Just like in everything else we do there is a certain coupon lingo you must learn when you are new to couponing. Here’s a start to help you out.
COUPON GLOSSARY
COUPON: (sometimes called a Q)a printed piece of paper that you can spend “Like Money” on a specific product. The trick is to think of coupons as a type of currency.
INSERT: this is a part of the newspaper where coupons are found, and there are several publishers, every once in a while there will be inserts by a specific retailer or other company but these are the main ones which come out in a regular schedule:
- SS = Smart Source
- RP = Red Plum
- P&G = Procter & Gamble
- GM = General Mills
LOYALTY CARD: these are cards offered by retailers which offer special sale prices, rebates, coupons, and other special benefits. Some examples are Kroger Plus, CVS Extra Care, Speedway Speedy Rewards, Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards, and Rite Aid.
REWARDS: along the line of the Loyalty Card some stores also offer special rewards. Sometimes this can come in the form of points as with the Kroger Plus fuel program, the Kmart/Sears Shop Your Way rewards, and the Speedway Speedy Rewards. Other stores like Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreen’s, as well as Kroger on occasion, will reward you with coupons that you can use LIKE CASH in their store on a future visit when you buy certain products OR spend a certain amount on a group of products.
- RRs: Walgreen’s Register Rewards
- ECBs: CVS Extra Care Bucks
- +UP: Rite-Aid’s reward
- Catalina: Kroger, Meijer, and sometimes Kmart will print these
PEELIE: this is a coupon found directly on a product. These are ones you peel off and use at the time of purchase, or they are on one product for money off another product. You should only use peelies if you are purchasing the product. It’s “bad manners” so to speak to peel off coupons and then use them at a different store or at a different time of purchase.
BLINKY: this is a coupon found throughout stores like Kroger where you take the coupon and the machine blinks and automatically disperses another coupon. You know the ones your kids love to play with.
TEAR PAD: these are coupons on product displays where there’s usually a whole pad of coupons and you can tear one off. These are found in all kinds of stores and while it’s okay to take several of these even if you aren’t purchasing the product right then, it’s considered “bad manners” to take the entire tear pad.
STACKING: this is a way to combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons so that it increases your discount off. This can be done when stores like Walgreen’s and Kmart put coupons in their sales ads and you also have a manufacturer coupon. This is also subject to each retailer’s coupon policy.
COUPON POLICY: each retailer has a policy either written or in some cases, just a policy, on what types of coupons they accept, how you can use them, and any limits on the quantity or type of coupons you can use in their store. Always know the coupon policies of the stores you shop at regularly and if they are in writing, have a copy with you.
HOW TO READ A COUPON
Things you need to look for on the coupon:
- The amount off the purchase
- The quantity of products you need to purchase
- The type and size of product you need to buy (should be in the wording…not the picture)
- The fine print of the coupon which includes the expiration date, any limits on quantity, and limits on where you can use the coupon.
