Frequently Asked Questions

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Here we will try to help you find the answers to your most frequently asked questions about how this board works.

To begin with please note that you can find the answers in our FAQ (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/faq.php) link in our top toolbar for easy use.

If you have searched our FAQ's and did not find the answer to your question please fill our our online submission form: ASK A QUESTION (https://hcw.wufoo.com/forms/hotcouponworld-ask-a-question/)

User Maintenance:

Q: Why Should I Register (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687750-post2.html)?
Q: Does This Forum Use Cookies (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687752-post3.html)?
Q: How Do I Clean My Cookies? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687755-post4.html)
Q: How Can I Change The Information In My Profile? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687758-post5.html)
Q: What Is The Signature For? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687761-post6.html)
Q: What links are allowed or not allowed in my signature? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2444888)

Q: I Lost My Password, What Can I do? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687762-post7.html)
Q: How Do I Change My Username? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/753224-post55.html)
Q: How Do I Add A Custom Status To My Profile? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/701520-post55.html)
Q: How Do I Get A Picture Next To My Username? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687767-post8.html)
Q: What Are The Buddy And Ignore Lists? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687768-post9.html)
Q: How Do I Sign Up For The Hot Coupon World Newsletters? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691725-post54.html)

General Forum Useage:

Q: Can I Search The Forums (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687769-post10.html)?
Q: Can I Send Email to Other Members? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/687771-post11.html)
Q: What Is Private Messaging? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688134-post12.html)
Q: How Do I Use The Member List? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688135-post13.html)
Q: How Do I Use The Calendar? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688142-post14.html)
Q: What Are Announcements? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688144-post15.html)
Q: How Do I Rate A Thread (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688154-post17.html)?
Q: What Is Reputation (Reps)? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688185-post18.html)(Video)
Q: What Are Referrals? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688220-post19.html)
Q: Why Can't I Post In Certain Forums? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688222-post20.html)
(http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688222-post20.html)
Q: What Are The Various Thead Display Options? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688228-post21.html)
Q: Where Can I Find The RSS Feed? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688229-post22.html)
Q: What Is The Event Reminder? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688255-post23.html)
Q: Why Are There Ads On The Site? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688258-post24.html)
Q: What do I do if there is an advertisement on the site that I feel is inappropriate or obnoxious? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-7.html#post2075011)
Q: How Do I Remove The Ads? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688259-post25.html)
Q: How Do I Use The Flashchat? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688275-post26.html)
Q: How Do I Use The Coupon Database? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688279-post27.html)
Q: What Is The Coupon Generator? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688280-post28.html)
Q: Why Am I Getting An Error Message? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688282-post30.html)
Q: What Are User Ranks? (Titles/Bubbles Under Your Username) (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691668-post42.html)
Q: What Are Moderators? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691645-post39.html)
Q: How Do I Reply To A Private Message? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/814965-post57.html)
Q: What Does "Non-Participant Mean? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2444815)
Q: What Is A Wiki? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2932248)
Q. How Do I Add A Wiki To A Thread? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2932259)
Q: How Do I Edit And Add To An Existing Wiki? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2932267)


Reading and Posting Messages:

Q. How Do I Make A New Thread? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post2960096)
Q: How Do I Make A Post? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688290-post31.html)
Q: Are There Any Special Codes/Tags I Can Use To Format My Posts? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688292-post32.html)
Q: How Do I Quote Someone Else's Post When In A Discussion Thread? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-6.html#post1825796)
Q: What Is Email Notification? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688294-post33.html)
Q: What Are Smilies? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688334-post34.html)
Q: What Are (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688337-post35.html) Code Buttons And Clickable Smilies? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688337-post35.html)
Q: How Do I Create And Vote In Polls? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688347-post36.html)
Q: What Are Attachments? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688349-post37.html)
Q: What Are Post Icons? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688354-post38.html)
Q: Can I Edit My Own Posts? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688153-post16.html)
Q: Why Have Some Of The Words In My Post Been Blanked? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691662-post40.html)
Q: How Do I Add A Picture To My Post? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691667-post41.html)
Q: How Do I Create A Hyperlink In My Post? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691675-post43.html)
Q: What Do The Abbreviations Used Mean? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691723-post53.html)
Q: What Does Bumping Mean? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/814867-post56.html)

Trading:

Q: Why Can't I Post In The Trading Forums? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691697-post46.html)
Q: What Is The Trader In Training User Group (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691698-post47.html)?
Q: What Is Feedback? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691705-post48.html)
Q: Why Can't I Leave Feedback From A Trade? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/90457-frequently-asked-questions-4.html#post3061459)

Hotcouponworld Member Blogs:

Q: What Are Blogs? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691709-post49.html)
Q: What Is The Blog Sidebar? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691713-post50.html)
Q: How Do I Post New Entries? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691714-post51.html)
Q: Can I Categorize My Entries (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/691716-post52.html)?
Q: What Are The Blog Entry Options? (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/750243-post54.html)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Should I Register

Registering to Hot Coupon World enables you to do other things besides just reading. In order to fully utilize the abilities of this forum we require that you register as a member. Registration is free, and allows you to do the following:


Post new threads
Reply to other peoples' threads
Edit your posts
Receive email notification of replies to posts and threads you specify
Send private messages to other members
Enter events in the forum calendar
Set up a 'buddy-list' to quickly see which of your friends are currently online
Send emails to other members
Use the coupon database
Use the coupon generator

To register, you will need to specify a username and password, and a valid email address. Entering your email address will not leave you open to 'spam', as you can choose to hide your email address, and messages sent to you via email do not reveal your address to the sender in any case. (To verify this, you can try sending an email message to another user.)

A valid email address is required and should the administrators find out that the email address you provided is not valid your account will be either banned or deleted.

To register an account please follow the following link:

REGISTER NOW! (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/register.php)

When registering you will be asked to choose a username. This is your online screen name that is visible to other members. We strongly suggest that you do not use your real name or your email address for online safety reasons.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Does This Forum Use Cookies?

The use of cookies on this forum is optional, but may enhance your experience of the site. Cookies are used to enable functions such as showing whether or not a thread or forum you are viewing has new posts since your last visit, or to automatically log you back in when you return to the site after being away for a while. When you register, you will be given the option to 'Automatically login when you return to the site'. This will store your username and password in a cookie, stored on your computer. If you are using a shared computer, such as in a library, school or internet cafe, or if you have reason to not trust any other users that might use this computer, we do not recommend that you enable this. This forum also gives you the option to use a cookie to track your current session, ensuring that you remain logged-on while browsing the site. If you choose not to store this information in a cookie, the session data will be sent through each link you click. Choosing not to use a cookie may cause problems if your computer's connection to the Internet uses a proxy-server and you share links with other users behind the same proxy. If in doubt, we recommend that you select 'yes' to enable the cookie. After you have registered, you may alter your cookie options at any time by changing the settings on this page.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Clean My Cookies?

You may clear all your cookies by clicking HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/login.php?do=logout&logouthash=3b7687224768b61174fef51dd1d9c289). If you return to the main index page via the link provided and you are still logged in, you may have to remove your cookies manually.


In Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP:

Click the "Tools" menu.
Select "Internet Options" from the menu that appears.
Click "Delete Cookies" on the dialog box that appears. It will be in the center area of the "General" tab.In Mozilla Firefox:

Click the "Tools" menu.
Select "Options" from the menu that appears.
From the dialog box, select "Privacy" on the left.
Find "Cookies" on the main pane, and click the "Clear" button adjacent to it.Your cookies should now be removed. You may want to restart the computer and revisit the forums to be sure.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Can I Change The Information In My Profile?

It is your responsibility to keep the information in your profile up to date. You should especially ensure that your email address is kept current. You can alter any of the fields in your profile, except your username. Once you have registered your username, it becomes yours for life. In extreme circumstances, you may request that the administrator change your username, but he or she will require a very good reason to do so, such as privacy reasons.

To edit your profile, click HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/usercp.php)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is The Signature For?

After you have registered, you may set your signature. This is a piece of text that you would like to be inserted at the end of all your posts, a little like having headed note paper.

If the administrator has enabled signatures, then you will have the option to include your signature on any posts you make. If you have specified a signature, then the forum will automatically append your signature to any messages you post. You can disable signatures on a per-post basis by un-ticking the 'Show Signature' checkbox when you compose your message.

You may turn the signature on and off on posts you have already made by editing the post and altering the state of the 'Show Signature' option.

You can set your signature by editing your profile.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: I Lost My Password, What Can I do?

If you forget your password, you can click on the 'Forgotten Your Password (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/login.php?do=lostpw)' link on any page that requires you to fill in your password.

This will bring up a page where you should enter your registered email address, and an email will be sent to that address instantly, with instructions for resetting your password.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Get A Picture Next To My Username?


These small images are called avatars. They are displayed below your username on all posts that you make. There are two kinds of avatars: those provided by the administrator and those that you upload yourself.

The administration has provided a set of avatars for members to use. You may also upload your own avatar to use. You must have a post count of 1 in order to select or upload an avatar.

For more information about avatars, click HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/misc.php?do=showavatars).

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are The Buddy And Ignore Lists?

The buddy list is used to keep track of the friends you have made on this forum. By going to your "Open Buddy List" in "Quick Links" menu of the navbar, you'll be able to see which of your friends are currently online and send them a private message. Adding people to your buddy list also allows you to send private messages to multiple forum members at the same time. You may add any member of the forums to your buddy list by viewing their profile or by going to "Buddy / Ignore Lists" in your "User CP".

Ignore lists are used for those people whose messages you wish not to read. By adding someone to your ignore list, those messages posted by these individuals will be hidden when you read a thread.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Can I Search The Forums?

You can search for posts based on username, word(s) in the post or just in the subject, by date, and only in particular forums.
To access the search feature, click on the "search" link at the top of most pages.

There are several options for searching.

The most specific is the "Search This Thread" function that is at the top of every thread. Use this when you are trying to find info on (for example) whether the CVS P&G deal is unlimited for the week. Search "unlimited" in the thread dated for this week, and all relevant posts in the thread will come up.

Next is the "Search This Forum" function. This will search all threads in the forum for the keyword(s) that you enter. Good for when you can't remember which week the Snuggle was on sale.

Last, and broadest, is the "Search Forums" in the top toolbar. This is going to return the largest number of results from ALL forums. This is useful if you can't remember in which forum you saw a particular thread, or BEFORE POSTING a deal. An example here might be: you want to post something in freebies that turns out to be a special promo or MIR. It has already been posted in the appropriate forum, so there is no need to repost.

For very specific searches, you can click on the Search button in the top toolbar and then Advanced Search. This allows you many other options, including a search by Member Name.

For those who say "I searched, but didn't see my answer": please scroll to the bottom of your results page-- there may be more than one page of results, and the thread that you are looking for is at the top of the second page!

If you search for something, and the search says the words are too common, try thinking of another word from the post that is less common.

One recent example is Confirm Clearly pregnancy tests. When you do a basic search on Confirm Clearly, it comes up with a million posts for CONFIRM, and says that the word CLEARLY is too common. Search "Confirm Pregnancy", and the appropriate threads come up.


You can search any forum that you have permission to search - you will not be allowed to search through private forums unless the administrator has given you the necessary security rights to do so.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Can I Send Email to Other Members?

Yes! To send an email to another member, you can either locate the member you want to contact on the MEMBER LIST (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/members/list/), or click their username within a post and a drop-down menu will appear where you will have the option to click on a link to send an email to that user.

This will open a page that contains a form where you can enter your message. When you have finished typing your message, press the [send email] button and your message will be sent instantly. Note that for privacy reasons, the email address of the recipient is not revealed to you during this process.

Note that if you cannot find an email link for a member, it either means that the administrator has disabled email functions for this usergroup, or that the member in question has specified that they do not wish to receive email from other members of the forum.

Another useful email function is the ability to send a friend a link to a thread you think they may find interesting. Whenever you view a thread, you will find a link somewhere on the page which will allow you to send a brief message to anyone you like. Your referral id is added to the link you send, so if your friend registers on this forum as a result of viewing the link you sent to them, your referrals total will automatically be credited!
Registered members may also be able to send messages to other members of this forum using the PRIVATE MESSAGING (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php) system. For more information about private messaging, CLICK HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688134-post12.html).

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is Private Messaging?

The administrator has enabled the PRIVATE MESSAGING (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php) system for registered members.

Sending Private Messages

Private messages work a little like email, but are limited to registered members of this forum. You may include vB Code, smilies and images in private messages that you send

You may send a private message to a member of this forum by clicking the 'SEND A PRIVATE MESSAGE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm)' link in the private messaging section of your user control panel, or by clicking the members username within a post and a drop down menu will appear with a link to send that member a private message

When you send a message, the default option is to save a copy of the message in your Sent Items folder.

Private Message Folders

By default, you will have two folders in your private message area. These are the Inbox and the Sent Items folders.

The INBOX (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php) folder contains any new messages you receive, and allows you to view all the messages you have received, along with the name of the person who sent the message to you and the date and time the message was sent

The SENT ITEMS (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?folderid=-1) folder contains a copy of any messages that you have sent, where you have specified that you wish to keep a copy of the message for future reference

You may create additional folders for your messages by clicking the 'EDIT FOLDERS (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=editfolders)' link

Each folder has a set of message controls which allow you to select messages, then either move them to one of your custom folders, or delete them completely. You also have a button which allows you to forward multiple messages from a folder to another member of the forum.

You will need to periodically delete old messages, as the administrator has set a limit to the number of private messages you can have in your folders. If you exceed the number of messages specified by the administrator, you will not be able to send or receive new messages until you delete some old messages.

Whenever you read a message, you will have the option to reply to the message, or forward that message to another member of the forum.

Message Tracking

When you send a new private message, you have the option to request a read-receipt for that message. This will allow you to check whether or not a message has been read by its recipient by viewing the PRIVATE MESSAGE TRACKING (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=trackpm) page

This page is divided into two sections: unread messages and read messages.

The unread messages section shows all messages that you have sent with a read-receipt request that have not yet been read by their recipient.

The read messages section shows all messages you have sent with a receipt request that have been read and acknowledged by their recipient. The time that the message was read is also shown.

You may choose to end the tracking on any message you choose by selecting the message and clicking the [end tracking] button

When you receive a message with a read-receipt request, you do not have the option to deny a read receipt.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Use The Member List?

The MEMBER LIST (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/members/list/) contains a complete list of all the registered members of this forum. You can sort the members list by various columns such as alphabetically, by post count, join date, etc.

The member list also has a SEARCH FUNCTION (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=search), which allows you to quickly locate members according to categories you specify, such as searching for all members who have joined in the past week, by state they live in, etc.

The MEMBER LIST (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/members/list/) can be found in the footer at the bottom of each and every hotcouponworld web page.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Use The Calendar?

The calendar is a tool to help forum members keep track of events and important dates.

There are two types of events on the CALENDAR: (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/calendar.php) normal events and recurring events.

Normal Events span the time frame from when the event starts until the event ends.

Recurring Events repeat over a set period of time based on certain criteria. Examples would be an event that occurs on the first Monday of every month and an event that occurs every Monday and Wednesday.
The administrator has enabled registered members to post events. You can also post your own private events that are only viewable to you.

Birthdays are shown on the calendar. Your birthday will automatically be shown on the calendar if you have entered the date of your birthday in your PROFILE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/profile.php?do=editprofile). Note: if you do not enter the year of your birth when you edit your profile, your age will not be shown on the calendar.

If you enter your birthday, your name will also appear on the MAIN FORUM PAGE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/) when it is your birthday.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Announcements?

Announcements are special messages posted by the administrator or moderators. They are designed to be a simple one-way communication with the users. If you wish to discuss announcements, you will have to create a new thread in the forum, since you cannot reply to announcements. Announcements will be found at the top of the forum or page. To read the announcements please click on them to open. Once read, the announcement will no longer appear at the top of the forum page.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Can I Edit My Own Posts?

If you have registered, you will be able to edit your posts. Note that the administrator will disable this ability if a member abuses the privilege of the ability to edit posts.

Your ability to edit your posts is time limited to 1 year from the day of creation. If there is a thread such as your have-list or wish-list that is over 1 year old that you need to edit. You will need to report the post to a moderator for deletion and start a new wish-list or have-list post in the appropriate forum.

To edit your posts, click the http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/buttons/edit.gif button by the post you want to edit.

After you have made your modifications, a note may appear, which notifies other users that you have edited your post. Administrators and moderators may also edit your messages but this note may not appear when they do so.


Members do not have permission to edit their posts in the following forums:

Auctions: Coupons or Actuals (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/auctions-coupons-actuals/)
Hot Under The Collar (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/hot-under-collar/)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Rate A Thread

You will find a small menu on thread pages which allows you to 'rate this thread' with a number between 1-5.

Casting a vote for threads you view is entirely optional, but if you think that the thread is superb, you might rate it as a 5-star thread, or if you think that it's unspeakably dismal, you might choose to rate the thread with a single star.

Once enough votes have been cast for the thread rating, you will see a set of stars appear with the title of the thread in the thread listings.

These stars reflect the average vote cast, and can allow you and other members to quickly see which threads are worth reading if you are on a very busy forum with a lot of threads.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is Reputation (Reps)?

The reputation system is a fun way to let someone know what you think of their post. All registered members can give and receive reps.

How do I leave reputation for others?

To leave reputation for other members you will see a icon attached to each post that looks like this: http://hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/buttons/reputation.gif

When you click on the scales icon a pop up box will appear for you to leave reputation for the post. You can either approve or disapprove of this post and leave a comment for the post as well.

Once you have filled out the reputation box click the button "Add to reputation"

:d3: Video (Watch our short video on how to leave a rep comment)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO (http://screencast.com/t/STkO0Tjgtu)

How do I view the reputation of others?

To view the reputation of others you will see what are called "pips". Pips are small green or red boxes under a member join date on each thread. They look like this: http://hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_highpos.gif

The higher one's reputation score is the more pips they will have.

When you hover your mouse over a members pips you will see thier reputation level.

What are the reputation levels?



The reputation levels and points necessary are as follows:

User is infamous around these parts / -99999 Points
User can only hope to improve / -50 Points
User has a little shameless behaviour in the past / -10 Points
User is an unknown quantity at this point / 0 Points
User is on a distinguished road / 10 Points
User will become famous soon enough / 50 Points
User has a spectacular aura about / 150 Points
User is a jewel in the rough / 250 Points
User is just really nice / 350 Points
User is a glorious beacon of light / 450 Points
User is a name known to all / 550 Points
User is a splendid one to behold / 650 Points
User has much to be proud of / 1000 Points
User has a brilliant future / 1500 Points
User has a reputation beyond repute / 2000 Points

Hot Coupon World may add more levels to our reputation system in the future. If so we will update this FAQ.

How do I view the reputation and comments left for my by other users?

To view the reputation that others have left for you as well as thier comments you will go to your USERCP (http://hotcouponworld.com/forums/usercp.php)(User Control Panel)

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see a table entitled " Latest Reputation Received"

Here you will find up to 50 of the latest reputations given to you as well as a link to the thread that was repped, the date and time the reputation was left, who gave you reputation, and any additional comments the user has for you.

A green pip means that the reputation was positive and a red pip means that it was a negative.

What do the colors mean?



When reputation is given to a member you are given what is called a "pip". Pips can be one of three colors, the colors and corresponding meaning are as follows:

Red - Negative, this usually means that someone disagrees or disapproves a post or comment.
Green - Positive, someone has found this post good, informative, or just cool.
Grey - Neutral, the person who gave this rep is too new or has low reputation power due to having few reputations themselves. The rep. still shows but does not count as a positive or negative towards the overall score.

Remember! - Reputation has NO value, it is just a way for members to let other members know that a post was helpful, a way to say thanks for the information, or in some cases to let a member know that you thought thier post was bad, negative, or inappropriate.



What other things should I know about the reputation system?

Upon registration all new users start out with 10 reputation points.
If a member has less than -9999 reputation points thier reputation level is "Off the Scale".
Reputation left by a administrator is worth 10 reputation points.
For every 10 days a member is registered, users gain 1 point of reputation altering power.
For every 100 posts, users gain 1 point of reputation-altering power.
For every 200 points of reputation, users gain 1 point of reputation-altering power.
A user must have 5 posts in order for thier reputation hits to count on others.
Users may give 50 reputation clicks per 24 hour period. (Administrators are exempt from this, and may give as many as they wish)
You must give reputation to 10 different members before you can rep. the same person again.
Reputation is not to be confused with feedback. If you have traded with someone and wish to leave them feedback please use the itrader rating system to leave appropriate feedback.
There is no way for members to view the reputation that they have left for other members.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Referrals?

The administrator has enabled referrals, which allows you to be credited for any new users you invite to the forum.

You gain referrals by promoting Hot Coupon World using your unique referral link. Your unique referral link can be found at the following link:

Hot Coupon World referrals (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=referrals)

You can email the link to friends and family.

Each time someone follows this link to Hot Coupon World and registers as a new member, your referral count will be incremented by one. The number of referrals you have can be viewed in your profile.

Your administrator may run contests based on referals from time to time. Please be courteous when promoting Hot Coupon World by not spamming other web sites with your referral link just to gain referrals.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Can't I Post In Certain Forums

All forums are open to posting by all registered members except for the following forums:

Hotcouponworld's Helping Hand (Only Admin may start a new thread in this forum)
Hot Entrepreneurs (Only Hot Entrepreneur subscribers may post in these forums)

Additionaly all of the trading forums are read only until a member joins and has been approved for the Trader Group. To join the trader group you must:

Read the thread that contains the trading rules.
Agree to these rules.
Apply for Trader Group membership.

You may find the Trading Rules and instructions on how to join the Trader Group HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/rules-guidelines-trading/20899-rules-forums-trading-share-wealth-must-read.html)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are The Various Thread Display Options?

When viewing a thread, you will be able to view the thread from a choice of four modes.



Linear Mode (Oldest First) - In this mode, posts are displayed chronologically from oldest to newest. Posts are shown in a flat mode so that many posts can be viewed simultaneously.
Linear Mode (Newest First) - This is the same as the above mode, except that posts are ordered in an opposite way (newest first).
Threaded Mode - In this mode, a tree is shown along with every post. This tree allows you to see the relationship each post has to others, in terms of who responded to whom. Only one post is shown at a time.
Hybrid Mode - This mode is a mixture of the linear and threaded modes. The post tree is displayed like in the threaded mode, but multiple posts are displayed simultaneously like in the linear modes.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Where Can I Find The RSS Feed?

The administrator may have enabled RSS syndication, this allows you to view newly created threads in guest viewable forums without visiting the board.

The feeds are currently provided in two formats, RSS and RSS v2. The differences are as follows:
RSS 0.91 - This feed is based on a standard written by netscape and provides a link and the title of the thread.
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...l.php?type=rss (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/external.php?type=rss)
RSS 2.0 - This feed contains title, author, date and the contents of the first post of the thread.
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums....php?type=rss2 (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/external.php?type=rss2)
To add this to MyYahoo click here (http://e.my.yahoo.com/config/promo_content?.module=ycontent&.url=http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/external.php?type=rss2).
The forums to which this applies can also be limited to specific guest viewable forums by adding another parameter to the URL containing the forumids as follows:
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums....php?type=rss2 (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/external.php?type=rss2)&forumids=123

If you would like the content to be generated for multiple forums you can separate the forumids by commas.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is The Event Reminder?

Event Reminder is one of the features of the HCW calendar. You can subscribe to events on our calendar and the system will send you emails when those events are.
See details about HCW's calendar HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688142-post14.html).

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q. Why Are There Ads On The Site?

Hot Coupon World is a free website and provides our members with the deals completely free of charge. But in order to keep this website free of charge, our site is ad supported. Advertisements provide us with the means to pay our operating costs, gift our moderators, as well as bring additional site features as the need arises.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How do I remove the ads?

If you would like to view the site with no ads you can pay a small 1 year subscription fee and they will be removed.

Remove ads HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/payments.php)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Use Flashchat?

Hot Coupon World offers it's members the opportunity to chat instantaneously with other members via our chat rooms. Chat rooms are an extension of our site and the rules that apply to our forums also apply to our chat rooms.

To find our chat rooms please click on the Quick Links link in our top toolbar, which will present you with a drop down menu. From the drop down menu choose the link FLASHCHAT (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/misc.php?do=flashchat)and you will be taken to the chat rooms. Or on the Hot Coupon World homepage, at the top, you will see the FlashChat icon
Members currently using Flashchat: (#)

http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/misc/whos_online.gif (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/misc.php?do=flashchat) ..and a list here of the names of members who are currently in the FlashChat at THAT time.

To Enter FlashChat, you simply click on the icon with the 3 people.



Currently there are 5 Chat Rooms from which to choose from, they are:
General Discussion Chat - A chat room for everyday life.
Coupon Deal Discussion Chat - A chat room for mainly deal related chat.
Coupon Trading Chat - A chat room for coupon trading. You must be a member of the trading group and ask any moderator for the password.
CVS Deal Discussion - A chat room for our hard core CVS store shoppers.
Book Masters - A chat room for our book clubs.FlashChat setup and features

Once you enter into FlashChat, you will see 3 sectioned boxes:
A big Window (the main chat room window) which is located mid/center/top. This is where the chat conversation happens between all members in the chat room.
A smaller box below it (your typing box). This is where you type your message that will be posted to the other members in the chat room.
An oblong box to the right with the members names that are currently in chat and tabbed rooms with the names of the other FlashChat rooms.How do I type in FlashChat?

Type your messages in the box below the Main Chat box window. To "Send" your messages so the messages enter the Main Chat window, you can either hit the "Enter" button on your keyboard or the click the "Send" bubble on the right of your type box.

How do I change my font color?

Above your type box, in between the Main Chat window and your type box, In between the "Options" bubble and the "Save" bubble, you will see a white box. Click that box and it will show you the different font colors that you can choose from. Click on the color of your choice and it will change the box color to THAT color...and when you type...it will type WHITE in your type box, but will appear in color in the Main Chat window.

**Please take into consideration that if you select a color that another member is using, it can make chat conversation a bit harder to read. So try to choose a color that no other member is using at that time and/or Bold the font and/or Italic your font, just to make it easier to differentiate between members during conversations.

How do I make my font Bold and/or Italic?

Above your type box, in between the main chat window and your type box, to the right of the Smiley face, there "B" bubble (for Bold) and an "I" bubble (for Italic).
Simply click either/or and your font will appear Bold and/or Italic.

How do I get a smiley face to the left of my user name in the Main Chat window?

Above your type box, in between the Main Chat window and your type box, you will see a "Options" bubble, click that, and then click "Effects" tab. Under Under "Avatars" select a smiley for the Main Chat and then select a smiley for the Room List

**IMPORTANT : Make sure to check-mark the boxes to the left of the smiley's
Then, click "OK" at the bottom.

How do I get smiley's to appear in my chatter like the other members do?

Above your type box, in between the Main Chat window and your type box, click on the Smiley face and click on any smiley and it will appear in your type box (as font...not as a picture).

Once you hit Enter or click the "Send" bubble....it will appear in the Main Chat window.

How do I send a member a Private Message in FlashChat?

On the Member list (upper right), simply click on the Member name and select the Private Message Option. A Private Message (PM) window will pop up and you can type in there (privately) between you and that member.

What is NOT allowed in FlashChat?


FlashChat is rated PG-13.
You are not allowed to post links to competitor websites.
You are not allowed to discuss graphic, adult content.
You are not allowed to cuss, swear or be offensive.
You are not allowed to use FlashChat as a means to attack, belittle or bash other members.
You are not allowed to trade coupons unless you are in the coupon trading chat room.Basically, the same things that are not allowed on the main Hot Coupon World forums/threads/posts are not allowed in FlashChat either.

FlashChat has other features that are less commonly used. If you need further assistance just ask a chat mod or fellow chatter and they will assist you.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Use The Coupon Database?

The Coupon Database is a tool to let you know what coupons are out there for products. Different regions of the US get different value coupons on the same products, and some regions get coupons that other regions do not. Knowing what these values and coupons are enables members to trade for the better values that suit thier needs better.

Full instructions for the coupon database can be found at the following link:

How to Use the Coupon Database (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/../using-the-coupon-database/)

(this link can also be found in the footer at the bottom of each and every hotcouponworld web page)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is The Coupon Generator?

The COUPON GENERATOR (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=cpngenerator), located on your HCW toolbar under the coupon resources tab is a great way to select which, and how many Target Store coupons you wish to print.

Just to clarify:

Not all generators out there are the same. There are some generators that grab the coupons off unpublished parts of the Target Store web servers. This would be the equivalent of taking ad copy proofs out of the advertising agency before the copy got approved and published in the paper. Until Target has posted the coupons on their website, the coupons are just drafts and not valid for use.

Hot Coupon World does not do that. The coupons on the Hot Coupon World generator have all been officially published on the Target Store website or sent out in email. The coupons in their original form have no restrictions on the number you can print so the generator is not circumventing any printing restrictions.


Some of the coupons in the generator are no longer on the Target Store website. This is not because Target has invalidated the coupons, it is because Target was ready to put up a fresh, new set before the old set expired.

To use the coupon generator, type the number of each coupon you wish to print in the box to the left of the coupon description. Next, click get coupons. Your coupons will now be ready to print.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

----nothing to see here---

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Am I Getting An Error Message?


Error messages can occur for various reasons. Some of the possible reasons you may be getting an error message when you click a link could be:
You do not have privileges to access this area of the board. Please see this LINK (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/688222-post20.html)to see if this could possibly be the case.
A link is broken or was entered in correctly. If you believe that the link could possibly be a broken link please use the CONTACT US (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/sendmessage.php)link to let an administrator know that you may have possibly found a broken link that needs fixing. In your message please provide a link to the page in which you found the broken link. This helps us find and fix the link that is broken.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Make A Post?



First steps first...
You have to be a registered member of Hot Coupon World to post to the board. If you are not a member please register an account.
If you are already a member, make sure you are logged in.There are 2 types of posting...you can either post a new thread (you are the creator of a topic within a forum) or you can reply to a post (you are adding a comment to an existing topic)



Creating a new thread
You will need to pick a forum that you wish to post in. In the pictures below I will be using the forum General Board Questions.Figure 1 - Choose a Forum for the forum homepage
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/PickaForum.jpg

Once you have clicked a forum it will open up the forum and you will then you will see on the left upper right hand side of the forum a button that says "New Thread".

Figure 2 - New Thread Button
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/ClickNewThread.jpg

Once you have clicked the "New Thread" button an editor will open up for you to start your new thread.

Figure 3 - New thread editor
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/Nowpostanewthread.jpg

Once you have typed up your post, hit the "Submit New Thread", and now your thread has been posted.:Wave:

Posting a reply (exising topic/thread)

First step is to pick the thread you wish to reply to

Figure 4 - Pick a thread
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/PickaThread.jpg

Once you have picked a thread, you will read it, and maybe you will want to add a comment, question, or additional information. So once you have read the thread you will find a button at either the top of the thread (in the same spot as the "New thread" button in the instructions above OR at the bottom of the thread. It is called "Post Reply". The picture below is the bottom of the thread, with the post reply button, as well as the "Quick Reply" editor box.

Figure 5 - Post Reply and Quick Reply
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/Postareply.jpg

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Are There Any Special Codes/Tags I Can Use To Format My Posts?

For the most part, your posts will contain plain text, but on occasions, you may want to emphasize certain words or phrases by making them (for example) bold or italic.

You may use vB Code to add special effect to your post. vB Code is a special set of tags which you can use to produce the most popular text-effects. vB code has the advantage that it is very simple to use, and is immune to malicious javascripts and page layout disruption.

The administrator has also enabled smilies, which allow you to use small icons to convey emotion, and the [img] code, which allows you to add pictures to your message.

For more information about vB code, CLICK HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode).

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is Email Notification?

If you post a new thread, or reply to an existing thread, you can choose to be notified by email when someone else replies to that thread.

You can also choose to receive email notifications of new posts in a thread without posting in that thread, by clicking the 'Subscribe to this thread' link displayed in the thread page.

If you choose to stop receiving email notifications from a thread, you can turn off the option by either editing your post, or by unsubscribing from the thread HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription).

Only registered users may receive email notification, and they can set whether they want to receive email notification by default by editing their OPTION (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions).

Email notification is also referred to as 'Thread Subscription'.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Smilies?

Smilies are small graphical icons which you can insert into your messages to convey an emotion or feeling, such as a joke or embarrassment. For example, if you entered a sarcastic comment, rather than type 'that was a joke', you could simply insert the 'wink' smilie.

If you have used email or internet chat systems, you will probably be familiar with the concept of smilies already. Certain combinations of text characters are converted into smilies.

For a list of the smilies currently used by this forum, CLICK HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/misc.php?do=showsmilies).

On occasions, you may want to prevent the text in your message being converted into smilies. You will see a checkbox which you can select when you make a new post, which will allow you to 'Disable Smilies'.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Code Buttons And Clickable Smilies?

These controls allow you to quickly and easily enter vBcode into your posts and messages. To use them, simply click the appropriate buttons or select items from the lists to enter vBcode.

There are three editor modes available: Basic, Standard and Enhanced mode. When using the Basic editor, there are no vBcode buttons to assist your editing. You must enter any vBcode markup manually in this editor.

When using Standard mode, highlight the text you wish to modify and press the appropriate button. This will place the proper vBcode tags around the selected text. Pressing a button while not having any selected text, will insert vBcode tags at your cursor. You may then enter your text between the tags.

When using the Enhanced mode, pressing a button will modify any highlighted text. This mode is a WYSIWYG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wysiwyg) mode, What You See Is What You Get, whereas your final post appears the same while being edited.

Clicking a button while having no text selected will not have any effect.
To use the clickable smilies, simply click the smiley that you want to insert into your message, or click the [More] link to access the full list of smilies.

The forum default setting for this site is Enhanced mode.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Create And Vote In Polls?

You may notice that some threads on this forum also include a section where you can vote on an issue or question. These threads are called 'polls' and this is how to create them:

Creating a new poll
When you post a new thread, you have the option to also create a poll.

This function allows you to ask a question and specify a number of possible responses. Other members will then be able to vote for the response they wish, and the results of the voting will be displayed in the thread.


An example poll might be:
What is your favorite color?
Red
Blue
Yellow
Green
Sky-blue pink with yellow spotsTo create a poll when you post a new thread, simply click the 'Yes! post a poll' checkbox at the bottom of the page, and set the number of possible responses you want to include.

When you click the submit button, you will be taken to the poll creation page, where you can specify the question and the list of responses you want to include.

You may also want to specify a time limit for the poll, so that (for example) it only stays open for voting for a week.

Voting in and viewing a poll

To vote in a poll, simply select which option you want to vote for, and click the [Vote!] button. You may view the current results for a poll before you vote by clicking the 'View Results' link. Voting in a poll is entirely optional. You may vote for any of the available options, or cast no vote at all.

Generally, once you have voted in a poll, you will not be able to change your vote later, so place your vote carefully!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Attachments?

The administrator has allowed certain usergroups to use the attachment feature of this forum, which gives you the ability to attach files of certain types to your posts.

Allowed file types and sizes are:


bmp 19.5 KB (620 x 280)
doc 488.3 KB
gif 19.5 KB (620 x 280)
jpe 19.5 KB (620 x 280)
jpeg 19.5 KB (620 x 280)
jpg 97.7 KB
pdf 488.3 KB
png 19.5 KB (620 x 208)
psd 19.5 KB
txt 19.5 KB
xls 488.3 KB
zip 293.0 KBTo attach a file to a new post, simply click the [Manage Attachments] button at the bottom of the post composition page, and locate the file that you want to attach from your local hard drive.

After posting, the image attachments may display a thumbnail, depending on the forum settings. To view the contents of the attachment (if it is not already displayed) simply click the filename link that appears next to the attachment icon.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Post Icons?

The has adminstrators have enabled post icons for new threads, posts and private messages. Post icons allow you to specify a small icon to accompany your posting, which is used to convey the emotion or content of a post at a glance. If you do not see a list of post icons when you are composing your message or post, the administrator has disabled the option.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Moderators?

A moderator is someone who is charge here at Hot Coupon World.

We have 3 levels of hierarchy here at Hot Coupon World.


Administrators – The highest level at Hot Coupon World.
Super Moderators – Have power over the whole board, except forum software.
Forum Specific Moderators – Oversee a particular forum, forums, or section of the site such as chat room or blogs for which they have applied to help out with.

Who are the HCW moderators?

You can find a list of all moderators at Hot Coupon World, and the forums they moderate by following this link: VIEW FORUM LEADERS (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/showgroups.php).

Are Moderators Paid?

Moderators are not paid. They are all volunteers that wish to help members and make Hot Coupon World the site that it is. But we do give “perks” to our moderators as a way of saying thank you for their hard work and effort. These perks are:

A user rank badge with thier moderator status
Free access to all of Hot Coupon Worlds Entrepreneur forums - A $20 a year value
Extra signature space for the allowance of a bigger signature.
RAOK’s (Random Acts of Kindness) and giveaways offered by the administrators and fellow moderators

What are the moderators responsibilities?

Moderator’s responsibilities vary, but include the following duties:

Watching for spammers on the board and banning them via the infraction system when they appear.
Keeping their forums organized and clean by merging or moving posts and threads. Consolidating threads as necessary to make it easier to navigate, etc.
Making sure that the deals are posted in their forum, if they are moderating a store forum.
Posting relevant information, FAQ’s for their store, tips, discussion about their topic, etc.
Taking care of reported posts as they are reported by our members.
Watching the threads and posts for unethical use of coupons or other violations of our Terms of Service. And issuing warnings or infractions as necessary.
Acting as a liaison between the members and the store or manufacturer. If a question is posed that they do not know the answer to, our moderators will attempt to contact the store or manufacturer to see if they can find out the answer.
And most importantly… they are here to help our members with questions, providing them the information they need.

How do I apply to be a moderator?

Our Administrator, Lesley (username sbp) is in charge of our Moderator Team. If there is a forum at Hot Coupon World that does not already have a moderator and you meet the requirements set forth for being a moderator please send a PRIVATE MESSAGE TO SBP (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=5).

Also from time to time sbp will make forum announcements letting our members know which forums are in need of moderators, click on the announcement and follow the directions within. Sbp also watches the forums and occasionally will PM (Private Message) members that she notices are active posters and would make good moderators and see if they are interested.

Is being a moderator hard?

Moderating a forum takes as much time as you can put into it. We at Hot Coupon World realize that our moderators have real lives, families, and jobs outside of the site and that takes precedence. We try to provide advice, instructions, and the tools necessary to do the job. The most labor intensive part of being a moderator is if you are a Store mod and do the sales ad each week with coupon match ups from the Hot Coupon World Coupon Database.

Being a moderator is not all work and no play, we do have fun too!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Have Some Of The Words In My Post Been Blanked?

Hot Coupon World attempts to keep the content of our forums suitable for viewing by members of all ages. While we can not control the content at all times we do have a word censor in place that censors out the word we feel are the most offensive to us and our members.

If a member types a censored word the text will be replaced by *****'s

The same words are censored for all users, and censoring is done by a computer simply searching and replacing words. It is in no way 'intelligent'.

The names of our competitors are also censored out to avoid members from inadvertently advertising our competition on our website.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Add A Picture To My Post?


You can add a picture in one of two ways, either as an attachment to your post or blog or by hosting your image on another website such as photobucket.com or another image hosting website.


How to upload an attachment:
In your post reply box you will see a paperclip icon http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/editor/attach.gif<< Click it.
A window will pop up for you to upload your picture from your computer.
Find the picture you wish to upload and upload it.
Close the window once it has uploaded.
At this point you can just go and post and your attachment will be a link.
To make your picture show as a picture in you post...go back and click on the down arrow next to the http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/editor/attach.gificon. This will pull a dropdown box with your attachment/s click on the attachment and it will insert something in your post that looks like [ATTACH] some numbers [ATTACH]. then click preview post to make sure everything looks OK and if it does hit submit.To upload your picture from another photo hosting website.
Upload your picture to your image hosting site.
Copy the URL for your image
Go to your post over here and click the http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/editor/insertimage.gificon.
A pop up window will appear.
Make sure to delete the http:// that is already filled in the box.
Paste the URL of your picture into the box and click "ok"

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are User Ranks? (titles under your user name)

User ranks are images that appear beneath your user's names on their posts. Ranks assigned to All Usergroups appear for everyone.

The following user ranks employed by this site are based on post count and are as follows:

Posts = 50 ~ HOT
Posts = 100 ~ SPARKING
Posts = 500 ~ SMOKIN'
Posts = 1,000 ~ FLAMING
Posts = 2,000 ~ SIZZLING
Posts = 3,000 ~ SCORCHING
Posts = 4,000 ~ BAKING
Posts = 5,000 ~ BURNING
Posts = 6,000 ~ HOT HOT HOT
Posts = 7,000 ~ INCANDESCENT
Posts = 8,000 ~ RED RED HOT
Posts = 9,000 ~ STEAMING
Posts = 10,000 ~ THREE ALARM
Posts = 11,000 ~ ASHES
Posts = 12,000 ~ BURNING UP
Posts = 13,000 ~ FEVERISH
Posts = 14,000 ~ INSATIABLE
Posts = 15,000 ~ SPICY
Posts = 16,000 ~ THIRD DEGREE
Posts = 17,000 ~ TORRID
Posts = 18,000 ~ EN FUEGO
Posts = 19,000 ~ SEARING
Posts = 20,000 ~ BLISTERING
Posts = 21,000 ~ CARRYING THE OLYMPIC TORCH
Posts = 22,000 ~ FIERY
Posts = 23,000 ~ MUY CALIENTE
Posts = 24,000 ~ PHOENIX
Posts = 25,000 ~ RED HOT
Posts = 26,000 ~ SCALDING
Posts = 27,000 ~ SWELTERING
Posts = 28,000 ~ FIVE ALARM FIRE
Posts = 29,000 ~ FLASH POINT
Posts = 30,000 ~ FIERCE
Posts = 31,000 ~ HOTTER THAN THE SUN
Posts = 32,000 ~ UP IN FLAMES
Posts = 33,000 ~ 1 HOT TO-MALEE
Posts = 34,000 ~ HOT TAMALE
Posts = 35,000 ~ NUCLEAR
Posts = 36,000 ~ TOWERING INFERNO
Posts = 37,000 ~ HOT STUFF
Posts = 38,000 ~ WHITE HOT
Posts = 39,000 ~ ATOMIC
Posts = 40,000 ~ FLAME THROWER
Posts = 41,000 ~ INFERNO
Posts = 42,000 ~ BLAZING
Posts = 43,000 ~ WILD FIRE
Posts = 44,000 ~ SMOULDERING
Posts = 45,000 ~ HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' LOVE
Posts = 46,000 ~ MOLTEN
Posts = 47,000 ~ BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE
Posts = 48,000 ~ SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
Posts = 49,000 ~ OFFICIALLY ON FIRE
Posts = 50,000 ~ 50,000+ POSTS HOTCOUPONWORLD TOP POSTER!!


Additionally there are user ranks for members that are members of certain usergroups, they are as follows:

ADMINISTRATOR = Site Administrator, the persons in charge around here.
SUPER MODERATOR= Super Moderator, members that can make executive decisions based on policy site wide.
FORUM MODERATOR= Forum Specific Moderator, a member of our mod team that has been assigned a specific forum/s to moderate.
CHAT MODERATOR= Chat Room Moderator, a member of our mod team that handles issues that appear in our chat rooms.
BLOG MODERATOR= Blog Moderator, a member of our mod team that handles issues that appear in our blogs.

ENTREPRENEUR = Entrepreneur, members that have paid the subscription fee to post in our "Hot Entrepreneur" forums.

NEWBIE MENTOR= Newbie Mentor, A special title given to our mentors that are here to provide assistance specifically to new members.
TRADER IN TRAINING = Trader In Training (TNT), members that have read and agreed to the trading rules and have been approved to post in some of our Trading forums
TRADER =Trader, members that have met the requirements set forth for Trader in Training and have "graduated" to a full trader status and can post in all of our Trading forums.
TRADING COACH = Trading Coach, a select few members that have agreed to help new traders by answering questions and providing advice to members in our Trader In Training group.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Create A Hyperlink In My Post or Signature?

A hyperlink is a link that includes user specified text. A common use of a hyperlink at Hot Coupon World is a link to a members wish-list or have-list in that members signature.

To create a hyperlink follow these steps:



In either your post message box or edit signature box begin with typing out the word or words that you wish for your link to say. For example type out the words " My Wish-List"
With your cursor highlight the words you just typed out.
Then click the Code Button http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images/editor/createlink.gifto insert a link.
In the pop-up box that appears paste the URL (website address or link) to the location that you wish to create a link to.
Click "OK"

Now your words "My Wish-List" will be created into a hyperlink that looks like this: My Wish-List (http://hotcouponworld.com/). You can add additional formatting to your hyperlink by highlighting the link and using bold, italics, fonts, sizes, and color code buttons.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Can't I Post In The Trading Forums?

To post in any of the trading forums you must first join the Trader In Training user group HERE (http://hotcouponworld.com/forums/151855-post12.html).

Once you are approved as a member of the Trader In Training user group you will have a user rank that says "Trader In Training". You will then be able to post in select trading forums.

Full access to posting in all of the Trading Forums is allowed once you have graduated to the Trader Group.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is The Trader In Training User Group?

All members that wish to trade coupons or offer coupons or other items of value must first join become trading members. This is to ensure that all traders have read and agreed to the trading rules before trading.

Our trading forums are read only until you have joined the Trader In Training Group.

The Trader In Training program has a forum for new traders only where you will have access to many trading tips and help from coaches to make getting started easier.

To join the Trader In Training Group you must first read the trading rules, and submit your request to join the trader group. To do this you must agree to the trading rules. To do all of that please read the following post: HERE (http://hotcouponworld.com/forums/151855-post12.html)

A moderator will then either approve or deny your membership depending on if you followed the instructions in that thread link.

Once approved, you will receive a private message from one of our trade forum leaders Tacatcon or Bugface711.


Approval can take as long as 24 hours.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is Feedback?

Feedback is how our members establish a trading history.

A member's feedback rating will tell you who they have traded with and what that experience was like.

When a trade is completed, you can leave feedback for the other member via the iTrader rating system. The iTrader rating system is only available for use by members of either the Trader In Training or Trader Group members.

You can leave feedback for other Hotcouponworld members for trades, trains, RAOK's, Auctions, and Classifieds.


How do I submit feedback?

Click the link on a person’s iTrader rating page that says "Submit Feedback for <Username>"

On the 1st drop-down box where it says, "You were the:" Choose one of the three options.

Buyer – If you sent Pay-Pal, cash, or other forms of money.
Seller – If you received sent Pay-Pal, cash, or other forms of money.
Trade – If this was a swap of coupons or other items.

On the 2nd drop-down box where it says "Overall experience:" Choose one of the three options

Positive +1 – If your trade went smoothly and nothing was amiss.
Neutral -0 – If your trade was OK. Maybe something was amiss but the other person made it up.
Negative –1 – If your trade never showed up and you could not get it resolved in a timely fashion.

On the 3rd text box where it says "A short comment: Visible to all" enter a comment about the trade. Such as: "great trade look forward to more! A+++++"

On the 4th text box where it says "Deal thread URL: Optional" you may if you want to, enter the link to the item for sale or trade. This is optional, though.

On the 5th large text box where it says "Additional comments: Visible to buyer, seller and staff only" you may elaborate on the details of the trade or add additional thanks to the trader. This is optional as well.

Last but not least click the button that says "Submit Reply".

A private message will be automatically sent to the person that you left feedback for so that they know that you have received your end of the trade.

How do I find the feedback for another member or myself?

To find the feedback page for another user or yourself.

Under each member's user name within a post or thread are the words iTrader: (#)
The number in the parenthesis is that user's rating.
Click the number in the parenthesis to be directed to that member's feedback page.
Alternatively you can find a member in the members' list and find their profile which will also show the iTrader: (#) which is a clickable link.

Using one of the above methods you should now be looking at a feedback page.

What do I do if I make a mistake when leaving feedback?

Don’t stress about it. Simply send a private message to either Queenofthehivemomof5 (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=3), Hotcouponmama (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=2), or sbp (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=5) (your site administrators) and they can fix it. Just let them know who the feedback was for and what it is supposed to be and they can change it.

Is there a limit to how many feedback ratings I can give in a day?

Yes. There is a limit of 10 feedback ratings that any one person may give in a 24-hour period.

Why is my rating score so low when I know I have done more than that many trades?

The score that shows in a parenthesis under your user name and in your profile is calculated based on unique traders only. So if you have done 10 trades with the same person their feedback only counts once towards your rating score.

What do I do when I have made a trade with a member but they have not left feedback for me yet?

Sometimes members get busy and forget to leave feedback for a completed trade. The best thing you can do to try and persuade another member to leave you feedback for a completed trade is to send that member a polite Private Message and inquire about the trade to make sure they were satisfied with the trade and to ask them to please leave you feedback. Also make sure that you have left feedback for them as well.

Can I transfer my feedback to Hotcouponworld from eBay or another coupon or trading site?

Unfortunately that is not allowed. We have no physical way to transfer feedback from other sites and we also believe that once you become a trader here at Hotcouponworld the only feedback that matters is the one that you have earned by making trades with other Hotcouponworld traders.

However if you are a new trader but are established at another website you are free to send other traders that you wish to trade with a link to your feedback page on another website via PM (this is not allowed on the forums)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are Blogs?

Blog is an internet term that means "web log". Blogs are like public diaries hosted on the internet. The Blog system gives you your own personal space at Hot Coupon World. All registered Hot Coupon World members are able to create thier own blog entries and control who may view them.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is The Blog Sidebar?

The blog sidebar contains the links to maintain your blog as well as information in regards to your blog and the other blogs that you may visit.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Post New Blog Enties?

All registered member are allowed to post blog entries, you will always have a link in the blog sidebar titled "Post to my Blog". This link allows you to post entries immediately, entries that will post automatically at a future date, or create a draft entry for later review and posting.

Pending Entries

Entries that you wish to create now but have them become publicly available at a later time are referred to as Pending Entries. To create a pending entry, create an entry as normal but before submitting the entry, find Publish Status in the Miscellaneous Options on the lower section of the entry creation page. This option defaults to Publish Now.

Change Publish Now to Publish On and then choose the date and time that you wish for the entry to go live. Due to the architecture, pending entries can appear a few minutes later than the time that you specify but they will have a time stamp that matches the date and time that you choose.


Your Pending and Draft entries are only viewable by you until they are published.


Draft Entries

Draft entries allow you to compose an entry in stages. To create a draft entry, create an entry as normal but before submitting the entry, find Publish Status in the Miscellaneous Options on the lower section of the entry creation page. This option defaults to Publish Now.

Change Publish Now to Draft and then save. Alternatively, you may press the Save Draft button at any time.

Your Pending and Draft entries are only viewable by you until they are published.

Past Date Entries

You may also post entries that have a time stamp in the past. This is useful for those entries that you just forgot to post and they work best in chronological order.

To past date an entry, create an entry as normal but before submitting the entry, find Publish Status in the Miscellaneous Options on the lower section of the entry creation page. This option defaults to Publish Now.

Change Publish Now to Publish On and then choose the date and time that you wish for the entry to appear to have been posted. If you select a date in the future, you will be creating a Pending Entry

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Can I Categorize My Entries?

You may categorize entries in multiple categories of your own creation. Before you may categorize entries, you must define your categories in the Blog Control Panel.

After creating your categories, you will be able to select multiple categories from the blog entry page during the creation of a new entry, or by editing an existing entry.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Do The Abbreviations Used Mean?

Hot Coupon World members tend to use a language all our own. Click the following link to view our extensive list of the most commonly used abbreviations, acronyms and terms used on this site:

Abbreviations, Acronyms & Coupon Terms (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/../abbreviations-acronym-coupon-terms/)


(this link can also be found in the footer of each and every hotcouponworld web page.)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Sign Up For The Hot Coupon World Newsletters?

To join is simple just click on this link: Join Our Email Newsletter (http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101761225057&p=oi) and fill out the information.

Please note that only your first name, last name, and birth-date are required information but providing your physical mailing address helps us when we run future newsletter only contests.

We hope to provide our members with helpful tips and hints as they move along in their savings adventure. From articles, member spotlights, stockpile pictures, guides on organizing, recipes, quizzes, puzzles, and more!


Currently there are 3 newsletters that Hot Coupon World sends out

Hot Coupon World News Flash - Will now be sent bi-monthly
Hot Coupon World CVS Flash - Weekly
Hot Coupon World Database Flash - (currently we are not sending out this newsletter but hope to be able to resume it soon)

We may opt at a later time to add other store newsletters.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Add A Custom Status To My Profile?

The administrators have disabled custom status titles. Members are not allowed to give themselves a custom title. Occasionally the administrators may give members a custom title based on a relationship with the member. However begging or asking for a custom title is discouraged and will not increase your chances of the administrators giving you a custom title.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Are The Blog Entry Options?


Members have two (2) blog entry options. They are:
Allow comments to be posted: The Allow comments to be posted option controls the commenting ability of your viewers. When this option is disabled, only you and blog moderators will be able to comment on the entry. If you are allowed to edit entries, you may turn this option on and off after an entry has been published to control the commenting ability as time passed. You may set the default for this choice in the Blog Control Panel (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/blog_usercp.php?do=editoptions).
Moderate comments before posting: The Moderate comments before posting option controls the visibility of comments. When this option is enabled, comments by anyone other than you and blog moderators are invisible until you approve them. If you are allowed to edit entries, you may turn this option on and off after an entry has been published to control the visibility of new comments as time passed. You may set the default for this choice in the Blog Control Panel (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/blog_usercp.php?do=editoptions)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Change My Username?



There are no setting permissions for members to change thier usernames. In certain circumstances the administrators of Hot Coupon World may grant special requests for a username change. These special circumstances may include:

Reasons of personal privacy (if a member has signed up with a username that that includes their email address, real name, or location)
Change in family dynamics (if a member has a username that reflects how many children they have for example, and that member has had a new baby, then we may consider a name change to reflect that).
We will NOT however change usernames just because someone does not like the username they choose.

To request a change in username please fill out the form fouund HERE (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/request-a-username-change/).

In your request, please clearly state the reason you are requesting a username change as well as the username you would like to change to.

If you request is acceptable the administrators will change your username. If it is denied they will let you know the reason why your request was denied.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What Is Bumping?

Bumping is the act of replying to a post with the intent of "bumping" it to the top of the forum in order for it to be more visibly seen by other members.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Reply To A Private Message?

If you are able to view a private message that you have received you will see a button that reads "Reply" at the lower right hand corner of the private message page.

Please see picture:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/queenofthehivemomof5/hcw%20pics/HOWDOIREPLYTOAPRIVATEMESSAGE.jpg

[YouPdWhat]

:bump93:

[YouPdWhat]

:bump93:

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do You Quote Someone Else's Post When Replying To A Discussion?

If you would like to quote another members post when replying to a discussion, which will look like this when posted:

:bump93:

Simply find the post that you wish to quote and click the button that says "http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images_hcw/buttons/quote.gif". Upon clicking the "http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images_hcw/buttons/quote.gif" button a reply box will open up with the message you are quoting already inserted in the text box with the proper quote tags wrapped around the text.

If you would like to quote multiple posts in one thread you would click the "http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images_hcw/buttons/multiquote_off.gif" button on each post that you wish to quote. Once you are done selecting the posts you wish to quote, scroll down to the bottom of the thread, and located on your left will be the http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images_hcw/buttons/reply.gif button which upon clicking the new reply button a text box will open up that contains the posts you are quoting with the appropriate quoting code wrapped around the text.


Additionally you can quote anything by copy and pasting the text you wish to quote, highlighting the text with your cursor and clicking the http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/images_hcw/editor/quote.gificon in your text editor box which will wrap quote code around the text. This type of quoting however will not include the username of the person you are quoting like the above methods and is best used when quoting something from another website, post or other source outside of the thread you are posting in.

For example you might want to include your favorite quote in your signature and it would look like this:

Be the change that you wish to see in the world - Ghandi

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What do I do if there is an advertisement on the site that I feel is inappropriate or obnoxious?

Advertisements pay the bills that are required to keep Hotcouponworld a free site for everyone and we strive to have advertisements that are relative to the content and/or members of the site. However some of the ad channels on our site are not fully controlled by us. So sometimes an ad appears that is just inappropriate (although it will never be X-rated) for the site or an obnoxious ad (talking, flashing, etc) appears. We would be happy to find this ad and block it from appearing in our advertisement rotation.

Please feel free to send a private message to one of the administrators of Hotcouponworld - Queenofthehivemomof5, Hotcouponmama, or Spb. Or you may use the Contact Us link located at the bottom of the page to send us an email. Included with your message please let us know what the ad is for and what location is appearing on the site (Top, left or bottom) and what the problem is with the ad. We will then look into it and if the ad truly is inappropriate for the site or obnoxious we will then proceed to block the ad. Once we put in the block for the ad it can take up to 4 hours for the ad to get blocked.

Please do not start a thread or post on the site about the ad. The most efficient way to let us know is to contact us directly. Sometimes we just don't see the threads on the forums.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What does "Non-participant" mean?

When a member is banned it will say "Non-participant" under their username. Sometimes a member is banned forever and sometimes it is a temporary ban from the board.

This is our policy on banning members (and of course there are instances where we have to just make a decision)

- Spam - zero tollerance for it we ban them all. This makes up 99% of our banned member list. Spam is 30 points and we don't usually give warnings.

- Accured infractions. It takes ALOT to accumulate infractions in order to get yourself a perma-ban. This rarely happens. Remember that most infractions expire. So you have to continue to break the rules in a short time span or constantly repeat any non-expiring infraction in order to get 30 Points OR 10 Infractions. Take also into account that bad trades are serious non-expiring infractions and that it only take (I think) two to get yourself banned.

From the community rules (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/community-rules/):
All infractions have consequences, here you will find how many points and how many infractions it will take to give users a consequence.

10 Points OR 6 Infractions = 2 Day Ban from the board
20 Points OR 8 Infractions = 5 Day Ban from the board
30 Points OR 10 Infractions = Permanent Ban from the boardRule violations are not a frequent occurrence, but they do happen. Most members are respectful to one another and follow the rules. We feel that knowing the rules and what will happen if you break the rules is good for the forum and community at large.


- On a case by case basis. Sometimes we just have to make an executive decision for the good of the community to keep out trolls, trouble makers, people involved in illegal activity. Additionally we don't tollerate anyone being outright hateful or disrespectfull to the admin or moderators.

If someone was perma-banned and they come back it is because they made good on the bad trade or appologized sincerely.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What links are allowed or not allowed in my signature?

From our Community Rules (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/community-rules/signature-rules/)

All off-site links (links that direct members off of Hotcouponworld.com to another website) are not allowed without either permission or a Hot Entrepreneur Subscription*

Websites, Blogs, or Social Networking Sites
In order to obtain permission to link to your website, blog or social networking sites we are asking that you add a banner to Hotcouponworld.com on your website. You can find our banners along with instructions on how to get permission to add a link to your signature at the following link: Share Hotcouponworld (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/share-hotcouponworld/).

Google Documents
Links to google documents are allowed without permission provided the google document contains only your couponing have or wish lists. Google documents to spreadsheets, price books, savings trackers, etc are not allowed without permission from an administrator first.

Referral Links
Referral links are not allowed in member signatures unless said member has a Hot Entrepreneur Subscription*

Business Links
Business links are only allowed if a member has a Hot Entrepreneur Subscription*

*Hot Entrepreneur Subscription information can be found at this link (http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/hot-entrepreneurs/)

Tickers, banners or other images
Our site settings are set to not allow images in signatures other than Hotcouponworld provided smilies. This setting is in place to help speed up load time for those members that are on a slower internet connection.

All off site links that have met these guidelines will have the following smiley inserted by the member in the provided signature space.

:Approved:



Members that are found to have unapproved links in their signatures will have their signatures removed by an administrator and are subject to the infraction system.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: What is a Wiki?

The Wiki feature here at HotCouponWorld is a special feature that we have added to certain forums that allows all registered member of HotCouponWorld to be able to add a Wiki post to a thread in any of the forums that this feature is turned on for.

The Wiki is then added to the thread in the second post spot of the thread. The Wiki is then a post that everyone can edit. This allows the HotCouponWorld community to maintain one list of deals, coupons or information without having to read a entire thread of posts to get the deals or information.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Add A Wiki To A Thread?

If the forum permissions permit it any registered and logged in member can add a Wiki to a thread. To add a Wiki to an existing thread simply look for the community wiki box located under the first post of a thread (in a thread that has multiple pages of posts the Wiki can be found in the second post spot on each page. There you will see a message that says
"Be the first to write the wiki in this thread. Click here to get started." and the "Click here" part will be a click-able link that you can click to start the wiki.

Here is a screenshot of where to find the community wiki post.
__________________________________________________ ____
http://content.screencast.com/users/hotcouponworld/folders/Default/media/85889534-c0a3-497e-bcc4-3cf817efa1d4/Where_Is_The_Wiki.png

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Edit And Add To An Existing Wiki?

To edit or add something new to an existing wiki in a thread simply navigate to the Community Wiki post and in the lower right hand corner of that post you will find a button that reads "Edit". Clicking that edit button will open up the edit Wiki feature. At the top of your page you will see the Wiki as it exists, scrolling down your page a bit you will then see the post editor box where you can now edit the Wiki.

NOTE: If you are using Google Chrome as your internet browser you will see what is called BB Code when editing the Wiki. BB Code is Bulletin Board code and is similar to HTML code. Unless you are very familiar with reading and editing in BB Code we suggest that you switch to another browser such as Fire Fox or Internet Explorer.

Once you are done editing the Wiki, click the "Save" button to save your edits. Additionally you may want to click the "Preview" button to preview your wiki edits before clicking the "Save" button.

We ask all members to be respectful of the work that goes into a community Wiki by following the headers that may already be started in a Wiki post to offer organization of lists of information and deals. Also be mindful of any Wiki "rules" that the moderator has asked all members to follow.

The content contained in the Community Wiki's are subject to the Community Rules, please do not add content to the Wiki's that break the rules.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: How Do I Create A New Thread?

A: To start a new thread or a new topic in a forum first navigate to the forum that you wish to make your new thread in and then look near the upper left part of your screen for a button that reads "New Topic". Click that button and you will be directed to a screen that allows you to start a new thread.

Screenshot:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2574/5839820656_ac5e2de871.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24218656@N03/5839820656/)

On the "Post New Thread" page you will be prompted to create a title for your thread and to enter the message body. In some forums you may also need to select an appropriate thread prefix for your thread to help keep the forum you are posting in organized.

You are also given the options to change the font, font color, font size, add smilies, attachments, links, pictures and other fun things to your post.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Q: Why Can't I Leave Feedback From A Trade?

Only members of either the Trader In Training or Trader Groups can leave feedback for trades for other members. To join the Trader In Training group you must first read the trading rules, agree to them and then join. All of this can be found at the following link: http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/rules-guidelines-trading/20899-rules-trading-forums-share-wealth-must-read.html