A new year inspires people to make the resolution to start saving money. One good way to save money on groceries (and more) is to use coupons. Those who are new to couponing may find the wording on the coupons, the abbreviations, or the “coupon language” to be confusing. Here are some descriptions of what all that confusing jargon really means.

Understanding Coupon Lingo

One Per Transaction
The coupon says “one per transaction”. This means you can use that coupon one time as you make your purchase. For example, let’s say the coupons saves you $1.00 when you buy three bottles of a certain brand of dish soap. The “one per transaction” coupon means you can use it on exactly 3 bottles of dish soap from that brand.

It also means that you can’t use a second, identical, coupon to save one more dollar on 3 more bottles of dish soap during the same transaction. To get around this, some people get back in line after making their first transaction with 3 more bottles and another coupon. They are now making a new transaction.

One Per Customer
This means that the coupon can only be used one time by an individual customer. Let’s say the coupon also says “buy one box of cereal, get one free”. You are allowed to purchase two boxes of that cereal, use the coupon, and get one for free.

What if you have another, identical, coupon? You can’t use it. It says “one per customer” and you already used one. Some people get around this limitation by sending their spouse through the check out line with two more boxes of that cereal and one more copy of the coupon.

Buy One Get One Free
This lovely phrase is often shortened to “BOGO”. If you see this on a coupon it means you will get something for free at the time that the coupon is used. For example, the coupon might say “buy one can of tuna, get a second one free”. You pay for one can of tuna, use the coupon, and are given the second can for free.

The thing to be aware of are the limitations on the coupon. You have to be certain you have picked up the correct brand of the product the coupon is for. The coupon might limit you to only certain sizes of that product. Make sure the get the right ones!

Redeemable At
This phrase is very confusing! It makes people think they have to use the coupon at the store listed on the coupon. However, the coupon is actually saying that the store listed on it carries the product the coupon is for. You can use that coupon at any store that also carries that same product.

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