Home Depot is a mecca for folks looking to spruce up their homestead. And it makes total sense. You can find practically anything home improvement related within its gigantic, warehouse walls.
Whether the interior of your dwelling needs a facelift, a major system needs to be repaired, or your landscape needs some love, the retailer has the products and services to make it happen.
But as satisfying as it is to beautify your abode, it comes with a steep price tag. In fact, in 2017, the average American homeowner spent over $6,600 improving their dwelling.
Although I personally didn't invest that much money, I visited my local Home Depot so much that the folks there pretty much became a second family. In recent memory, I had to repair a leaky pipe, replace my bathroom faucet, change my garbage disposal, fix my soffit, and pack more tons of landscaping material into my little Hyundai than I ever thought possible.
It truly is never ending! But before you start hyperventilating on your way to buy yet another thing for your house, remember: you can save money!
Check out these tips to help you stick to your budget on your next Home Depot run:
Low Price Guarantee
Home Depot has a Low Price Guarantee where they will beat any retailer's price by 10%, just bring the ad, printout, or photo to the register. The competitor can be online.
They won't give you the 10% for an online Home Depot purchase but will give you matching – call them up.
Shop with a List
Just like any other shopping trip, it's easy to walk out of Home Depot with more stuff than you intended (I'm guilty!). Sure, you're painting the living room this weekend, but next month you might install a new ceiling fan in the den or finally get around to replacing the guest bathroom vanity.
The $40 in paint supplies you budgeted for quickly turns into a $500 shopping trip. Oops! To protect your bank account, you need to stay focused and only buy what you need for your current project. Creating a list beforehand (and actually referring to it in the store) should do wonders for your wallet.
Check the Local Ad & Special Buys
In addition to the weekly ad, Home Depot's online Special Buy Savings Center showcases thousands of discounted items. You can find deals in every department.
Buy in Bulk
If you're tackling a big job, you may be able to get a bulk pricing deal when you buy large quantities of things like insulation, pavers, roof tiles, drywall, etc. Home Depot does have minimum purchase requirements that vary by item, so give them a call before starting your project.
Shop Overstock
Periodically, Home Depot needs to quickly shed overstock to make room in its warehouses. While the selection on their website is limited, you may be able to get a significant discount. I've seen things like basic bathroom vanities and cabinetry listed for 50% off.
Check for Rebates
Did you buy a new appliance or water heater recently? If so, hop on over to Home Depot's online Rebate Center to check for any potential rebates.
With over 2400 products listed as of this writing, chances are good that you can recoup some of your purchase price.
Get a Subscription
Like Amazon, Home Depot offers a discount on select items if you sign up for a recurring purchase. With the Home Depot Subscriptions™ Program, you'll save 5% on things like batteries, air filters, heavy duty trash bags, grass seed, and thousands of other items. There are no fees to start or maintain your subscription, you can set the purchase frequency, and the items are delivered to your doorstep. Why not save on the things you need to keep your house running?
Use Store Financing
If you're buying more than $299 worth of goods at once, consider using (or opening) a Home Depot credit card. You'll get 6 months of interest-free financing, keeping your money in the bank for other endeavors. The retailer sometimes offers extended interest-free financing (up to 24 months) and new account opening incentives (like $100 off if you spend $1,000 or more). It pays to keep track of their financing promotions.
Buy Discount Gift Cards
If you know you're going to shop at Home Depot anyway, consider buying discounted gift cards to the retailer. Available online, there are several sites that sell the cards at slightly less than face value. A quick scan of the major vendors shows that you can save up to 3% going this route. You won't get rich from this hack — but it all adds up!
Join Their Email List(s)
Home Depot offers you store coupons in exchange for your email address. If you sign up for their standard email list, you'll get a coupon for $5 off of a $50 purchase. Like to garden? You can get another $5 off coupon by joining the Home Depot Garden Club email list. It's worth staying subscribed long term because the retailer will periodically send you additional money-saving opportunities as well as home improvement and gardening tips.
Keep the Fridge Running 'til Labor Day
Home Depot runs regular sales on appliances, but the lowest prices of the year are available on Labor Day. So while your appliances may have other ideas, try to keep your old fridge, washer, dryer, range, etc. running through the summer, and you could save a bundle.
As a general rule, the best months to buy appliances are September, October, and then January. That mirrors the schedule for when manufacturers introduce new models. You can usually get the best deals on previous year's models during those months. The exception are fridges, new models typically come out in the spring for those.
Rent, Don't Buy
If you're only going to use a particular tool once, why spend all of that money on it and clutter your garage with it?
Home Depot offers a tool rental program so you can get the job done and save money. For example, to cut down that one pesky dead tree on your property, you can rent a chain saw for 4 hours for less than $50 (plus a $50 refundable deposit).
You can rent practically anything and everything – augers, chainsaws, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, pressure washers, tillers, air compressors, demolition hammers, drills, generators, paint sprayers, nailers, sanders, saws, and a truck to carry it all. If you need bigger equipment, like landscaping equipment and even stump grinders, they have those too.
Take Advantage of Price Matching
Home Depot will price match their competitors — both for purchases made online and in store.
For online purchases, they will even match the shipping costs. While some exclusions do apply, and the competitor must have the item in stock, the process seems simple: show Home Depot the competitor's ad and get the deal.
Have Your Military Service Recognized
Home Depot shows appreciation to veterans by offering a 10% discount on in-stock products. Simply present your military ID at checkout to get the savings.
Please note: as of this writing, the discount is only available in store as Home Depot does not have a way to verify IDs online.
Final Thoughts
Homeownership isn't for the faint of heart (or wallet!). It seems like there's always something to repair or improve. However, savvy shoppers can take advantage of Home Depot's many ways to save, making the frequent expenditures a little less painful.
What's your favorite way to save green at this big, orange retailer? Did we miss any Home Depot hacks?
Kari says
Great ideas here! I think every homeowner spends more at HD than they would like. I didn’t realize appliance sales had a seasonality to them. We got a good price on a new washer last October so I can vouch for that.