Business

Groupon names your baby and 9 other bizarre coupon offers

From bedtime tuck-ins to circumcisions to apocalypse prep kits, you can now get a coupon for almost anything.

Nearly every year, more businesses release coupons: In 2013, the volume of coupons distributed jumped 3.6% from the previous year, to 329 billion coupons, and the value of these coupons increased by $15 billion over a year prior, to $513 billion, according to research firm Inmar. That means that last year, on average, every person in this country was offered $1,617 in coupon savings, the report calculated. And many took advantage of these offers: 2.9 billion coupons were redeemed last year, roughly the same as a year prior.

When coupons first became popular (Coca-Cola is said to be the first company in the U.S. to issue one, back in the 1800s), they were mostly for grocery and consumer packaged-goods items, says Brian Hoyt, the vice president of coupon site RetailMeNot.com. Clothing and home goods retailers later followed suit with some coupons beginning in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until roughly five years ago (largely thanks to the Internet) that we saw an explosion in the types of items–from attractions to services to events–that you could find a coupon for, says Hoyt.

Now you can get a coupon for almost anything–and we do mean anything. We asked several of the major coupon sites, including Coupons.com and RetailMeNot.com—to tell us about some of the more unusual coupons they’ve seen. Here are 10.

Drug tests for teens

Shutterstock
Coupon site RetailMeNot.com has an entire section of its site devoted to drug testing your teen. The coupons range from a free six-panel drug test to 15%-off offers.

Zombie fighting

Groupon
Just in case the new season of “The Walking Dead” doesn’t fully whet your appetite for zombies, you can use one of a series of coupons to get up close and personal with these half-dead creatures (or at least with actors playing them).

A Groupon deal available in New York and Boston offers discounts of up to 34% and 40%, respectively, on a “zombie-shooting experience.”

Bail bonds

Getty Images
If you’re tasked with getting a friend or family member out of jail, but are short on cash, use a coupon. Coupons.com has a coupon for “no collateral on your bail bond” with Cain Bail Bonds in Palm Springs, Fla.

Apocalypse prep kits

Getty Images
There are a number of coupons for “prepper kits” for those who are worried about a major disaster striking their area. RetailMeNot lists some pretty significant savings for such kits–for example, $1,305 off the price of a package including a one year’s supply of food plus emergency supplies like a water-filtration set and cooking kit.

Circumcision and breast enhancement

Groupon
A few years back Groupon in the Philippines had an offer for up to 76% off circumcision at Cosmedics Treatment Center. While that’s no longer available, it’s far from the only medical procedure you can get a coupon for: Liposuction, face-lifts, breast enhancement and other plastic surgeries are also commonly offered through coupons.

Funerals

Shutterstock
The median cost of a funeral is $7,045, according to the National Funeral Director’s Association–and many cost thousands more. Many families can’t afford a sky-high expense like that, which is probably why a variety of funeral coupons have been popping up.

Coupons.com has a coupon for a funeral package for $2,999 at the Haven of Rest Funeral Residence in Alabama. (The managing funeral director, Sanford Davis, says that they haven’t yet gotten any bites on the offer.)

Bedtime tuck-in

Groupon
Groupon Chicago offered in 2012 a deal giving your 86% off a bedtime tuck-in from someone named Ben Konold (only two people bought it, unsurprisingly).

“Upon entering your bedroom, Ben Kobold immediately begins to analyze your linen seams and pillow placement, planning a tucking strategy as you enjoy a glass of water he has poured for you,” the coupon copy read.

STDs

Shutterstock
If you suspect you might have a sexually transmitted disease, you can probably get a coupon to help with the cost of testing for it. CouponCabin.com offers $25 off a chylamdia test and Groupon offers $25 off a herpes or HIV test.

Prenups and divorce

Shutterstock
If you’re hoping to protect your assets–both before and after a marriage–you needn’t pay full price for an attorney. Coupons.com offers a $200-off coupon for a prenuptial agreement, as well as a free consultation for a divorce attorney.

Groupon names your baby

Groupon
Back in 2012, for the bargain price of $1,000, Groupon offered to name your baby for you.

It was a real offer offered by Groupon (apparently one person bought it), but clearly they were having a bit of fun with users on this one: “Groupon has been naming things since 2008, when it named itself by combining the words ‘grout’ and ‘superweapon,’” read the offer. “Its previous baby-related ventures include Grouspawn and its sponsorship of the all-infant rugby league, Tot Scrum.”