Before you plan your next big DIY project, you’ve gotta know these Home Depot hacks: how to save hundreds with Home Depot’s tool rentals, when to shop their best sales, and how to stack competitor coupons on your purchases thanks to their price match policy. That’s what we call smart shopping.
We’ll start with easy ways to save at The Home Depot (think: daily deals and coupons), then we’ll cover our favorite sales, and after that, it’s Home Depot’s fine print so you know exactly what to do to bring their prices as low as they’ll go.
So don’t start that Pinterest project or home remodel until you read these Home Depot sale hacks. And bookmark The Krazy Coupon Lady’s Home Depot coupons page for all the latest savings info.
Remember to download the KCL app for more tips and hacks, or text HACKS to 57299.
1. Shop Home Depot’s Special Buy of the Day online to save 25% – 50%.
Bookmark The Home Depot Special Buy of the Day page on HomeDepot.com so you don’t miss any of these major flash sale-style deals. You’ve got 24 hours to check out the deeply discounted items (aim for 25% – 50% savings) that have a ticker telling you how much time you have left.
The catch? They won’t match the Home Depot Deal of the Day online prices in-store.
2. Earn 10% off coupons by subscribing to Home Depot alerts and special clubs.
Home Depot makes both dollar-off and percent-off coupons available to anyone who does the following:
Sign up for Home Depot email alerts: Earn a $5 off $50 coupon.
Sign up for Home Depot text alerts: Earn a $5 off $50 coupon.
Join the Home Depot Garden Club: Earn a $5 off $50 coupon.
Complete a virtual Home Depot workshop: Earn a 15% off coupon.
The email and text alerts are mostly useful for updates on each new Daily Deal, while the Garden Club members will receive tips, special promotions, and the occasional freebie.
All of these coupons will be delivered to you via email, except for the text sign-up coupon (that one goes to your phone). Your coupon for completing a Home Depot workshop will be delivered to whichever email address you used to sign up. Remember, these workshops are online. Kids’ workshops are in store.
3. Return dead trees, perennials, and shrubs for up to a year.
Home Depot’s trees, perennials, houseplants, and shrubs all have a 1-year guarantee. So if your shrub dies on day 359, you can dig it up and return it, as long as you still have your receipt.
If any live plants you bought online arrive damaged or dead, call within three days to get a replacement delivered at no charge!
The policy doesn’t cover floral arrangements or cut flowers.
4. Participate in a free Home Depot Kids’ Workshop every month.
The Home Depot holds free Kids’ Workshops starting at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month.
Your best bet is to get there right at 9 a.m. because participating is on a first-come, first-served basis — and spots fill up quickly. At least, that’s how it is at my local Home Depot.
Past workshops in 2023 have had kids building a putting green, a bean bag toss game, and a treasure chest, just to name a few.
5. Auto-ship items you always need with a subscription and save 5%.
Why get in the car and drive to Home Depot every time you need to change the air filter in your HVAC system or the water filter in your fridge? Set up a Home Depot subscription to save yourself some hassle.
It’s like Amazon’s Subscribe & Save. Put qualifying purchases on a Home Depot subscription under your account at HomeDepot.com and never think about it again.
All you need is a Home Depot account with your credit card linked and you can save 5% (and gas) every time you need something like a new filter. There’s also free shipping on your subscriptions. You can pause or cancel anytime by pulling the menu down under “My Account” and selecting “My Subscriptions.”
You also have options to toggle how often you’d like the items shipped, from monthly to once a year.
6. Home Depot will price match any brick-and-mortar competitor — even Amazon.
If you find the exact same make and model cheaper at another brick-and-mortar store, just bring in proof (printout, local ad, smartphone browser), and they’ll take a look.
You can even price match online if you get in contact with The Home Depot customer service at (800) 466-3337.
Here are major retailers that Home Depot price matches:
Home Depot will also price match mom and pop stores, and they’ll even price match Amazon, as long as the item is identical and sold and shipped by Amazon (not a third-party seller). But they definitely won’t price-match wholesalers like Costco or Sam’s Club. Occasionally they’ll be lenient, though, so if you see a better price, discuss it with your local Home Depot store manager and see if they’re willing to do a match.
Home Depot also won’t price match clearance, damaged, or discontinued merchandise. And they don’t match their own website prices if the item says “online only.”
Related: While we’re on the topic of things Home Depot won’t do — know that Home Depot doesn’t accept Apple Pay.
7. Get mulch for $2 per bag during The Home Depot Spring Black Friday sale.
Home Depot’s Spring Black Friday is one of the best sales of the year. So good, in fact, that we’ve seen bags of mulch on sale for $2 (regularly $3.33).
Home Depot has in-store exclusive deals on vegetable planters like four for $12 (regularly $3.98 each) and one-quart annuals 3 for $10 (regularly $4.98 each). Hanging flower baskets usually cost just $7.50 at Home Depot during the spring sale.
The Home Depot Spring Black Friday Sale has always started on the first Thursday of April. The length of the sale has varied but on average lasts around 10 to 14 days. This year the sale ran from April 13 – 30, 2023.
Related: Find out who wins for cheapest prices in the battle of Lowe’s vs. Home Depot.
8. The best Home Depot sales are usually on holiday weekends — here’s the breakdown.
Aside from some killer doorbusters during Home Depot’s Spring Black Friday and their regular Black Friday sales (think: $2 bags of mulch and $2 poinsettias, respectively), Home Depot doesn’t run the most lucrative sales on their inventory.
But each year we’ve seen lots of opportunities to save 20% – 40% on paint, patio furniture, grills, and large appliances during holiday weekends. We’re talking about hundreds of dollars in savings if you shop over the right holiday weekend.
Memorial Day: Save 30% – 40% on interior and exterior paint, lawn care, patio furniture, patio pavers
Fourth of July: Usually lasts about 13 days (instead of just the weekend); save 25% – 40% on grills, patio furniture, and lawn care
Labor Day: Save 20% – 40% on refrigerators, small kitchen appliances, vanities, and faucets
And between January and March, Home Depot likes to run a bath remodeling sale that offers 25% – 40% savings.
9. The $2.50 poinsettias are the best deal during Home Depot’s Black Friday sale.
Home Depot’s Black Friday sale isn’t much better than the holiday sales we covered above when it comes to large and small appliances, paint, mulch, or landscaping supplies. Savings are limited to 25% – 35%, so it’s gonna be a no for us on those.
But if you’re looking for power tools and Christmas decor, you’ve gotta hit Home Depot for their Black Friday deals. In 2022, they had 60% savings on inflatable Christmas decorations and Buy One Get One free Dewalt power tool deals.
But the best deal is Home Depot’s doorbuster sale on poinsettias, when they go for $2.50 each.
10. Scope out price tags ending in ‘3’ — that’s the cheapest price an item will ever go.
When you see a yellow tag ending in “3,” it’s an item on its way out in three weeks after the markdown, so buy when you see this price — it won’t get any cheaper!
11. Clearance prices ending in ‘6’ will get discounted again six weeks after a markdown date.
These items are already on clearance, but if you can wait six weeks, you’ll see the price lowered again, usually to about half the amount of the price tag ending in “6.”
For example, something marked with a “$4.06” price tag will be “$2.03” after six weeks.
Look at the date printed on the tag (usually near the barcode) to determine how long it’s been since the last markdown date.
Related: We can teach you how to read the price tags at Costco, too, in our Costco pricing secrets guide.
12. Save up to 70% on leftover raw lumber marked purple in the back of the store.
If you need a stack of lumber and aren’t sure where to find it, check the very back of the lumber section or ask an associate where they keep the leftover pieces.
Home Depot takes 70% off their leftover, warped, and damaged wood. Just keep an eye out for the purple-marked wood pieces.
13. Get your lumber cut twice for free at The Home Depot.
Home Depot will cut up to ten pieces of wood for you for free — twice. After that, there’s supposedly a $0.50 charge per cut. But I’ve had a piece of lumber cut at Home Depot a lot more than twice — and it’s remained free.
And that’s not the only material you can get cut for free; here’s what else they’ll cut for you:
Electrical wire
Rope
Chains
Wire shelving
Window blinds
14. Ask a manager for free moving boxes instead of buying them.
Home Depot boxes can be a little pricey (about $1.88 per medium box), so we don’t recommend buying them. Instead, if you speak to a Home Depot manager (especially a night manager) about free moving boxes, there’s a good chance you’ll get them.
The manager might set aside some of their inventory boxes for you. If not, walk away. We rounded up places to get free moving boxes — you have other options.
15. Take advantage of all the other Home Depot freebies.
Free moving boxes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to free Home Depot items. Here are some of the other freebies you can get:
Battery recycling
Paint shaking and re-tinting (as long as you buy it at Home Depot)
Free carpet installation when you buy more than $599 in carpet from Home Depot (includes ripping up and hauling away old carpet, moving furniture, and carpeting stairs)
Free appliance delivery and installation on appliance purchases of $396 or more (however, Home Depot charges a fee for taking away an old appliance)
16. Save hundreds with Home Depot tool rental.
You gotta take advantage of Home Depot tool rental if you need anything from power tools to heavy lifting equipment but don’t want to purchase it. To rent, you’ll simply need an ID and a credit card for the deposit (they don’t accept debit cards for deposits).
We rented a Milwaukee cordless saw for $67 a day. Purchasing that same saw would be $599 at full price. A savings of 88% is nothing to scoff at.
Remember to watch Home Depot’s free online workshops, especially if you’re renting a tool you don’t use much. You’ll be on the hook for any repairs or replacements needed if you damage the equipment — so you’ll want to make sure you’re using it properly.
17. Rent a Load n’ Go van for $19 to bring home a heavy load.
You’re standing in the aisle thinking, “How the heck am I going to get all this home?” You can rent a Home Depot Load N’ Go van.
Just add an extra $19 to your bill and borrow a Home Depot van to take it home with you that day. You’ll have 75 minutes to get everything home and return the vehicle.
Although you also have the option to rent for $129 a day or $903 a week, you’ll save more on daylong or weeklong truck rentals through U-Haul, who charges $19.95 (plus $0.69 per mile) for one day and $139.65 (plus $0.69 per mile) for one week.
18. Combine discounts for 22% off a Home Depot moving truck rental.
If you’re moving, look into Home Depot moving truck rental through Penske. It’s not available at every Home Depot but makes it much easier to rent and return. You can either choose to rent for same-day return if you’re moving in town or long distance with unlimited mileage if you’re moving farther away.
Look for discount codes (like FALL23) that can save you 10% or more when you reserve a Penske truck online through Home Depot. If there’s no current Home Depot discount you may have other options. You can get a 10% discount if you’re a college student or use your Home Depot military discount. AAA members save 12% as well.
Up to two of these discounts can be combined, but not through booking online. Call Penske customer service at (844) 312-6408 and they’ll combine the discounts. They’ll even honor the online booking discount.
19. Shopping for appliances? Use the online Home Depot Rebate Center to save.
Always check The Home Depot online rebate center for special rebates on refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, ovens, and more — plus rebates on installation.
You’ll have the best luck with this if you’re replacing multiple appliances. For example, to get $1,600 back, you’d need to buy four large appliances (some combination of an oven/range, plus a refrigerator, and then two other appliances of your choice within that same line — like a dishwasher and a microwave, perhaps).
TIP: Also look into Energy Star rebates to see if you can get a manufacturer’s rebate through your local gas or electric company for an Energy Star appliance purchase. For example, in Los Angeles, you can get a $75 rebate on your Energy Star–certified refrigerator purchase. You can do the rebate online or through the mail.
20. Check for a Home Depot 11% rebate to get money back for in-store purchases.
If you live near Home Depot competitor Menards, you’ll want to know about the Home Depot 11% rebate.
As long as you live in a participating state near their competitor Menards, Home Depot will really give you 11% of your purchase back (within 30 days of purchase) in the form of an e-gift card, but there are a few exceptions for certain items (like Weber and John Deere products). It’s also worth checking the website to see if there’s a rebate happening at your store.
21. Score free shipping at Home Depot when you spend over $45.
You’ll get Home Depot free shipping on all orders over $45 with 2-day delivery. There’s also free standard delivery on all appliance purchases of $396 or more.
This won’t apply to everything, so you won’t get free shipping on gift cards or anything with size/weight restrictions. Home Depot shows whether a product is eligible for free shipping on an item’s product description.
22. Keep your Home Depot receipt — you’ll need it for any Home Depot return.
Home Depot allows returns up to 90 days after your purchase — but only 30 days if you’re returning furniture, area rugs, gas-powered equipment, generators, or consumer electronics.
The Home Depot return policy notes that proof of purchase is required for a return. If you lost your receipt, they’ll be able to locate purchases made with a credit or debit card or even a check — but only within 30 days of your purchase. They also only accept new and unopened items (with exceptions for damaged/defective merchandise).
If you have a Home Depot credit card, you don’t need your receipt; they can track down your purchases for up to a year.
The smallest return window applies to anyone looking to return a major appliance (think: refrigerators, washers, dryers, or even some microwaves). You’ll only have 48 hours after you leave the store or get it delivered to identify any damage or defects and make your return.
TIP: Fill out this survey using the code and password on the bottom of your Home Depot receipt for a chance to win $5,000. It’s a few questions about your shopping experience, and Home Depot will randomly select one survey taker four times a year.
23. Shop at Home Depot tax-free if you’re a teacher or government employee.
Anyone using a Federal Government Purchase Card doesn’t need to apply, as the taxes will automatically get removed.
Note: This program doesn’t apply to personal purchases.
24. Active duty, veterans, and their spouses get 10% off with The Home Depot military discount.
All active-duty military personnel and retired or disabled veterans and spouses are eligible for a 10% Home Depot military discount at all store locations any day of the week.
You used to be able to present your military ID to the cashier to get your discount, but stores are moving away from that and instead require you to register for the military discount using the Home Depot app.
To get the discount, you have to download the Home Depot app (iOS / Android), create an account on it, and verify your military status. Once you’re verified, you’ll be able to access a QR code to get the discount. These QR codes are for one-time use; you’ll get a new one every time you shop at Home Depot. You’ll be able to save up to $400 per year.
Unfortunately, Home Depot does not offer an AARP discount.
25. Save 5% – 10% with bulk discounts on certain items if you spend more than $1,500.
Buying in bulk can score you an average of 5% – 10% in savings. We’ve even heard of people saving 30% on things like light fixtures, vanities, and cabinets with a bulk discount.
26. Save up to 30% on purchases over $1,500 with The Home Depot Pro Xtra discount.
First, join the free Home Depot Pro Xtra program and then head over to the Pro Desk if your project materials will total over $1,500.
The Pro Desk is generally for contractors, but it’s technically open to anyone. Bring your project list to your local Pro Desk and they’ll put together a quote for you, usually within minutes. Aim for 5% – 30% off your total.
The best items to buy through Pro are hardware (knobs), lighting, plumbing, and lumber. Worst buys (because you’re least likely to get a discount) are appliances and tools. There have also been major Home Depot discounts on vanities, light fixtures, and cabinets.
27. Save 1% – 4% on Home Depot gift cards from Raise.com.
Check out Raise if you’re looking to grab Home Depot gift cards on the cheap. Raise sells full-value gift cards for a discounted price, so your savings on the gift card are built into whatever you use it on. And just think, what if you applied it to a Home Depot Deal of the Day? So much in potential savings.
For Home Depot gift cards, expect anywhere from 1% – 4% off the normal price.
28. Get 4% cash back when you shop HomeDepot.com with Ibotta.
If you’re planning on making some big purchases, definitely take advantage of Home Depot rebates. You can currently grab 4% cash back on online orders through Ibotta.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ibotta, it’s easy to use. You’ll have to create an account, but from there you simply search “Home Depot” from Ibotta’s home page. Then click on The Home Depot link, and anything you buy will earn you cash back.
And hey, 4% might not sound like much, but it’ll at least cover your sales tax for a major purchase.
29. Skip Home Depot’s credit card; it’s not worth the tiny perks.
The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card is pretty weak on rewards. New cardholders get $25 off their first purchase of $25 – $299, $50 off a purchase of $300 – $999, or $100 off a first purchase of $1,000 or more. That’s it, that’s the list. Personally, we’d rather pay more attention to The Home Depot Deal of the Day for savings.
The only reason to get The Home Depot consumer card is for the 0% interest for six months (as long as you spend $299 or more). You’re better off using another credit card with points or rewards.
The Home Depot Project Loan card is an option for shoppers planning bigger remodels and for loans up to $55,000, with a fixed interest rate as low as 7.42%.
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