Do you enjoy getting a good deal but hate clipping coupons? Well then I’ve got some good news for you.
Many of us buy supplies from Home Depot without much thought about payment strategies. The good news is that you can significantly cut your expenses by using a procurement strategy. Here are some tactics to help you shop for less at Home Depot:
Procurement Tactics to Reduce Rental Expenses
Tactic 1. Go to PlasticJungle.com or your local Craigslist.com site and buy discounted Home Depot gift cards. You can get them at an 8% or 56% discount. In other words, you can buy a card valued at $100 for only $56. NOTE: There’s a $20 minimum purchase at PlasticJungle and there’s a little wait while the card is shipped. So you’ve got to plan ahead.
Now while 8% may not sound like a lot, when combined with the following tactics, you can easily walk away with 15 to 25% in savings!!
Tactic 2. Use 10% off coupons found in change of address packages at your local post office. These packages are free for the taking and there is nothing illegal about using them. You can also buy coupons on eBay. So get a few coupons and use them with Tactic #1 for an effective 18% discount. If you can only find Lowes coupons, then see Tactic 7.
Tactic 3. Just ask for a discount. You can ask any Home Depot employee for a discount; they are allowed to approve up to $50 off/day without manager approval. This maneuver is typically reserved for damaged or out of stock items, but each employee is able to “loose” $50/day to move merchandise.
This is another example how landlording is a people business. Consider sales associates/managers as you would your mortgage broker; they are strategic people to get to know. They can advocate for you. Treat them well and reap the discounts.
Tactic 4. For large purchases, go to the Pro Desk (also known as the Bid Room) and have the associate work up quote for you. Others have reported getting 10 – 15% shaved off their total purchases. Use Tactic 1 in paying for this negotiated purchase to compound your savings.
Tactic 5. Use your Veteran or Military Discounts. Get 10% off by showing your military or veteran identification. If you served, you so deserve this perk. And if you didn’t know about this discount before, then I’m honored to say, “Use it in good health!”
Tactic 6. For teachers, show your tax exempt paperwork and skip paying sales tax. You’ve just got to love this; Home Depot give honor to those to which it’s due.
Tactic 7. Use Lowes Coupons. You can get this coupon from Lowes’ website under their “moving” page. You just fill out a form and they will email a coupon to you in a couple of days. Typically Home Depot will match their competitor’s offers and accept their coupons. They want to be competitive so don’t be shy.
Caution: look out for the expiration date.
Combine Tactics to Boost Savings
Let’s say you want to buy a $100 item at Home Depot. After California sales tax, the item would cost $108.75. However, if you used either Tactics 2 or 5 to get a 10% discount and then paid with a discounted gift card (Tactic 1), then the item would actually cost you $90.05. That’s a 17% savings!
Hope I got your attention. As you can see, a little planning goes a long way.
A Discount for the Cash-Strapped
But if you don’t do anything else, and you’re cash-strapped, consider using your credit card to buy discounted cards for your project (Tactic 1). That way the “inflated money” you use will take the sting out of the interest you pay to your credit card company.
CLICK HERE to learn more about how I’m able to save up to 36% on my Home Depot purchases.
You may also want to read:
System for Buying Home Depot Store Credits at 34% Discounts
How to Safely Buy Discounted Home Depot Gift Cards Off Craigslist