Coupon Lingo: A glossary of commonly used terms and acronyms in the coupon world

BOGO: Acronym for Buy One Get One free coupons or sales.

Blinkie: A type of coupon found in blinking machines in grocery and drug stores

Catalina (CAT): A coupon or promotion sponsored by Catalina Marketing that prints out at check out in most grocery stores, Target, and some drug stores.

Extreme Couponing: Using coupons and sales to purchase an extremely large number of products at rock bottom prices.

Hangtag: A type of coupon found on an item in store, often hanging from the product (such as on the neck of a bottle).

IP: Acronym for internet printable coupons.

IVC: Instant Value Coupon. These coupons are often called peelies since they are stuck to items to be peeled off at check out.

MIR: Mail in rebate

MQ: Manufacturer's coupon. These can usually be stacked with store coupons.

ONYO or OYNO: Acronym for On Your Next Order. OYNO is the logical spelling, but many couponers use the term ONYO as it has a better ring to it when pronounced. ONYOs refer to grocery coupons that print out from the Catalina machine that can be used to purchase most any item at that store.

Peelie: A coupon stuck to a product in the store that can be peeled off to use at checkout. Also called an instant value coupon (IVC)

PG: Proctor & Gamble. A company that sells a wide variety of products that puts out a monthly insert in the Sunday newspaper.

Purchase: A frequently used term on coupons indicating an item. For example, a coupon may read, "Limit one coupon per purchase." Each item is a purchase in a transaction so the buyer may match one coupon to each item purchased.

FB: Acronym for Facebook, a great place to find coupons.

RA: Short for Rite Aid.

RP: Red Plum. A coupon insert found in most Sunday Newspapers

Sales Cycle: The cycle of prices on a given item that fluctuates from retail price to rock bottom (buy now) prices. This cycle varies by product but usually produces rock bottom prices every 6 to 8 weeks.

SS: Smart Source. A coupon insert found in most Sunday newspapers

SQ: Store coupon. These can usually be stacked with manufacturer's coupons.

Stacking: The process of using multiple coupons, sales, and promotions

Stockpiling: The process of buying enough products at their rock bottom (buy now) prices to last your family until the item hits rock bottom again on the following Sales Cycle. A stockpile usually is enough to last 6 to 8 weeks. Contrast this term with hoarding, which I believe is selfishly cleaning out the store to have an unrealistic supply of certain items (years worth).

Tearpad (TP): A type of coupon found on shelves and displays in stores and gas stations as a pad from which the coupon can be torn.

Transaction: A total purchase of one or more items usually concluding in payment and followed by a receipt. Some coupons read, "Limit one coupon per transaction." The buyer may only use this type of coupon once per order, or transaction.

WYB: Short for When You Buy. Many promotions require the purchaser to buy a minimum number of items to get the promotional price. For example, Save Mart has boxes of General Mills cereal for $1.49 a box when you buy (WYB) four. If you only buy 3, you will have to pay a higher price.