Are you a Home Depot shopper? Most of us are. We wander in when we need something and don’t really pay that much attention to saving money when we shop.
We found 12 ways to Shop at Home Depot Like a Money Saving Pro. We welcome your ideas too!
1. Check the Daily Deals Section
Every day online, you can find deeply discounted merchandise. These are “today only” offers while supplies last.
2. Shop the online clearance section.
Within this tab, you can sort by department and price. It’s a great place to grab a bargain at the end of the season.
3. Don’t pay for shipping
Most orders of $45 or more will automatically qualify for free shipping. If you are spending less than $45, you can choose free same day pick up at your local store.
4. Return items without a receipt
Home Depot has a generous return policy. You have 90 days from purchase with a valid sales receipt. If you have lost your receipt, you can ask for store credit. Have you ever returned dead plants or flowers back to Home Depot? I have seen others do this, but I have never had the nerve.
5. Do a price match for an additional 10% off
10% off price match guarantee- if you find a lower price on any in stock item at a local competitor, Home Depot will match the price plus give you an extra 10% off. Excludes special orders, bid pricing, volume discounts, open-box merchandise, labor and installation, sales tax, rebate and free offers, typographical errors and online purchases.
If you want to purchase a big ticket item at Home Depot, check your local ads for competitors prices such as Sears or Lowe’s. You will need to take that ad and ask for a price match plus an additional 10% off. Online purchases are subject to price match only.
6. Get the difference back if the price drops
The Home Depot Price Protection Policy is valid for 30 days. If you purchase something and the price drops, you have 30 days to ask for a price adjustment. If you make a big ticket purchase, add a reminder to your calendar and check the price for the next 30 days.
7. Pay Attention to Price Mark Downs (tips courtesy of my friends at Rather Be Shopping)
Prices ending in .06 – “Former Home Depot employee, “George”, who use to perform all the price changes at the Home Depot where he worked, told me that any price ending in .06 is a clearance item and has 6 weeks to go until the next price change (which will be lower). These are typically printed on a yellow price tag.
Prices ending in .03 – “George” then told me that stuff that still doesn’t sell out after 6 weeks will be lowered again to a price ending in .03. This means that after 3 weeks, the item will go away forever. These are also printed on a yellow tag. Look at the date printed on the bottom of the price tag to determine when it was printed as it’s an excellent indicator of when the item will get marked down again or be removed from the warehouse.”
At my Home Depot, you can often find clearance items and price mark downs on end caps in the store. Be sure and check! You can often get a price markdown on returned paint so ask about that too. You might get lucky and find just what you are looking for!
8. Look to see if there is a rebate
Before you purchase, visit the rebate center on the Home Depot website and search by product name or type and find current rebates and get money back on qualifying items. You may be surprised at the hundreds of items that offer rebates right now. My tip- address the envelope for the rebate and add the stamp right away. Once I add the stamp, I am committed to send in the rebate!
9. Use a competitor’s coupon (your mileage may vary)
It’s not listed on their website but it is widely known that most Home Depot stores will take competitors coupons but often it is up to the manager. I have used Lowe’s coupons and Ace Hardware coupons at my Home Depot without any issues. It’s worth a try for in stock merchandise found in store (not online). Come back and tell us how you made out!
10. Buy a discounted gift card
I have used Raise.com to purchase discounted gift cards. If you don’t know exactly how much you need, then buy a card for a little less and pay the difference separatly. Right now, I am seeing savings of 6.5 – 7% but I have seen it as high as 10% off.
11. Use a Cash Back Site
Ebates is the cash back site I have used for years. If you are shopping online, log in to Ebates first and then shop as usual. Every quarter, you a sent a check for the rebates you earn from shopping online once certain minimums are met. New users get a bonus gift card after their first purchase. * To qualify for a Welcome Bonus, you must be a new member and make minimum qualifying purchases totaling at least twenty-five dollars ($25) within ninety (90) days of becoming a Member.
12. Rent tools at Home Depot
Did you know that you can rent tools at Home Depot? There are over 500 tools to rent for projects, landscaping and more. Not all stores rent tools, you can check online or call your local store. If you are doing a one-time project, don’t buy the tools you need. Just rent your tools at Home Depot by the day, the hour, or the month.
Moving?
You can also rent trucks at many Home Depot locations. My husband and I have done this several times. If you are moving or need a truck for a short period of time, check the prices at Home Depot. You can also get free, unlimited miles on one-way Penske truck rentals nationwide. You can get special deals and discounts offered on Penske rentals when reserving online.
Bonus for Kids:
Kids can attend free in store workshops. These free, fun workshops are held on Saturday mornings, usually once a month for kids ages 5 – 12. The best part is they get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin. Children must be present at the store to participate in the workshop and receive the kit, apron and pin. Registering online is recommended.
Bonus for Adults
Adults can attend free weekly workshops on topics where you can learn to build, fix, and install your home projects and save money by doing it yourself.. You can also find free online project how-to’s on the Home Depot website.
Bonus for Veterans
If you have served in the military, you can get 10% off with proof of service on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veteran’s Day. If you are currently on active duty or are retired from the military (with proof of service), you can get 10% off every day.
How to Shop at Home Depot Like a Money Saving Pro first appeared on More With Less Today. Save more on the things you need so you will have more for those you love! Do you have money-saving tips for Home Depot shopping to share with us? We welcome your ideas!
The post How to Shop at Home Depot Like a Money Saving Pro appeared first on MOREWITHLESSTODAY.COM