14 Tips Home Depot Employees Want You to Know Before You Buy Anything

If you love to renovate your home, chances are good that you are familiar with Home Depot. Frequent shoppers are the first to admit to spending significant cash at the retailer.

But if you know some important tips and tricks, there are many great ways to avoid wasting money at Home Depot. Home Depot employees and frequent shoppers know some fantastic perks and ways to save cash.  

Here are some of their favorite Home Depot secrets.

You can get refunds or exchanges on plants

Folks with green thumbs may already know this, but Home Depot has a generous return policy when it comes to plants. Specifically, "perennials, trees, roses and shrubs have a 1-year guarantee," according to the retailer.

So, if one of these plants withers and dies early, you can get store credit.

Floor models are often discounted

If you're in the market for a new grill or outdoor furniture and aren't too picky about what you end up with, this tip is for you.

Often, you can get a discount if you're willing to buy the floor model, essentially, a product that sits on display outside of its packaging.

In many cases, the manager will shave off a percentage of the list price. So, it's always worth asking if you can get a deal.

You can rent tools instead of buying them

Do you need to pressure-wash the exterior of your home or strip the finish off a floor? Rather than plunking down a ton of cash to purchase the necessary tools, save money by renting them at Home Depot.

Renting tools instead of buying them allows you to do one-off tasks for a fraction of the cost.

Pro tip: While it can be tempting to buy a brand-new tool, it's also costly compared to renting. By renting the tool, you can use the money you save to pay down debt, or put the funds toward another good use.

Home Depot matches competitor prices on some items

Home Depot wants to ensure it gets your business instead of seeing you turn to competitors such as Lowe's or Ace Hardware.

So, if you find a lower price on an item at one of these retailers, Home Depot often will match the price. This even includes the cost of shipping for online purchases.

This doesn't apply to all items, such as custom-made products, items on clearance, out-of-stock items, and nonidentical products. So, be sure to read the fine print beforehand.

Home Depot might match prices in other ZIP codes

Prices at Home Depot stores may vary depending on their location. However, some Home Depot aficionados say that if you take a screenshot or make a printout of a lower price in another ZIP code, your local outlet might match the price.

That's why it's smart to put in a few different ZIP codes when browsing Home Depot's website. An item may be cheaper than at your home location.

July 4 and Labor Day sales are a good time to buy paint

Painting is a quick and relatively easy way to give your home a makeover and freshen things up. Many people buy their paint at Home Depot.

If you have a project on the horizon and can time your purchase, you might save money by buying paint at key times during the summer.

Why? Because paint is often cheapest during July 4 and Labor Day sales.

Ask about 'oops' paint

If you're not particular about what paint color you need for a project, you can score some on the cheap by asking for "oops" paint.

This is how Home Depot sells off paint that was mixed incorrectly for a custom order, whether the color was off or it has the wrong finish.

Make sure you check on that finish, by the way. You want to make sure you can use the paint for a specific area of your home.

Find discounted wood in the cull lumber bin

Similar to "oops paint," cull lumber is damaged wood or the wood leftover from custom cuts, and it comes at a big discount.

If you're looking for any old wood for a small project, head to the area where employees saw wood for custom orders. That's where Home Depot frequenters say you'll find cull lumber in a bin.

Some of it only has minor damage, and the leftover wood often has no damage at all. If this wood fits your purposes, you're in luck, as it's often 70% off.

Check end caps for clearance items

Retailers know how to get customers to spend more. Target is so good at making you buy things you didn't know you needed, for example, that folks coined the phrase "the Target effect."

As for Home Depot, it's known for putting clearance items in end caps.

So, check the displays at the end of aisles the next time you are at Home Depot and see if you can score a great deal, hopefully, on something you actually need.

Decode Home Depot price tags

Like many retailers, Home Depot has a special system for marking down items that go on sale. Learning how to decode these price tags can clue you in on when the price of something has reached rock bottom.

For example, Home Depot fans say that if a price ends in three on a clearance price tag, that's when it's time to haul that item to the register, as it's likely around 70% off by that time.

Look for the deals of the week

When shopping online on Home Depot's website, another way to save 10%, 20%, or even 40% is to check out the Special Buy of the Week.

Lest you think the "buy" will only be one item, there are multiple deals in a variety of categories.

There's even a handy countdown clock at the top of the page so you know exactly how much time you have left to save.

Subscribe to Home Depot products online

You know how Amazon has an option to subscribe to a product you use regularly and have it delivered periodically at a discount price? It turns out you can do the same at Home Depot.

Whether you regularly shop for laundry detergent, garbage bags, air filters, or pool supplies, sign up online, and you could get a percentage off your order.

Create a Pro Xtra Loyalty account

If you're a frequent Home Depot shopper, you might benefit by signing up for the Pro Xtra Loyalty program.

You don't need to pay anything for this perk; just register with your name, address, and contact info.

Once you do, you're entitled to discounts, exclusive offers, and other rewards that can save you money.

Use the Volume Pricing Program on bulk orders

If you're working on a large project, say you need a bunch of wood, a bunch of buckets, and so on, write up all you'll need and bring it to the Pro Desk.

There, an associate will draw up a quote that'll often get you a lower price than if you grabbed it all on your own.

You'll need a Pro Xtra Loyalty account for this service, but again, that's free.

Bottom Line

Home Depot isn't known for being a super-expensive store, but it is still easy to spend plenty of cash there. Learning the secrets on this list can help you trim your bill.

Grab one of the best cash back credit cards and head out to Home Depot the next time you plan to spruce up your home.

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