Financial Planning

Couponing 101: Coupon Abbreviations

March 16, 2015 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

New to couponing? Thinking we’re talking in some kind of top secret code? Check out the following list of common coupon and forum abbreviations to help you get started:

Blinkies – small coupon machines found in many stores that spit out coupons. They have a blinking light, hence the name.
B1G1 or BOGO – buy one get one
Catalina – coupons for $$ off your next purchase that print out alongside your receipt at the register.
CRT – Cash Register Tape
D – Double coupon
DD – Dear Daughter
DH – Dear Husband
DND – Do Not Double
DO – The Oklahoman
DS – Dear Son
ECB – Extra Care Bucks (CVS)
ESC and ESR – EasySaver Rebate and EasySaver Catalog (Walgreens)
FAR – free after rebate
FIL/BIL – Father/Brother In Law
GC – Gift Card (usually Target, can be any)
GM – General Mills
Hangtags – just what it sounds like. Coupon is on a tag that hangs from the product.
HTH – Hope that helps
IP – internet printable
ISO – In search of
IVC – instant value coupon (Walgreens – refers to EasySaver coupon)
KG – Kellogg
MC or MQ – manufacturer’s coupon
MIL – Mother In Low
MIR – mail in rebate
OOP – out of pocket
OYNO – On Your Next Order
Peelies – coupons you find on the product itself (peels off)
PG – Procter & Gamble
Q – Coupon
SCR – single check rebate (Rite Aid)
RP – Red Plum (sometimes also called Valassis)
RR – register reward (Walgreens)
SIL – Sister In Law
SS – Smart Source
Stack – Use two coupons together. For example, Walgreens allows you to use a Walgreens store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item.
TIA – Thanks in advance
Tearpads – just what it sounds like. Usually tearpad coupons hang on shelves near the product.
TW – Tulsa World
WYB – when you buy

Thanks, Brandi!

3 Ways to Save without Clipping Coupons

March 14, 2015 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

While couponing is the best way to save money (if you’re trying to save a lot) sometimes, there just isn’t time for that. In the real world where we are working, taking care of kids and running all over the place, there are times when we just can’t clip coupons. Do we throw out the savings method all together in those moments? No way. There are still ways to save even without the scissors!

3 Ways to Save Without Clipping Coupons

1. Plan Around What is On Sale: The sales flyers contain the most discounted items known as “loss leaders” that basically entice you into the store where you’ll spend more on other things. However, if you plan your menu around those “loss leaders” you’ll save 50% plus, you have quite a variety since you’re planning new meals around new sales each week. No coupon needed-just the sales flyer!

2. Visit the Right Store: If you have zero coupons, head to the store that would have the most discounts on the type of food you buy. For example, ALDI is a great choice all around if you buy a mix of conventional and produce items. For me personally, I buy a lot of organic and prefer Sprouts as an overall great buy for my items if I could only visit one store.

3. There’s an App for That: We mentioned Favado as an app for Back to School deals, but it’s main purpose is to let you in on the deals happening in the grocery store. That one app can compare sales and prices for you while you’re standing in the store. You can find the best buys, even some that are not advertised and plan your menu. You also can find out which store is best for you at any given time.

The next time you have to skip the scissors, don’t worry, you can still save!

5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

March 12, 2015 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

Now that we’re in adulthood, not only is the daunting task of paying bills a very real thing, but credit scores are also a major component in the real world. Many make bad or risky decisions in young adulthood and end up paying for it later with a bad credit score. The good news is that there are ways to improve your credit score so that ultimately, your life won’t be affected by the bad decisions forever!

1. Download Credit Karma! Whether you download the app, or just visit the website on a PC, this is a huge first step that can be extremely helpful. Credit Karma is free, gives you your credit score, shows all of the things that are negatively affecting your credit score, and gives tips on how to raise your score. It’s updated monthly, so you’ll have an accurate number to go by and you can watch as you get closer to your goal. Seeing the bar and the number go up is extremely rewarding!

2. Stop spending money you don’t have. This is important. In order to improve your credit score, you absolutely need to stop digging a hole and bringing your credit score down. Stay within your means, draft a successful budget, and stick to it! Sticking to a budget will help free up some additional money that can be put towards paying off debt and at the end of the day, paying off debt is the best way to improve your credit score.

3. Pay down small debts before large debts. The reasoning behind this is pretty simple, especially if you’re wanting to improve your credit score quickly for a purchase you’re anticipating that requires a higher credit score. Paying down a smaller debt and eliminating it will improve your credit score immediately. If you focus on the larger debts first, it will take much longer and it will be a slow climb.

4. Ask for a lower rate on your current credit cards. Asking for a lower rate doesn’t necessarily guarantee a lower rate, but there’s absolutely no harm in asking. If you’ve been a long time customer who makes payments on time, many credit card companies are willing to lower your rate! This would definitely help to improve your credit score because you’ll be able to pay more towards your actual debt rather than interest.

5. Think about getting a small limit credit card if you are building from the bottom. Often times, if your credit score gets too low, it seems impossible to rebuild because most companies won’t offer you a credit card to get a chance to do so. Credit Karma gives suggestions on cards that you may qualify for that have a low limit, so that’s an option, but beware because they usually have high interest. If this is something you’re interested in doing, make sure to pay it off every month to avoid the high interest!

Ultimately, when you begin to improve your credit score, it can seem like a slow process, but it will improve over time. Personally, I recommend cash only all the time if possible. But, for those big purchases like a home or car, a credit score is a must. Work as best you can to improve as much as you can and once you do raise that score, shop smart and spend wisely to ensure it stays in check!

I Made $90 Selling Used Items to Amazon!

March 12, 2015 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

I recently used the Amazon Trade-In Program on a stack of books that I had read as well as video games and DVDs that my kids no longer played with or watched and got over $90 in Amazon Gfit Card credits!

It’s a simple 3 step process and I wanted to share it with you today:

1. I entered the title or UPC Code onto the Amazon Trade-In Program page, used the provided criteria to grade the condition of the item, and finalized the sale like any other Amazon transaction.

2. I printed off the prepaid shipping label and dropped the package at the post office.

3. I received an email saying the items had arrived at Amazon, then got an electronic Amazon gift card about a week later.

Take a look around your house and if you have some stuff you are not using, give the Amazon Trade-In a try!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE TRADE-IN PAGE and see what your stuff is worth!

Here are the details directly from Amazon:

What is the Amazon Trade-In Program?

The Amazon Trade In Program allows customers to receive an Amazon Gift Card in exchange for over a million eligible items including DVDs, CDs, video games, electronics, and books. The process is easy and convenient with free shipping, an immediate offer, and no required registration or listing.

How long will it take to receive payment once I trade in my item?

Depending on your location, trade-in submissions may take up to 10 business days to arrive before your submission is processed. The packages you sent can be tracked anytime in Your Trade In Account.

Once your item is received and verified, you’ll receive an e-mail notification within 2 business days informing you whether your items were accepted or rejected. You can find the status of your trade-in anytime in Your Trade-In Account. Once your trade-in has been paid, you’ll see the amount when viewing your Your Gift Card Balance

What condition do my items need to be in?

In general, all items must be in at least acceptable condition and the item you wish to trade in must match the exact version displayed in the Trade-In search results or on the product page on Amazon.com. You can find the full condition descriptions by visiting our Eligible Products and Condition Criteria Page.

Are there any shipping or other fees?

When using the pre-paid shipping label, shipping trade-in items is completely free, and there are no other fees. When submitting a trade-in, customers will print a pre-paid U.S. Postal Service shipping label for sending in all items. If a trade-in item is not accepted, and is returned, there is no cost for return shipping.

Couponing 101: A Coupon Matchup Decoded

March 12, 2015 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

Do our coupon matchups have you scratching your head? A matchup is when we take your weekly sales flyer and match it up to coupons that are available. We then tell you the final price so you can plan your shopping trip according to the deals. The big question, what does SS, RP or P&G mean? Let’s look at an example below:

Huggies Diapers $5.99

-$5/1 SS 1/23/11

=.99 per pack (wouldn’t that be a great deal?)

First, the $5/1 means $5 off the purchase of 1 package. If we were to say $5/2, it would mean $5 off the purchase of two packages. Second, the SS means SmartSource. This is an insert that comes in your newspaper or mail. Here’s a list of those abbreviations:

SS=SmartSource

RP=Redplum

P&G=Proctor and Gamble

The numbers next to the SS in the example above is the date when that coupon came out in your newspaper. This way, depending on how you organize, you can go back to that insert and find the coupon easily.

If you’re wanting to save hundreds of dollars a month on your groceries, check out Coupon101 and get started saving today! You can also read all of our coupon abbreviations to help you learn this awesome money saving strategy!

Remember, you can jump start your couponing by downloading my new eBook, Couponing Bootcamp!