Learn The LingoThese are common coupon, refund, and internet lingo abbreviations that you my see on my blog:
ala: as low as
B1G1F or BOGO: literally "Buy 1, Get 1 Free". This is a special type of coupon that you cut out from the newspaper. When you buy one product, and use the coupon, you'll get another product just like it for free at the check out. B2G1F means: "Buy 2, Get 1 Free", which is not as good a deal as a B1G1F coupon, but still worth using.
BBW: Bath & Body Works
BLINKIE: a coupon pulled from a blinkie machine. These are small coupon dispensers found in grocery aisles. They used to have a blinking red light, though most don't anymore.
BTFE: Box Tops for Education, found on General Mills packages. They are each worth .10 for schools. Sometimes they are used for trading.
CATALINA: manufacturer coupons that print out from a little machine at the register, triggered by what you buy. They come out in long strips similar to a cash tape. The checker should hand them to you with your receipt. They used to be red and white, but some are now printing in color. Some catalinas are very valuable because they give the equivalent of cash on your next purchase. For example, you might receive a $1 catalina for buying 2 P&G products. The $1 catalina will be good on anything the next time you shop. Catalinas are a big deal; Walgreens has lots of specials offering catalinas (which they have renamed 'Register Rewards')
C: coupon, also abbreviated as cpn or c/o
C/D: Complete Deal. A refund form with all the proofs of purchase needed to send for the refund. It might be a refund for cash, coupons or merchandise.
C/O: cents off coupon, or cash off coupon. This is a garden variety coupon that we've all seen a million times, the type you cut out of the Sunday paper or off the back of a cereal box. These are used at the checkout with an average value of about 65¢.
CPNS: Same as C/O above.
CRTC: cash register tape with the price of the product circled. Most refunds require a cash register tape, so save your tapes.
CODES: some refunds simply ask for a code number copied from the product, usually the UPC code number. Products like aerosol cans that can't be cut up sometimes require this type of proof.
DD: dear daughter
DH: dear husband
DND: 'does not double' referring to certain coupons which are bar coded not to double at checkout.
DS: dear son
DCRT: dated cash register tape. Must show the date of purchase on the tape.
ECB: Easy Care Bucks available from CVS drug store. They print out on your receipt after the qualifying purchase. They can be used to purchase anything at CVS.
EPOP: Each Pays Own Postage. This applies to trades with other couponers. Each person pays for the postage on her/his own envelope. No LSASE is required to trade.
FAR: Free After Rebate
HT: hang tag, found in the grocery store, hanging from the neck of a bottle. Offers a refund, or sometimes is an instant coupon, like a winetag that offers $1 off meat.
HTH: "hope that helps"
IMHO: In my humble opinion
IP: Internet printable coupon
IVC: Walgreens instant value coupon, found in the Easy Saver catalogs
ISO: In search of
LOL: "Laugh out loud" "lots of luck"
LSASE: long self addressed stamped envelopeXLSASE: extra large self addressed stamped envelope.
LSA(2)SE: long self addressed envelope with two stamps on it.
LTD: limited, found on refund forms in the fine print, when the offer is limited to certain states only.
MBG: money-back guarantee
MIL: mother-in-law
MIR: mail-in rebate
MONEY PLUS: any offer that looks like a refund, but is actually simply an offer to buy a product at a reduced price. For example, if you buy a beach towel for $6.99 plus two UPCs, that is not a refund. It is a money plus offer. These forms are found in the Sunday coupon supplements and on tear pads in the grocery store, and are mixed right in with the real refunds. Offers that ask for very small handling fees are considered refunds if the handling fee is clearly only to cover postage.
MF: refund form found in a MAGAZINE
NAZ: name, address, zip
NpF: refund form found in the NEWSPAPER
NECKBAND: label taken from the neck of a bottle
NB: national brand (as opposed to a local brand that is only available in limited areas)
NBPN: No beer purchase necessary. You see this wording on rebates from some beer companies. State law in select states prohibits a purchase requirement, so basically, you only have to send proofs of purchase from the non-beer items for the refund, even though it's sponsored by a beer company.
NWPN: No wine purchase necessary. See "NBPN" above.
NBQ: National Brand Qualifier. A proof of purchase cut from a product that is available nationwide.
NED: No Expiration Date: refers to refunds that don't have dates of expiration, or coupons that never expire. These are rare, though they were popular a long time ago.
OAS: "one any size" Some coupons specifically state on them that they can be used on any size product. For example, you might cut out a Crest coupon that says: $1 off one any size Crest. That's a great coupon. Most refunders will use that coupon on the smallest size, so they can get it free.
OOP: out of pocket (the actual money you had to spend on a deal)
OYNO: "On your next order", usually Catalina coupons that print out at checkout giving money off, like $1, 'on your next order'.
1-4-1: literally "one for one". This means an even exchange of anything. If you trade forms one for one, you will get back the exact same number you send.
POP: Proof of Purchase. This is the valuable part of a package. 95% of the time it is the UPC, but sometimes it might be the boxtop, the net weight statement, proof of purchase seal, etc, etc. Whatever is required to get a refund is a proof of purchase. This is also called a qualifier, because it 'qualifies' you for the refund.
PROOF OF PURCHASE SEAL: a special seal on a package which usually states that it is the proof of purchase.
PP: purchase price, whatever you actually paid for a product. Some refunds will offer to send you your purchase price. The proof for this will include the cash tape.P/H: postage and handling
Q: qualifier, same as POP above(Q: coupon -- some chat boards abbreviate coupon as Q, which is very confusing, but growing in popularity.)
QUALIFIER: same as POP above. This is the valuable part of a package. 95% of the time it is the UPC, but sometimes it might be the boxtop, the net weight statement, proof of purchase seal, etc, etc. Whatever is required to get a refund is a proof of purchase. This is also called a qualifier, because it 'qualifies' you for the refund.
RAOK: Random Acts of Kindness
RC: RefundCents
RMC: "Refunding Makes Cents" (name of the print magazine until it was shortened in 2003)
RP: Red Plum, same as the Valassis Sunday coupon insert. The name was changed to Red Plum in 2008.
RR or REGISTER REWARDS: This is what Walgreens calls a catalina coupon (See Catalina above). Manufacturer coupons that print out from a little machine at the register, triggered by what you buy. They come out in long strips similar to a cash tape. The checker should hand them to you with your receipt. They used to be red and white, but some are now printing in color. Some catalinas are very valuable because they give the equivalent of cash on your next purchase. For example, you might receive a $1 catalina for buying 2 P&G products. The $1 catalina will be good on anything the next time you shop.
SAE: self addressed envelope
SASE: self addressed stamped envelope
SMP: specially marked package, meaning a package you find in the store that has been printed with a refund offer on it, or a coupon. Cereal packages are often specially marked with refunds or coupons. Watch for these in the store, as they are hard to come by in trades.
S: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts.
SS: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts. SWEEPS: sweepstakes form (not traded). These are forms that enter you in a sweepstakes, but are not for refunds. These are junk and generally no one wants them.
TMF: try me free. Some refunds give you back your purchase price if you'll try the item.
UPC: learn this one, you'll see it all the time! It stands for "Universal Product Code". It is that box of black lines that the checker passes over the scanner at the checkout. It measures about 1"x1". This is a very popular proof of purchase.
WAGS: Walgreens
WSL: while supply lasts. This is written on some refunds that offer gifts such as t-shirts. Send early because if they run out, you're out of luck.
wyb: when you buy
YMMV: Your mileage may vary, meaning the deal may or may not work in your store.
