Couponing Abbreviations and Terms

Couponing has a language of its own. If you don't know the abbreviations and terms, you won't understand how to get the best deals. Here's a list of the most commonly used couponing abbreviations.

$/$$ - this means dollar off your total order. For instance, you may receive a coupon for $3 off a $30 purchase

BOGO — buy one get one free

B1G1 — buy one get one free

B1G1F – buy one get one free

B2G1F — buy two get one free

B & M - Brick and Morter (as in an actual storefront and not an online store)

Blinkies - Smartsource in-store coupon containers that are on the shelves. They are red and sometimes have a blinking light to draw attention. Most don't blink anymore, but we still call them blinkies. And they are few and far between because most stores no longer have them.

BTFE - Box Tops for Education (which are now totally digital on the Box Tops website and no longer involve Box Tops that need to be cut off the newer qualifying Box Tops products)

CSM - customer service manager

CSR - customer service representative

DND - Do Not Double. This is sometimes found on coupons, although most coupons will write out the actual words "Do Not Double" or "Not Subject To Doubling."

Double coupons - store will double the face value of the coupon (usually up to the price of the product)

EB - Extra Care Bucks at CVS. This is their instant rebate program where the reward prints out at the end of the transaction to be used on a different transaction.

ECB - Extra Care Bucks at CVS. This is their instant rebate program where the reward prints out at the end of the transaction to be used on a different transaction.

ETS - Excludes trial size

FAR - Free after rebate

Filler - Item used to make sure you have enough items (like at Walgreens) or enough money to use a specific coupons (like a $3 off $30 order)

FS - free shipping

GC - Gift card

GDA - Good deal alert

IP — Internet printable coupon

IVC - Instant Value Coupon. The Walgreens store coupons found in the month coupon book in Walgreens stores.

LFE - Labels for Education, Campbell's reward program, send your labels with school kids so schools can earn rewards

MFG - manufacturer's coupon

MIR — mail in rebate

MQ — manufacturer coupon

MVP - Food Lion rewards program

NED - no expiration date (very rarely found on some coupons)

OOP - out of pocket. This is amount you actually pay at the register after all coupons and deductions.

OYNO - on your next order. This often refers to the Catalina coupons that you receive at the register that are for an amount off your next order. For example, there may be a deal that if you buy 3 packages of Old El Paso tortillas, you will get a Catalina coupon for $1 good on your next order (OYNO).

P&G — Procter & Gamble Sunday supplement coupons

Peelies — coupons found on outside of package that can be peeled off and used to buy that item

PM - price match

PSA - prices starting at

Q - coupon

RR — Register Rewards from Walgreens. This is their instant rebate program where the reward prints out at the end of the transaction to be used on a different transaction.

SS— Smart Source Sunday supplement coupons.

Stacking coupons - when you can use more than one coupon on the same item. Some stores will let you use a manufacturer's coupon and a store coupon on the same product.

Super Doubles - when a store doubles the value of a coupon, often above and beyond the amount they normally double every day of the week. For instance, when Harris Teeter offers Super Doubles, they usually double coupons that are $2 or less face value. On normal double days, they only double coupons worth .99 face value. They have not offered Super Doubles since the pandemic began and we do not know if they will ever offer the promotion again.

Tear pad coupons - pad of coupons or rebates on displays in stores. These are few and far between these days.

TMF — try me free offer

WYB — when you buy

UPC - Universal Product Code, also known as the bar code

YMMV - your mileage may vary (what happens at one store may not happen at the next or what happens at the same store may vary depending on the cashier or manager on duty)