Learning the Coupon Lingo

While I do not actively promote specific coupons, rebates, or store deals on this website (at least that’s not the main focus of my site), I am a HUGE advocate of using coupons and rebates to reduce grocery expenses, and lesses the financial stress on your household.

I know that coupons aren’t for everyone — the whole process can seem a bit overwhelming – but if you want to give them a try, I have quite a few recourses (including free printable shopping lists) to help you to simplify and organize your coupon journey!

For coupon newbies, it might be helpful to know how I organize my coupons and where to find great coupons.

However, after you do all that, you might still wonder about all the abbreviations associated with coupons. Those abbreviations are called “coupon lingo” and I often get questions from confused readers trying to organize their coupons and grocery lists.

Because of this, I’ve put together a pretty comprehensive list of all (or at least most) of the coupon abreviations I am aware of…and I’ve posted it here!

Hopefully this list will help you to simplify your coupon experience!

Sunday Inserts:

• P&G: Procter & Gamble
• RP: Red Plum
• SS: Smart Source

Coupon Lingo:

• $1/1, $1/2: One dollar off one item, one dollar off two items, etc.
• 2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for one dollar, three items for two dollars, etc.
• AR: After Rebate
• B1G1: Buy one item get one item free
• B2G1: Buy two items get one item free
• Blinkies: Grocery coupon dispensers with blinking lights
• Catalina: Catalina coupon, prints from a separate machine when your receipt prints
• CRT: Cash register tape, usually used when referring to CVS coupons that print with receipt
• DND: Do not double
• Ea.: Each
• ECBs: ExtraCare Bucks (CVS Pharmacy loyalty rewards system)
• ETS: Excludes trial size
• Exp.: Expires
• GC: Gift card
• IVC: Instant Value Coupon (Walgreens’ store coupons found in ads and their monthly coupon booklet)
• MIR: Mail-in rebate
• OYNO: On your next order
• OOP: Out of pocket (the amount you pay after coupons, but before rebates or other reward kick backs)
• OOS: Out of stock
• PSA: Prices starting at
• RRs: Register Rewards, Walgreens’ Catalina coupons
• Q: Coupon
• SCR: Single Check Rebate (Rite Aid’s monthly rebates program)
• Stacking: Using both a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon on one item (most stores should allow this)
• UPC: Universal product code, bar code
• +UP Reward: Rite Aid reward program
• WYB: When you buy

Do you know of any that I missed? Let me know and I’ll add them to this list!