Having owned a home since my mid-20’s, I’ve become pretty handy with small home improvement projects. If there are things that need doing around your home, DIY can be a real money-saver (as long as you have both time and patience). But like almost everything, there are ways to save even more, especially if you shop at big home improvement stores. Here’s how to save money at The Home Depot and Lowe’s.
General Savings
Visit the Saving Center at HomeDepot.com or the Savings page at Lowes.com and scroll to find deals on everything in their stores (I saw up to 75 percent off!). Search efficiently and avoid distractions by searching by department.
BOGO & Gifts
Lowe’s has regular Buy One Get One specials that are worth a look if you need more than one of something. And check out their Gift Zone for discounted merchandise, even if you aren’t shopping for a gift.
Daily Deals
Look for the Home Depot Buy of the Day and Lowe’s Deal of the Day. It only takes a few seconds to check and you might find something you need there.
Free Delivery
Lowe’s offers free local delivery on appliances over $396 and if you can wait two days, thousands of items at The Home Depot are also eligible for free delivery, including most appliances! Both stores also offer free in-store and curbside pick up for online purchases.
Local Deals
The Home Depot sales circulars and Lowe’s weekly ad make finding specific deals at your local store a click away. You can find these online or in your mailbox.
Bulk Savings
Did you know that you can buy some items in bulk at both stores? The The Home Depot offers bulk pricing discounts on over 4000 items. Bulk savings at Lowe’s are called Pro Pack. You can save up to 25 percent on pallets of flooring, 15 percent off on roofing, fencing, and more. The deals change frequently so it pays to check back regularly.
Clearance & Overstock
At The Home Depot, look for the orange tags in-store, or shop their long list online. You’ll be surprised by what you can find, like 75 percent off a U-Style Die Kit, 40 percent off a Frameless Pivot Shower Door, and everything in between. If you’re in-store, check out the end caps (the shelves at the end of the aisles) for the deepest discounts on seasonal items at the end of each season.
You’ll also find big savings on overstocked items like patio dining sets, solar light fixtures, home decor, and even hand sanitizer.
For the Pros
Attention all contractors, lumbers, electricians, and skilled professionals: sign up and save with The Home Depot’s Pro Special Buy of the Week or check in at their Pro Desk in-store.
Lowe’s offers pro savings on select items, like tools and appliances, as well as plumbing and electrical supplies. They even make it easy to refine your search by manufacturer, price point and ratings. Sign up for Lowe’s 4Pros Loyalty Program to receive personalized deals based on your spending history along with business management tools, like catalogs, to help you manage and track all of your purchases.
Garden Club
Like to garden? Get a $5 coupon when you sign up to receive Home Depot’s Garden Club emails with coupons, garden plans, and video tutorials throughout the year. You can shop for live plants online and The Home Depot will replace damaged or dead plants at no charge if you contact Customer Support at 1-800-430-3376 within three days of delivery, though it really is best to purchase your plants in person. Your store will have different plants on sale vs online and they are typically best suited for your location. Both The Home Depot and Lowe’s offer a 1-year guarantee on all perennials, trees, and shrubs, but you must have your receipt.
FREE Project Design
Lowe’s experienced technicians will create computer designs for kitchens and decks for free! Just visit the commercial sales desk at your local store to find out more.
Store Credit Cards
If you’re a frequent shopper, it might make sense to get a store card, both of which have no annual fee.
The Home Depot credit card perks include:
- At the time of this writing, you can save up to $100 on your first purchase made with your new credit card through 1/27/21.
- 6 months of everyday financing on items $299+ (with no interest if paid within 6 months) and up to 24-month financing on special promotions.
- One year to make returns, which is four times longer than non-cardholders.
- If you’re planning a big project, The Home Depot also has the Project Loan credit card, which is like a line of credit.
Lowe’s Advantage credit card perks include:
- New cardholders get 20 percent off their first purchase.
- Choose between 5 percent off every day or 6-month financing on qualified purchases or 84 fixed monthly payments with reduced APR on qualified purchases. (you decide at the register which deal you want).
- Access to exclusive cardholder sales events.
Note that while store cards have many perks, the APR is high, so you should ideally plan to pay the balance off in full each month unless you obtain financing.
Rebate Center
Both The Home Depot and Lowe’s have rebate centers. On their website, search for the product you want to purchase to find out if there are any rebates available.
Subscription Services
Never run out of batteries, light bulbs, water filters, garbage bags, you name it. Sign-up for a no-fee subscription at The Home Depot or Lowe’s and save 5 percent and get free delivery on your repeat purchases.
Price Guarantee
If you find a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any retailer at Lowe’s, they will match the lower priced item. The Home Depot goes one step further–they’ll match the price and beat it by 10 percent!
Sign Up & Save
Get a $5 coupon when you sign up to receive emails from The Home Depot with coupons and tips.
Save at the register (with proper ID)
The Home Depot offers 10 percent discounts to members of the military (only on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Veteran’s Day and not for family members), to college students and AAA members. Lowe’s offers a 10 percent discount year-round for military members and their families, veterans, AAA, AARP members, and some other trade associations (it never hurts to ask!), but not for students.
If you get stuck
While I’m all for saving at these two big retailers, if you really need expert advice, consider paying your local hardware store a visit. They may not be able to compete on price, but there’s also a good chance that the staff will save you time and money with their expert advice. Amazon also stocks lots of home improvement items.
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