Kissing My Coupons (dot) blogspot (dot) com: How to Rebuild ECBs from $0 to $30!

About Kissing My Coupons & Me

Hi there! My name is Kelly and I am a 20-something-year-old college couponista with a live-in boyfriend. I attend USF here in Tampa and have started to do "this couponing thing" so that I can not work and still enjoy all the luxuries (all things considered) that I normally would without too many cut backs.
JOIN ME IN OUR ADVENTURE for free, almost free, and cheap deals!

Be sure to see the coupon abbreviations section below this section & if you have any questions you can always email me, (I love getting mail!) at: kissingmycoupons@gmail.com

Let the quest begin! :-D

Coupon Abbreviations, Definitions, & Lingo

Welcome!

I am happy that you have decided to learn more about coupon lingo! :-)

The one thing that can become difficult to understand as you go through coupon websites can be the abbreviations that are listed on pretty much all the coupon websites, including mine. So I'm here to help!

Here is a Mega-List of all the coupon abbreviations with their definitions:

Please note: This list is in alphabetical order to make it easy.

7-Day Cpn = "7-Day Coupon" - coupons that are printed in store advertisement flyers. They expire in 1 week (7 days). Several retailers such as Publix, Walgreens, etc. commonly do this.

BOGO or B1G1 or B1G1F = "Buy One Get One Free" - a sales promotion in which you buy a first item and get the second item for free (or in some stores, you may buy each item at half price, this depends on your store's policy -- ask).

Circular = "Coupon Circular/ Insert/ Booklet" - these are the coupon booklets found in your Sunday newspaper, several companies print these booklets including SmartSource, Valassis, Proctor & Gamble, Kelloggs, etc. (also see definition for: insert)

Couponing = used as a verb, a term used to refer to the practice of using coupons when shopping.

Cpn = "Coupon"

CVS-ing = used as a verb, a term that refers to loyalty-card holders that regularly visit CVS drugstores to earn Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) so that they can purchase FREE products. (also see definition for: ECBs)

ECBs = "Extra Care Bucks" - the CVS drugstore, loyalty-card holder program's rewards. These are money-back reimbursements found at the end of the CVS receipt after paying for an item.

EP = "End Price" - the final price after all coupons, sales, discounts, etc.

ESB = "Easy Saver Booklet/Catalog" - a monthly booklet printed by the Walgreens drugstore chain, found in-store, that provides coupons, and lists rebates available on items.

ESC = "Easy Saver Coupon" - coupons found in Walgreens stores' monthly Easy Saver Booklet/Catalog. (also see definition for: Easy Saver Booklet/Catalog)

Extra Care Booklet = the CVS booklet (printed monthly) that tells loyalty-card holders which CVS in-store products will earn loyalty-card holders Extra Care Bucks (ECBs). (also see definition for: ECBs)

FAR = "Free After Rebate" - term referring to an item that is paid for upfront, but has a Mail-In Rebate (MIR), which once redeemed makes the item free. (also see definition for: MIR)

Filler = used as a noun, a term used to refer to an item that is purchased to create a total needed to use a coupon or get the most of an advertised deal. They are usually the cheapest items in the store that help. For instance, if I have a CVS ECB coupon, which must be used all at once, for $4.99, and all items that I planned to purchase total up to $3.99, then I would find an item in the store for $1.00 or $0.99 so that I could use the most money possible from the $4.99 ECB that I am giving to the cashier.(also see definition for: ECBs)

Insert = "Coupon Insert/ Circular/Booklet" - these are found in your Sunday newspaper, several companies print these booklets including SmartSource, Valassis, Proctor & Gamble, Kelloggs, etc. (also see definition for: circular)

IP or IPC= "Internet Printable" or "Internet Printable Coupon" - these are coupons that can be printed from the internet using your home printer. They can usually be printed from manufacturer or manufacturer sponsored websites on the internet.

KG = "Kelloggs" - used to refer to a coupon insert/booklet printed in Sunday newspapers and the company that prints these inserts/booklets. (also see definitions for: circular, insert)

LP = "List Price" - the price on the shelf or advertised price for an item.

MC = "Manufacturer Coupon" - these are coupons distributed by product manufacturers to consumers.

MIR = "Mail-In Rebate" - a type of cash refund in which you purchase and item, THEN mail/email/electronically send the manufacturer your receipt, Proof of Purchase/ UPC code on the packaging & a form with your name & address, THEN 4-8 weeks later (typically) you receive a check from the manufacturer reimbursing you for the price of the item.

OOP = "Out Of Pocket" - a term referring to how much actual cash is spent for a purchase.

Overage OR ovg. = term that refers to the money that is credited to your total bill amount in excess of what a single item costs. For instance, if a bottle of shampoo costs: $3.00 & you have a store coupon worth $2.50 & a manufacturer's coupon worth $2.00, then you would get $4.50 off of the shampoo from both coupons, BUT since the shampoo only costs $3.00, the remaining $1.50 (quick math: $3.00 - $4.50 = -$1.50 ) would be credited to/ subtracted off to rest of your bill at checkout time. It's a win for the consumer!

Peelie = a coupon that is attached to an item in the store (usually for the exact same item or another item from that brand's line of products).

PG = "P&G Brandsaver" OR "Proctor & Gamble Brandsaver" - used to refer to a coupon insert/booklet printed in Sunday newspapers and the company that prints these inserts/booklets. (also see definitions for: circular, insert)

Q or Qs = "Coupon" or "Coupons"

RP = "RedPlum" - used to refer to a coupon insert/booklet printed in Sunday newspapers and the company that prints these inserts/booklets. (also see definitions for: circular, insert)

RRs = "Register Rewards" - part of the Walgreens drugstore rewards program, they are money-back reimbursement coupons that print along with your receipt when you purchase specific items.

SS = "SmartSource" - used to refer to a coupon insert/booklet printed in Sunday newspapers and the company that prints these inserts/booklets. (also see definitions for: circular, insert)

Wags = "Walgreens" - abbreviation for the Walgreens drugstore chain of stores.

wyb = "When You Buy..." - used to indicate a deal/promotion in which a certain number of items must be purchase to get a discount, gift reward, etc.

YMMV = "your mileage may vary" - a term used to say that one price or pricing situation in one store may not be the exact same at another location of the same store. Stores such as Walmart commonly have different prices for the same items in different stores and regions.

♥ Happy Shopping! ♥

Feel free to email me if you have questions! (kissingmycoupons@gmail.com)

Monday, December 1, 2008

How to Rebuild ECBs from $0 to $30!

Well, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and were able to pass the time with great people that you enjoy spending time with! I sure did, but before it got too late, I made a trip to my 24-hour CVS store! I used most of my ECBs to buy the Pedi-Paws pet nail file AND I lost a NINE DOLLAR ECB!! Yikes! Yikes! Yikes! I had a spill on my newspaper pile so I put them all in the trash (my inserts and ads were already removed, whew!), BUT I didn't realize that I still had an ECB near the pile! :-(

But oh well, I am saddened, but what can you do, but REBUILD! And this week at CVS I did! Yippie!

(click on image to enlarge)

I did several transactions to build up my ECBs from zero...

Transaction #1:

1 - Aussie Shampoo, 13.5 oz

List Price (LP): 2.99, Coupon (cpn): 1.00,

Subtotal: 1.99

Tax: 0.21

Out Of Pocket (OOP): $2.20

Received: $2.99 ECB

Transaction #2:

1 - Bic Soliel Razor, 1 razor w/ 2 cartridges pkg

LP: 5.99, cpn: 3.00,

ECB used: 2.99,

Subtotal: 0.00

Tax: 0.21

OOP: 0.21

Received: $5.99 ECB

This is where it all got interesting and I had to begin to ad lib from my planned deals.

I forgot to give the $3 Maybelline cpn AND the $8.99 ECB did not print! Oopsies! :-)

Transaction #3:

1 - Maybelline Mineral Liquid Makeup

LP: 8.99,

ECB used: 5.99

Subtotal: 3.00

Tax: 0.21

OOP: $3.21

Received: $12.00 ECB - Great cashier!

She manually printed an ECB for $8.99ECB + $3.00 cpn = $12! (she added a penny)

Transaction #4:

1 - Johnson & Johnson's Body Lotion, 14 oz

LP: 5.69, cpn: 1.00, EP: $4.69

1 - Garnier Nutritioniste Towellettes, 25 ct

LP: 5.99, cpn: 1.00, EP: $4.99

1 - CoverGirl Smoothers Makeup

LP: 5.99, cpn: 1.00, EP: $4.99

ECB used: 12.00

Subtotal: 2.67

Tax: 0.40

OOP: $3.07

Received: $5.69 + $5.99 + $5.99 = $17.67 in ECBs!

Transaction #5:

1 - Colgate Total Advanced Clean Toothpaste, 4 oz

LP: 2.99, cpn: 1.50 printable here, EP: $1.49

1 - 5-hr Energy Extra Strength, 2pk

LP = EP = $3.99

1 - CoverGirl Smoothers Liquid Makeup

LP: 7.99, cpn: 1.00, EP: $6.99

ECBs used: $5.99 (CoverGirl) + $5.99(Garnier) = $11.98

Subtotal: 0.49

OOP: $0.49

Received: $2.99 + $3.99 + $7.99 = $14.97 in ECBs!

ECBs left from before: $5.69

Transaction #6:

1 - Hershey's Candy Bar, King size - I got Cookies & Cream!

LP: 1.00

1 - Colgate Total Advanced Clean Toothpaste, 4 oz

LP: 2.99, cpn: 1.50 printable here, EP: $1.49

3 - Gatorade G2, 20 oz

LP = EP = $1.49 ea

1 - Mentos gum, 1 oz - Filler; I got the Fruit flavor!

LP = EP = $0.99

ECB used: $7.99 (CoverGirl liquid makeup)

Subtotal: -0.04

Tax: 0.11

OOP: $0.07

Received: $1.00 (Hershey's) + $2.99 (Colgate) + $4.47 (G2)= $8.46 in ECBs!

ECBs left from before: 5.69 + 2.99 + 3.99 = $12.67

Transaction #7:

2 - L'Oreal Colour Juice Lipgloss

LP: 6.99, cpn: 1.00 (used 2 cpns), EP: $5.99 ea

ECBs used: $5.69(J&J) + 4.47(G2) + 1.00(Hershey's) = $11.16

Subtotal: 0.82

Tax: 0.20

OOP: $1.02

Received: $13.98 ECB!

ECBs left from before: $2.99 + $2.99 + 3.99 = $9.97

Transaction #8:

2 - Phillips In-ear Headphones - They were sold out of the Universal remotes! :-(

ECB used: $13.98 (L'Oreal)

Subtotal: 0.00

OOP: $0.00!

Received: $13.98 ECB!

ECBs left from before: $2.99 + $2.99 + 3.99 = $9.97

Transaction #9:

1 - Aussie Shampoo, 13.5 oz

LP: 2.99, cpn: 1.00, EP: $1.99

1 - Bic Soliel Razor, 1 razor w/ 2 cartridges pkg

LP: 5.99, cpn: 3.00, EP: $2.99

1 - Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Nail Polish

LP: 3.79, cpn: 1.00, EP: $2.79

ECBs used: $2.99 (Colgate) + $3.99 (Energy shot) = $6.98

Subtotal: 0.79

Tax: 0.41

OOP: $1.20

Received: $12.77 in ECBs!

ECBs left from before: $16.97

**** Grand Total OOP: $11.47! ****

**** Grand Total of ECBs (walked away with): $29.74! ****

**** Grand Total SAVED: $110.46! ****

Kissing My Coupons (dot) blogspot (dot) com

About Kissing My Coupons & Me

Coupon Abbreviations, Definitions, & Lingo

Monday, December 1, 2008

How to Rebuild ECBs from $0 to $30!

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Kissing My Coupons (dot) blogspot (dot) com

About Kissing My Coupons & Me

Coupon Abbreviations, Definitions, & Lingo

Monday, December 1, 2008

How to Rebuild ECBs from $0 to $30!

No comments:

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Earn REAL Cash Back !! TOTALLY 100% FREE!

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