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Are you ready for more coupon lingo? This is part 3 of a series of posts.
Catalina
These are coupons that are printed out from the register when you finish your purchase. They are printed on a separate piece of paper from your receipt and can be anything from money off a future purchase to just a normal manufacturer’s coupon. There is a running list of Catalina Deals on the site. These are often specific to different stores and regions though; so it is always a good idea to check your store to see if there is a small tag by the item indicating what you need to purchase in order for that a coupon to print.
Walgreens’ Register Rewards are technically Catalina deals as well which is why the store manager will sometimes tell you to contact the Catalina company if you are having trouble with a Register Reward printing. If you ever need to call the company directly, call 1-888-8COUPON.
Printable or IP
These coupons can be printed directly from your computer. There is typically a limit of two coupons per computer (you can hit the back arrow on your browser to get the coupon to print again.) You cannot make copies of these coupons though as each coupon that prints has its own individual code on it that traces it back to your computer. A company will limit how many prints can be made of a coupon that they release, so printable coupons can come and go quickly. If you see a coupon you know you would use, it is best to print it when you see it. If you are having trouble printing or are curious as to what some key sites to find printable coupons are, check out this link for more info.
Tearpad
Tearpads are pads or refund forms or coupons that are found hanging from store shelves or displays. The same rule for in store dispensers applies. Take two, and leave some for everyone else! Also, you don’t have to use these the same day or in the same store, unless it is a store specific coupon or refund.
MFR or MQ
Manufacturer or Manufacturer Coupons are released by the makers of the products to encourage you to try out their products. There is a limit of one Manufacturer Coupon per item. One tip: manufacturer coupons can be used at any store, even if they have a store logo on them for a specific store. The only exception is if they state “redeem only at”.
eCoupon
These coupons are found on the internet but instead of printing these out, you upload them to a card. It sounds like a great idea, but there are some key things to know before you do a happy dance about not cutting coupons anymore. One, these coupons don’t double. Two, each store will have a different policy about whether these can or can not be used with a paper coupon. Kroger for example will not let use both, but Bi-Lo or Harris Teeter will let you. The real kicker for me though is that once the coupon is loaded onto your card, you cannot choose not to use it in the store if you have a better paper coupon. Because of that, if you are in a store that will only allow either the eCoupon or the paper coupon, I like to add my eCoupons on to my list as the last step of my list making.
Upromise and SavingStar eCoupons are different in that you can use them with a paper coupon. SavingStar works more like a rebate system and Upromise is a way to put money towards a college education for your children. Click their links to learn more about how they function. You can also watch a Youtube video I did a while ago.
Regional
Sometimes I would love to change where I live, like when I am looking for a coupon listed but can’t find it in my paper. Regional sales or coupons are distributed in select areas. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you miss out. One thing that you can try to do, though, is to find the biggest newspaper for your area because they will have the most coupons. If you don’t have the coupon, don’t get too upset, it’s better to buy an item at the rock bottom low price without a coupon than to pay full price later.
For more help with lingo, check out Understanding Coupon Lingo: Part 1, Part 2 or Learn to Coupon: Coupon Facts.
Are there any terms that I didn’t cover in this series? Leave a comment and I’ll put those into another post!
