Ex Coupon

"This coupon entitles you to one free, guiltless hookup with your ex, within one year of breaking up."

Not quite. In real life, it has to do with bond buying.

An interest payment from a bond is known as a "coupon." That name comes from the old days, when you would literally pull off little paper tags and bring them to the bank to get your payment. And bonds pay coupons (usually) twice a year.

Ex-coupon refers to a situation where a bond is sold, but the seller plans on keeping the next coupon payment. The buyer will get all the payments after that, just not the one directly following the sale. It also refers to the date at which the bond's holder is no longer entitled to that next coupon...same idea, just different polarity.

Selling a bond ex-coupon lowers the price slightly, of course, since there will be one less interest payment. Read all about this on the back of a box of Life Cereal.