- Video Value, found at Rite Aid. You watch a video clip online to get a store coupon for an item.
WYB- When You Buy
YMMV- Your Mileage May Vary, meaning your experience could be different
I also abbreviate some products on my coupon spreadsheet and matchups. Here are the ones I use commonly:
+- Or larger. Example: 4lb+ means 4 lbs or larger
A/O- And/Or
BW- Body Wash
Ct- Count
MW- Mouthwash
Pk- Pack
PT- Paper Towels
S or C- Shampoo or Conditioner
TB- Toothbrush
TP- Toothpaste or Toilet Paper
I will update this list if I find myself using something not included. As always, if you don’t understand something I’ve written, please ask! I am here to help!
