Coupon Organization 101:

Disclaimer: I should not be giving advice on this subject. I didn’t think any of this up on my own. But amazing how it is working for me, hopefully it will work for you too!

I started off by clipping all the coupons I thought I could possibly use, then passing on my stack of slashed up papers to a friend who would pick through and pass them on again. Then I realized I was missing deals left and right!

Solution: Quit clipping. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Save the inserts and file them.

Using the coupon database seemed confusing. And if you are going into it blindly, then it is. If you know what you need then you search for that item. It tells you were the coupon is: Description, Value, Expires, Source (where to find it – Smart Source, PG, Red Plum) and then a few other irrelevant things.  

Or you can cheat. Iheartpublix.com, Ipreferpublix.blogspot.com, Amyinorlando.blogspot.com, CouponingtoDisney.blogspot.com or of course BEADANDELION.BLOGSPOT.COM all of us post the weekly deals. And all except the iheartpublix will post other stores as well so you don’t even have to do your own coupon matching!

Mid-week and you realize you need some stuff that is not listed as a sale or B1G1 but you need to get some things to bake cookies (my example for today… baby is making me crave chocolate like mad!) I can’t remember the brands of chocolate chips, but I typed that in the description at the coupon database and a few things showed up, I found the Smart Source (SS) insert it listed for Nestle toll house chips. Then found cheaper chips once I got there. Oh well.

One more thing…. So you aren’t shuffling through 8-20 sets of SSs, when you collect them, separate them and make a jumbo SS, THEN file it away. That way you can clip 8 of them at a time. I stick to 8, an even number at least! You want to make sure to cover every item in the B1G1 sales, 1 coupon per item = 2 for each B1G1.

Here are a few other ways of doing coupons:

http://couponingtodisney.blogspot.com/search/label/Couponing%20Basics

http://becentsable.blogspot.com/2007/12/our-coupon-filing-and-reference-system_01.html

http://personalbudgeting.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_organize_coupons

But what about those already clipped, printed or the peelies I have or coupons that came in the mail? Ohhhhh I still have a coupon file. It was the Bible I carried into each grocery store. It helped if I thought of something at the spur of the moment or saw a good deal on something I could use. However I am struggling to learn to live off a list… hopefully that huge file box will start to dwindle. It’s heavy!

Working the RRs at Walgreens

Here are some basic rules for working Walgreens

Walgreens "deals" are Register Rewards. When you buy an item that produces a Register Reward you may use that Register Reward (rr) on a future purchase (transaction).

The secreat to learning Walgreens is understanding the following basic rules:

1) Limits. Most Register Rewards deals are "Limit one per transaction". You cannot buy two deals and have it print two rr's. You will need to split up your purchases in order to receive more than one RR.

2) RR's are actually Manufacturer coupons. Basic rule of couponing is that you may only use ONE MANUFACTURER COUPON per item. Since a RR is a manufacturer coupon, you need another item for this coupon to "attach to". Hereout referred to as "fillers". Any time you see "filler" it means buy the cheapest thing in the store you can find that does not require a manufacturer coupon. (Walgreens coupons do not count as manufacturer coupons, they are something different).

3) You cannot purchase an item with the same rr that just printed for that item. (Well, you can, but it will not produce another rr). This often also applies for manufacturers as well.

Knowing these basic rules will get you far in the ways of Walgreens.

Here's how to get the FARR (Free after Regsiter Reward) items for as little as possible, plus a few other things.

If you do jump in with both feet doing multiple transactions, just tell the cashier you have a few different transactions. . . if you feel the old stink-eye from the cashier, smile, be nice and if someone gets in line behind you, hop out and go to the end to do another transaction.

oh, and ALWAYS check out at the cosmetics counter. Less line.

Working the EBs at CVS

Here are some basic rules for CVS:

CVS uses a loyalty card. Limits are set based on card purchase. Get yourself a CVS card and use it with every transaction. This is how you earn special promotional discounts and Extra Care Bucks (ecb's).
ECB's print out at the bottom of your receipt. ECB's are like cash and can be used on anything (except the usual excluded items, alcohol, tobacco, etc). You can roll them into your next deal, including the same item (unlike Walgreens). You can buy one thing, get an ecb, turn around and use that ecb on the same thing. Since CVS uses a loyalty card system and can limit the amount of "deals" you get per card, they don't have to worry about all the catalina hijinks that Walgreens has to do with not being able to use an rr to get an rr for the same product, etc. Lately they have been adding "Limit 1"

After I do my first transaction, I  tear off my ecb's from the bottom of the receipt and then use them in the next transaction- or if I'm on the last transaction, I put the ecb in my CVS envelope so I know where it is. (those receipts tend to get lost)

If you're starting out, and will be near a CVS, go ahead and stop in and get a CVS card. Register with it online and enter an email address and they will email you a $4/$20 coupon.

Coupon Printing Issues

If you are unable to print a coupon you might try changing the code in the address. Each browser has a set of letters which “tells” the computer to print. It is very simple to change the letters: when you click a PRINT link from this site a new page will open allowing you to print–check the link’s address and if needed make the changes to the letters based on YOUR browser –you should then be able to print the coupon!

FireFox- FireFox (FF) MUST USE WG OR VG
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=wg&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

Internet Explorer (IE) MUST USE WI OR VI
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=wi&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

Safari Apple’s browser MUST USE XS
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=XS&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

If you try to print after you have confirmed the code is correct it is possible that the coupon has reached it’s print limit.  This will only work for Bricks type coupons and does not apply to Coupons.com, SmartSource or RedPlum sites.

Coupon Rules to Live By

A store coupon and a manufacturers coupon can be combined for more money off savings.

Some stores double coupons, check yours to see if they do .
If a coupon say do not double and the barcode starts with a 5 , if scanned it will double.
Most stores instruct cashiers to manually stop it from doubling.
If the barcode starts with a 9 it won't double when scanned.

If a store is having a buy one get one (B1G1) free sale and you have a coupon for that product that says buy one get one free you can use it and get both items for free.
you can use 2 money off mfr 1 coupons on them.
But you can not use a b1g1 mfr and money off mfr on the same together

If a coupon says one per purchase that means if you are getting 5 of that item you may use 5 coupons for those items because you are purchasing 5
provided they are x off 1 item coupons.

If the coupon says 1 per person , or 1 per transaction that means you can only use 1 coupon of that kind in your transaction.

Please use coupons correctly , coupon fraud is a crime and we will not allow talk of fraudulent uses of coupons on this site.

Coupon Abbreviations

I saw this list on Swaggrabber.com and thought it was a GREAT post for newbie couponers.

List of abbreviations:

• AC - After Coupon
  
• AR - After Rebate
  
• BOGO or B1G1 - Buy One Get One FREE!
  
• CAT or CATALINA - coupon dispensed at register after purchase
  
• ECB - Extra Care Bucks - CVS "money" printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
• FAR - Free After Rebate
• GM - General Mills
  
• IP or PRINTABLE- Internet Printable Coupon
  
• MFG - Manufacturer’s Coupon
  
• MIR – Mail-In Rebate
  
• OOP - Out of Pocket - actual cash paid
  
• OYNO - on your next order - when you buy advertised item, you get $ off or something free, on your next purchase
  
• P&G - Proctor and Gamble insert in Sunday's paper
  
• Q - Coupon
  
• RC - Rain Check
  
• RP - Red Plum insert in Sunday's paper
  
• RR - Register Reward - Walgreen's "money" printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
  
• SS - Smart Source insert in Sunday's paper
  
• SCR - Single Check Rebate - Rite Aid's rebate program
  
• WYB - When You Buy
  
• 2/$5 - This means 2 items for $5, can be any combination
  
• $1/2 - This means $1 off of 2 items, can be any combination

If you can think of any others, let me know and I will add them!!!

What's that mean? - Abbreviations

AC - After Coupon

Actual - The actual item as opposed to a coupon for it (an item from your stockpile)

ADDIE - Address

Albies - Albertsons a grocery store. 

AR - After Rebate

AYOR - At Your Own Risk - When sending concealed cash you are sending it at your own risk and the other trader is not responisble if the cash does not arrive

B&M - Brick & Mortar, a store, as opposed to an online store

B1G1 or BOGO - Buy one get one free

B2G1 - Buy two get one free

BIL - Bother-in-law

Blinkie - In-Store SmartSource coupon dispensed near product, usually from a red blinking box. 

BOLO - Be On the Lookout

BTFE - Box Tops for Education. 

BTW - By the way

Bump - To bump a thread to the top of a forum by replying to it. Any reply to a thread will bump a thread up but sometimes people actually post the word “bump” when they have nothing productive to add to the conversation but they still wish to move the thread up higher in the forum listing. Threads at Hotcouponworld are displayed by the newest replied threads first while older threads move down the forum listing. Bumping is a way to move older threads up into a higher position in the forums.

CAT - Coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border, redeemable only at the store that it printed at or at stores that accept competitor store coupons.

Catalina - Coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border, redeemable only at the store that it printed at or at stores that accept competitor store coupons.

CBAD - Chef Boyardee

CCash or CC - Concealed Cash - Money concealed well inside paper before mailed. It is not easy to mail coins however so usually restricted to paper money.

CDB - Coupon Database  

CLFE - Campbell’s Labels for Education. 

CO - Cents Off Coupon

CRT- Cash register tape (Receipt)

CVS - Consumer Value Store, a drug store. 

CYE - Check your email

DB - Database 

DCRT - Dated cash register tape, usually required for a rebate. 

DCRTC - Dated cash register tape with the price circled, usually required for a rebate. 

DD - Dear Daughter or Dumpster Dive. 

DH - Dear Husband

DIL - Daughter-in-law

DND - Do not double, a coupon with this wording is not supposed to be doubled at stores that double coupons. However coupons that have aUPC code that starts with the number 5 will often times still double, while ones that start with a 9 will not.

DNT – Do not triple, a coupon with this wording is not supposed to be tripled at stores that triple coupons. However coupons that have a UPC code that starts with the number 5 will often time still triple, while ones that start with a 9 will not.

Double Coupon - Coupon that a grocery store doubles in value. Only certain stores double coupons, please check the coupon policy of your local stores.

DS - Dear son

Dumpster Dive - To dig in a recycling bin for extra insert coupons or in the trash for other items that others have thrown away. 

DW - Dear wife

ECB - Extra Care Bucks, rewards earned at CVS for purchases made. 

Envie - Envelope

EPOP - Each pay own postage (trading term)

ETA - Edited to add

FAC - Free after coupon

FAR - Free after rebate.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions. 

FIL - Father-in-law

FL - Food Lion, a grocery store. 

FLIP - Food Lion Internet Printable. Printable coupon(s) offered by Food Lion. 

Free item coupon - A coupon that is for a free product

FSI - Free standing insert - Booklet of coupons found in the Sunday newspaper. 

FSOT - For sale or trade

GDA - Good deal alert

GM - General Mills

Hangtag - A coupon or form found hanging from a tag around the neck of a bottle or jar.

HBA - Heath and beauty aid

HDA - Hot deal alert or Home delivered ad

HGT - Hangtag. 

HT - Harris Teeter (a grocery store) or Hangtag. 

HTH - Hope that (this) helps

IDSO - In desperate search of

IME - In my experience

IMHO - In my humble opinion

IMO - In my opinion

Insert - Booklet of coupons found in the Sunday newspaper, insert coupons. 

IP - Internet printable, a coupon or form you can print from the internet.  

IRL – In real life

ISO - In search of

IVC - Instant value coupon, Walgreens coupon found in their monthly rebate catalog in-store or online. 

IVDSO - In very desperate search of

JIC - Just In Case

JLMK - Just let me know

JMHO - Just my humble opinion

KG - Kroger, a grocery store. 

KM - Kmart, a national retailer. 

KWIM - Know what I mean?

LFE - Labels for education. 

LMK - Let me know

MIL - Mother-in-law

MIR - Mail in rebate. 

MM - Money Maker, a deal where after coupon or rebate you make money with overage of some sort.

MQ - Manufacturer Coupon, a coupon issued by a manufacture (as opposed to a store coupon, which is issued by a store).

NAZ - Name, address and zip code

NBPN - No beer purchase necessary, terms of a beer sponsored rebate or coupon. 

NBPR - No beer purchase required, terms of a beer sponsored rebate or coupon.

NED - No expiration date, a coupon or form that never expires

NP - No problem

NSR - No state restrictions, usually in reference to a Winetag or Rebate

NWPN - No wine purchase necessary, terms of a rebate or coupon (winetag) sponsored by a wine company. 

NWPR - No wine purchase required, terms of a rebate or coupon (winetag) sponsored by a wine company. 

OAS - On any size, a coupon or form that is valid on any size product or has no size limitations

OGD – Organic Grocery Deals, Hotcouponworld’s sister site that focuses on helping members find deals on organic products. Direct link: Organicgrocerydeals

OOP - Out of pocket

OOS - Out of stock

OP - Original poster, author of a thread, thread starter

OSI - On a single item

OT - Off topic

Overage - When you purchase an item with a coupon and the item costs less than the value of the coupon you may receive overage. Example: You purchase an item that costs .99 cents and you use a $1.00 off 1 coupon to purchase the item you will have .01 cent overage. Most stores do not actually give you cash back but some stores will allow you to put your overage towards the other items in your order. Overage is always nice but not to be expected. Some stores adjust the value of the coupon discount down to the price of the item, while some stores adjust the price of the product being purchased up to the price of the coupon.

OYNO - On your next order, wording on Catalina or register reward coupons for which you purchase an item and receive a coupon that is for money off your next order.

Peelie - A coupon that you peel off the package. 

PG or P&G - Proctor & Gamble Sunday insert coupon. 

Piggyback - The use of coupons for products in conjunction with one another in order to maximize savings. Each coupon is attached to a specific product, and if the purchase requirements are met, these coupons can be used together for the purchase of a group of items.

PITA - Pain in the A**

PLMK - Please let me know

PM - Private message.

POP - Proof of purchase, required for a refund or other offer that is physically taken from a package 

PP - Purchase price OR Previous Post(er) (use when referring to a/the prior post in the thread)

PPEF - Pay-Pal Existing Funds. This is when you pay for something using Pay-Pal however the person selling the item is requesting that the funding option from Pay-Pal is existing funds, as opposed to credit card funded Pay-Pal.

PPHF - Pay-Pal handling fee. A fee accessed by another member for his/her coupons or other items they have for trade or sale. In other words they are asking for money paid via Pay-Pal.  

Printable - A coupon that you print from the internet and your computer. 

PSA - Prices starting at or Public service announcement

Q - Qualifier - the proof of purchase required for a refund offer that is physically taken from that package OR short for the word “Coupon”

Qualifier - The proof of purchase required for a refund offer that is physically taken from that package - 

RA - Rite-Aid (a drug store). 

RAOK - Random act of kindness 

RC - Rain Check a slip of paper that a store issues when an item is out of stock allowing you to purchase that item at a later date at the sale price.

Rebate - A mail in offer provided by the manufacture of a product or a store that will refund you back money you spent to purchase a specific item in whole or in part. 

RP - Red Plum Sunday supplement coupons (formerly Valassis). 

RR - Register Reward, the name of the Catalina promotion at Walgreens. 

SAHD - Stay at home dad

SAHH - Stay at home husband

SAHM - Stay at home mom

SAHW - Stay at home wife

SASE - Self addressed stamped envelope

SCR - Single check rebate, Rite-Aid store rebate program. 

SD - Store display

SF - Store form

SIL - Sister-in-law

SMP - Specially marked packages, a product package that tells you there is a coupon, form, or other prize inside the package

SS - SmartSource, a company owned by News Marketing America that issues a Sunday insert, Blinkie coupons, printable coupons and other forms of coupons.

Stacking - Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item, if the coupon itself does not restrict such usage.

STG - Super Target, a bigger version of Target stores that include a full grocery store section of their store (a national retailer). 

Sticky - A thread marked as important by a moderator of this forum and “stuck” to the top of the forum. Threads that are “stuck” (Sticky) are always at the top of the forum until removed as such by a moderator. These are usually threads that need high visibility because they are important threads. We encourage all members to read the stickies in each forum before posting as they will help explain rules and policies.

Super Doubles - Coupons that are doubled $1+ in value (Example: a $1.00 coupon is doubled to $2.00 value) offered by some stores.

SW - Safeway, a grocery store. 

SWM - Super Walmart, a bigger version of Walmart stores that include a full grocery store section of their store (a national retailer).

Tag (Tagged) - A feature of Hotcouponworld is the ability to tag threads with keywords to help find it and relative posts based on keyword tags when searching as well as our tag cloud. To tag a thread scroll down to the bottom of a thread right above the “post reply” box and you will see the option to add tags to a thread. Choose a few keywords that the thread is about.

Tearpad - A pad of refund form or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display.

TG - Target, a national retailer. 

TIA - Thanks in advanced

TMF - Try me free, a form that you mail in with required information to receive the full purchase price back via mail. 

TP - Tearpad OR Toilet Paper OR Toothpaste. 

Triple Coupon - A coupon that a grocery store triples in value.

TYVM - Thank you very much

V - Valassis Sunday supplement coupons, has been renamed Red Plum. 

WAG - Walgreens, a drug store. 

WD - Winn Dixie, a grocery store. 

Winetag - A coupon, usually found in the form of a hangtag around the neck of a bottle of wine (can also be found as a Tearpad) some require the purchase wine or spirits while other are no wine purchase necessary. 

WL - Wish List, a list of items created by a member of coupons, forms and other items that the member is wishing for.

WM - Walmart, a national retailer. 

WPN - Wine purchase necessary, a coupon for form offered by a wine company that requires the purchase of wine to redeem the offer.

WPR - Wine purchase required, a coupon or form offered by a wine company that requires the purchase of wine to redeem the offer. 

WSL - While supplies last

WT - Winetag.

WYB - When you buy

YGEM - You’ve got email

YGPM - You’ve got a private message.

YMMV - Your mileage may vary - the success of the attempt may vary at your store.

YVW - You’re very welcome

Thanks in part to Hotcouponworld