Buy One, Get One (BOGO) coupons are a pretty sweet find because they can save you some serious cash.
Before you head out with a stack of BOGO coupons hoping to score some free stuff, here are some important questions (and their answers):
1. What even is a BOGO?
At its purest, A Buy One, Get One is a coupon that allows you to buy one item and receive a second item for free.
If the coupon comes from the manufacturer, the manufacturer reimburses the store for the purchase price.
If the BOGO is a store coupon (or promo), the retailer is taking a hit on the item to get you in the store.
If you’re lucky enough to get a BOGO on vitamins, your transaction might look like this:
Buy 2 SmartyPants Vitamins, $19.99 each
Use Buy One, Get One manufacturer coupon
$9.99 each when you buy 2
2. Can you stack store and manufacturer BOGO deals?
Let me say this right off the bat: This is super rare anymore. When it happens, it’s magical.
Usually the fine print stipulates that you can’t stack two different BOGOs to get two free items while paying nothing — but check just to be sure.
What is way more common is that you could use those two BOGOs to buy 2, get 2 free.
3. What about stacking a BOGO with a different type of coupon?
If the store has a coupon on the same items you’re trying to use your BOGO for, then you can stack the savings pretty easily.
When you get a BOGO, save it until a store (Target!) runs a sale and has a coupon.
Buy 2 SmartyPants Vitamins, $19.99 each at Target
Use 1 Buy One, Get One manufacturer coupon
Use 1 40% off Cartwheel
Use 1 $2.00/1 store coupon
Final price: $4.98 each
We’ve got more ways to shop smart at Target.
4. Look at Target first for BOGOs — they’re the best at it.
Target does more BOGOs than just about anyone else, plain and simple.
Load any Cartwheel offer and they’ll apply it up to 4 times automatically with your BOGO (as long as you purchase the correct amount of participating products).
You can also stack any available rebates, making some even sweeter deals. Look at the Ibotta app first, which allows you to scan your receipts and grab some cash on the back end.
See all of our Target BOGO tips here.
5. What about B2G1?
It’s not a BOGO in the purest sense, but still pretty good: pay for 2 items, get a third free (or in essence, 33% off).
Buy 3 SmartyPants Teen Complete Vitamins, $19.99 each
Use 1 Buy Two, Get One manufacturer coupon
Final Price: $13.33 each
6. How about Buy One, Get One 50% off?
Another way to say this is Buy 3, Get 1 Free. These deals are almost always store promos and you’re gonna see them a lot.
When these happen, make sure you’ve got a manufacturer’s coupon ready to use with it.
Buy 2 SmartyPants Vitamins, $19.99 each
Use the Buy One, Get One 50% Off store promo
Use 1 $2.00/1 manufacturer coupon
Final Price: $13.99 each.
7. When is a BOGO not really a BOGO — and why does it matter?
via Heart Hook Home
Rather than your items ringing up as one full price and one free, sometimes stores will have both items will ring up as half off. You don’t actually need to buy two to get the deal!
If you aren’t trying to stock up then just getting a single item might be a better deal.
8. What if your BOGO doesn’t work?
With almost all manufacturer BOGOs, the cashier will need to enter the purchase price of the item into their system manually. Watch closely so your coupon doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Consider saving BOGO items until the end of your transaction to make everyone’s lives simpler.
TIP: Always make sure to check the store’s coupon policy (and your coupons’ fine print) before you make the trip.
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